Percentage Of Endemism Research Articles

Reptilian Diversity in Selected Riparian Systems in Misamis Occidental, Philippines

Reptiles are one of the most ecologically important organisms in the ecosystem. Studying their diversity is important in the conservation of the habitats to where each of these reptiles live. This study aimed to explore the diversity of reptiles in the areas around and within Labo and Clarin rivers, two of the most important river systems in the province of Misamis Occidental. Three sampling techniques were applied, which are visual encounter surveys, opportunistic encounters, and road-kill encounters. The results recorded a total of 21 species, including eleven endemic species, with nine Philippine endemic and two Mindanao endemic. Most notable among the species recorded was Lycodon ferroni, which is the second documented occurrence of the species and the first outside Samar Island. Labo River has the highest species richness, abundance and percent endemism of the two riparian systems, with the upstream sites of both rivers having the highest species richness and percent endemism. Studying the nearby riparian areas using other sampling techniques is recommended to fully understand the extent of reptilian diversity in the province and to effectively implement conservation and sustainability programs for the preservation not only of the reptile diversity but as well as the riparian ecosystem.

Do endemic mushrooms on oceanic islands and archipelagos support the theory of island biogeography?

AbstractAimTerrestrial plant species on islands have a long history of study to determine how they evolved and what explains their levels of endemicity, but studies on fungi are lacking. Here, we examine: (1) how percent endemism of non‐lichenized class Agaricomycetes; hereafter, ‘mushrooms’ compares to angiosperms, ferns, bryophytes and lichens from oceanic islands/archipelagos; (2) whether endemic mushrooms evolved from an ancestor diversifying into multiple species after island colonization (cladogenesis) or over time evolved into a single endemic species unique from its ancestral mainland counterpart (anagenesis); and (3) if mushroom percent endemism and cladogenesis are correlated to geographic variables that help explain these phenomena in other species groups.LocationHawaiʻi, Galápagos, Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, Cabo Verde, Christmas Island.TaxonMushrooms, angiosperms, ferns, bryophytes, lichens.MethodsChecklists of mushrooms and other species groups from seven oceanic islands/archipelagos were compared. Having multiple endemic congeners from a single island/archipelago was used to infer cladogenesis versus anagenesis in endemic mushrooms. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated between an island/archipelago's percent endemism and percent cladogenesis, and their distance to the nearest mainland, area, maximum elevation and latitude from the equator.ResultsHawaiʻi has the highest mushroom endemicity at 83%, of which 50% are potentially derived from cladogenesis. Considering mushrooms on all islands/archipelagos, speciation by cladogenesis leads to fewer endemic species (37%) than anagenesis (63%). We find positive and statistically significant relationships between distance to mainland and island area with percent endemism among mushrooms, and cladogenesis is positively and significantly correlated with island size and maximum elevation.Main conclusionsMushrooms show greater percent endemism on larger, more isolated islands/archipelagos. However, they display the lowest percent species derived from cladogenesis among the organismal groups examined. Both the lack of data and unreliability of data are impediments to studying fungal endemism on islands, making drawing decisive conclusions challenging.

Biodiversity of Bulgaria: Characteristics, protection and trends

Bulgaria is a medium-sized country located in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. It hosts a rich mycota, flora and fauna, and quite well preserved natural and semi-natural ecosystems. This is mostly due to the country's geographic position between the temperate and subtropical zones, the complex geological history, and the big topographic variety. The high species diversity and endemism determine the high conservation value of Bulgarian biodiversity. The Bulgarian flora consist of more than 4,100 species, including more than 45 species of ferns, 250 species of mosses, and 2,800 higher plant species. The animals established in the country belong to 28 phyla and 75 classes. Vertebrates (858 species) comprise 2.7% of the Bulgarian fauna: 242 fishes and fish-like taxa; 24 amphibians; 40 reptiles; 452 birds; and 101 mammal species. Invertebrates account for more than 31,000 species. Over the past 25 years the number of known animals in the country has increased by over 4,500 species: from 29,000 in 1996 to 33,545 species in 2020. The total number of endemic animals is about 1,400 (4.2%). In some groups, the percentage of endemism is very high (95.5% of snails from the family Hydrobiidae and 71% of Clausiliidae; 53.6% of Diplopoda; 50.0% of terrestrial Isopoda). The richest endemic areas in Bulgaria are mostly in the mountains: Rila Mt.- 268, Pirin Mt. - 220, Western Stara Planina Mt. - 184, Western Rhodopes Mts - 183, and the Central Stara Planina Mt. – 181. Molecular data for Bulgarian animals is still insufficient, although Bulgaria ranks among the top 10 European countries in the proportion of the DNA-barcoded animal taxa; sequence coverage of animal specimens in Barcode of Life data System (BOLD) amounts to approximately 36,000 sequences from more than 7,100 Barcode index numbers (BINs). Bulgaria is part of large-scale initiatives of the European research infrastructure such as the Distributed System of Scientific Collections (DiSSCo) and the MOBILISE COST Action, with mass digitization of museum collections currently underway. Legislation to protect nature in Bulgaria dates back to the end of the 19th century and covers forestry (1890), the protection of certain species (1890's) and hunting (1897). Organized civil movements resulted in the establishment of the Union of Nature Protection (1928), the designation of several nature reserves (1933), and the first National Park (1934). More specific regulation followed with Ordinance for the Protection of Nature (1936). The Red Data Book of Bulgaria was published as early as 1984 (vol. 1, Plants) and 1985 (vol. 2, Animals), with a second updated edition in 2011. Bulgaria is also among the first countries to prepare a National Strategy for Biodiversity Protection (1993, adopted in 1998) following the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) process. Since then, several national plans for protection of biodiversity have been adopted including assessments of the threats, objectives, and measures for their achievement. According to recent references, such as the Red Data Book (Beshkov 2011) and the Article 17 reports of 2014 and 2020, the main threats to biodiversity in Bulgaria at the beginning of the 21st century have been human induced degradation: fragmentation and loss of habitats; industrial, agricultural and household waste pollution; direct exploitation of biological resources; genetic ingression and invasive alien species; and global climate change effects. A set of drivers for the loss of biodiversity is related to agriculture and land management, including the whole spectrum from intensification to the abandonment of traditional land, and wetland management practices.

The effect of small-scale topography on patterns of endemism within islands

Topography influences evolutionary and ecological processes by isolating populations and enhancing habitat diversity. While the effects of large-scale topography on patterns of species richness and endemism are increasingly well documented, the direct effect of local topography on endemism is less understood. This study compares different aspects of topographic isolation, namely the isolating effect of deep barrancos (ravines) and the effect of increasing isolation with elevation in influencing patterns of plant endemism within a topographically diverse oceanic island (La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain). We collected plant presence–absence data from 75 plots in 8 barrancos on the northern coast of La Palma, spanning an elevation gradient from 95 to 674m a.s.l. Using mixed-effects models, we assessed the effect of barranco depth and elevation on the percentage of single-island endemics, multi-island endemics, and archipelago endemics. We found that percent endemism was not significantly correlated with barranco depth and correlated negatively with elevation within barrancos (rather than the expected positive relationship). The topographic barriers associated with the deep island barrancos thus appear insufficient to drive speciation through isolation in oceanic island plants. The decrease in endemism with elevation contradicts findings by previous broader-scale studies and it may reflect local influences, such as high habitat heterogeneity at low elevations.

Moss endemism in the Mexican flora

Although the moss flora of Mexico consists of nearly 1000 species, only 77 are endemic. The country has many poorly collected or unexplored areas, but the number of endemic mosses is not expected to undergo a substantial increase; percent endemism has in fact decreased with taxonomic revisions and monographs and better exploration in other countries. Literature and herbarium records (n = 584) were used to obtain an updated list of endemic mosses and their state distribution in Mexico. Cluster analysis and mapping indicate that there are three main areas of endemism: Lowland areas in various states, the mountain area along 19–20°N lat., and the highlands in Oaxaca and Chiapas. Similarity by province shows that Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, Sierra Madre Oriental, Chihuahuan Desert, and Sierra Madre del Sur have the highest numbers of endemic species. Five monotypic genera and 76 species (including two infraspecific taxa), many of which have comparatively narrow geographical ranges, suggest that speciation is recent, that species have had little time to disperse, and were formed by Pleistocene environmental climates in the highlands; older speciation may be represented by widespread disjunct species that still are found in the highlands of Mexico.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of plant diversity and endemism during primary succession on an oceanic‐volcanic island

AbstractQuestionsHow does the diversity of native, endemic and alien plant species, as well as the diversity of plant life forms, change during primary succession on lava flows of an oceanic‐volcanic island? How do environmental factors such as moisture and soil properties alter diversity during primary succession?LocationLa Palma, Canary Islands.MethodsWe recorded vascular plants and bryophytes in 210 plots on a chronosequence of nine lava flows spanning approx. 6,000 years and covering an elevational range of 1,100 m. In a subset (n = 78 plots) we collected and analyzed soil samples for soil nitrogen and plant‐available phosphorus. We used generalized linear models, variance partitioning and structural equation models (SEMs) to analyze the data.ResultsSpecies richness, endemic richness and alien richness increased with time. Natives dominated during early successional stages, whereas endemics and aliens increased with time. At early successional stages, vascular plants and bryophytes had an equal contribution to the species pool, while vascular plants increased up to an 80% contribution at later stages. In the variance partitioning and SEMs, time was the only consistent factor influencing different aspects of diversity during succession (species richness, endemic richness and percent endemism). Only for percent endemism did soil attributes have a substantial impact.ConclusionPrimary succession on lava flows on La Palma shows a pattern of increasing overall diversity, endemism and alien richness with time. Time is the only factor consistently explaining diversity and endemism, indicating that environmental influences such as climate and soil properties do not substantially alter them during primary succession. Our study contributes to understanding how different facets of diversity assemble through time by using an understudied, yet important island system, and, for the first time, specifically addresses how endemics contribute to the process of primary succession.

Taxonomic variation in levels of endemism: a case study of Italian tenebrionid beetles

Abstract Levels of endemism are usually expressed as percentage of endemics among all species recorded in a given area. Endemism levels also vary among taxa, yet inter‐taxon variation in endemism levels has received much less attention. We used the Italian tenebrionids to investigate how endemism levels vary among different but related lineages. We evaluated endemism variations among taxonomic levels both as a percentage of endemics to the number of species included in a given taxon (i.e. the tendency of a taxon to produce endemics) and as a percentage to the total number of species (i.e. the importance of that taxon to the overall endemic component). We also considered the residuals of regression lines of endemics against non‐endemics. We tested the influence of phylogenetic position, lifestyle, and body size on the percentage of endemics within genera. Use of percentages and residuals gave similar outcomes. Pimeliinae were the subfamily with the highest level of endemism. Erodiini, Pimeliini, Tentyriini, Asidini, Opatrini, and Pedinini were among the tribes with the highest endemism levels. Asida, Pimelia, Tentyria, and Opatrum were the genera with the highest levels of endemism. Phylogenetic position and body size affected significantly endemism levels, with genera including larger species being also those with higher endemism, whereas lifestyle was not significant. This suggests that endemism in the Italian tenebrionid beetles is phylogenetically constrained and that lines including larger species (which are possibly less subject to passive dispersal) tend to be richer in endemics, independently from their lifestyle.

Seasonal microclimatic variation in a succession gradient of low thorn forest in Northeastern Mexico

Global increase in land cover change and deforestation bring about fragmentation of a high proportion of native vegetation areas. Microclimate is among the first modified factors after vegetation loss, effects of such disturbances are critical for species performance. However, both secondary succession and seasonality provoke further modifications in abiotic environment after disturbances. Although microclimate patterns during succession are well studied for several ecosystems, they are practically unknown for low thorn forests. In Northern Mexico, this is an endangered ecosystem characterized by harboring a high percentage of endemics. Measurement of microclimatic factors is crucial for understanding possible consequences of post-disturbance time on species inhabiting this ecosystem. This work aimed to assess seasonal variation of microclimatic patterns in a succession gradient of four categories (conserved areas, 31, 17 and four years of succession). The study area was delimited using Landsat satellite images (1973, 1986, 2000, 2005, and 2013) in a fragment of low thorn forest in Northeastern Mexico. For microclimate characterization we studied wind speed, temperature, relative humidity, heat index, dew point, and evapotranspiration. Variables were measured monthly on eight plots, in each of the four successional categories, during two different seasons: wet (May through October 2016) and dry season (November 2016 through April 2017). A multivariate discriminant function analysis showed that microclimate differs among successional stages. In the wet season, early succession areas were characterized by higher values of heat index and wind speed, contrary to conserved areas. In the dry season, successional differences were attributed to wind speed and relative humidity. Moreover, microclimate differences between categories and importance of variables measured were both higher only during the dry season. Our results show that seasonality influences greatly microclimatic patterns during secondary succession. In addition, each one of the successional categories exhibited unique microclimatic conditions. Remarkably, four, 17, and even 31 years succession categories differed from conserved areas. This work provides evidence on the great relevance of seasonality and microclimate for studying secondary succession. It is suggested to take both factors into consideration when implementing conservation programs concerning endangered habitats such as low thorn forests. As an ecosystem poorly studied, microclimate characterization provided herein, shall help to a better understanding and management of these areas.

Inventory of prong-gilled mayflies (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae) of India with records of endemic taxa

The present study investigated leptophlebiid mayfly in 48 sampling sites from 11 states and one union territory of India including earlier report. It deals with diagnostic characters, diversity, distribution and status of 26 species belonging to 12 genera under two subfamilies of Leptophlebiidae from India. Twenty-three of them are endemic to India inclusive of 15 species and six genera are endemic to the Western Ghats and four species are endemic to the Himalaya. Due to this high percentage of endemism, conservation of habitats and microhabitats harbouring this ancient gondwanan lineage gains priority.

Robustness of relative diversity metrics to inventory incompleteness: Could we estimate the near imponderable?

AbstractAimRelative diversity metrics (RDMs), such as local : global or regional : global diversity ratios and percentage of endemics, are widely applied in biodiversity studies. This approach, however, is flawed because the real global diversity of many taxa is still largely unknown, especially for rare species. This potential inconsistency of RDMs has not been proved (or disproved) thus far. Here, I use simulation models to explore the efficiency of RDM estimations from incomplete inventories.LocationWorld‐wide.MethodsThree simple models of species distribution were used: (a) the “everything is everywhere” model (unlimited dispersal, i.e., equal probability for a species to occur at every point); (b) the “environmental selection” model (each species can occupy only a portion of randomly distributed “suitable localities” according to its ecological preferences); and (c) the “endemicity” model (most species are restricted to a few regions each). To parameterize these models, the world‐wide datasets on ciliates, flagellates and harpacticoid copepods were used. The RDMs were estimated by simulating equal‐effort sampling and by varying the full number of species and number of sampled individuals per cell.ResultsEstimated species richness at any scale was heavily influenced by the sampling effort and was greatly underestimated with small sample sizes. The estimated RDM values also depended on the sampling effort (being either upward or downward biased) but were only slightly influenced by the unrecorded part of real global diversity (ignorance). The predictions of the first two models were generally close to each other but differed noticeably from those of the third model.Main conclusionsThe relative metrics, albeit influenced by undersampling, are nevertheless more robust to inventory incompleteness than absolute measures and can therefore be a reliable tool in comparative biodiversity studies, even if the true number of species cannot be estimated overall. Their estimated values, however, must be interpreted with caution.

Hotspots within a global biodiversity hotspot - areas of endemism are associated with high mountain ranges

Conservation biology aims at identifying areas of rich biodiversity. Currently recognized global biodiversity hotspots are spatially too coarse for conservation management and identification of hotspots at a finer scale is needed. This might be achieved by identification of areas of endemism. Here, we identify areas of endemism in Iran, a major component of the Irano-Anatolian biodiversity hotspot, and address their ecological correlates. Using the extremely diverse sunflower family (Asteraceae) as our model system, five consensus areas of endemism were identified using the approach of endemicity analysis. Both endemic richness and degree of endemicity were positively related to topographic complexity and elevational range. The proportion of endemic taxa at a certain elevation (percent endemism) was not congruent with the proportion of total surface area at this elevation, but was higher in mountain ranges. While the distribution of endemic richness (i.e., number of endemic taxa) along an elevational gradient was hump-shaped peaking at mid-elevations, the percentage of endemism gradually increased with elevation. Patterns of endemic richness as well as areas of endemism identify mountain ranges as main centres of endemism, which is likely due to high environmental heterogeneity and strong geographic isolation among and within mountain ranges. The herein identified areas can form the basis for defining areas with conservation priority in this global biodiversity hotspot.

<b>Inventory of teloganodid mayflies (Ephemeroptera: Teloganodidae) from southern India with records of endemic taxa</b>

The present study deals with diagnostic characters, diversity, distribution and status of seven species belonging to four genera of Teloganodidae from southern India. Six of them are endemic to the Western Ghats as is the genus Indoganodes Selvakumar, Sivaramakrishnan & Jacobus, 2014 and one is endemic to the Eastern Ghats. Due to this high percentage of endemism, conservation of habitats and microhabitats harbouring this ancient gondwanan lineage gains priority. A larval key to the known genera and species of Teloganodidae of southern India is also provided. The present pattern of distribution of the family Teloganodidae is confined to southern Africa, Madagascar, southern India and Southeast Asia.

A survey of fishes associated with Hawaiian deep-water Halimeda kanaloana (Bryopsidales: Halimedaceae) and Avrainvillea sp. (Bryopsidales: Udoteaceae) meadows.

The invasive macroalgal species Avrainvillea sp. and native species Halimeda kanaloana form expansive meadows that extend to depths of 80 m or more in the waters off of O‘ahu and Maui, respectively. Despite their wide depth distribution, comparatively little is known about the biota associated with these macroalgal species. Our primary goals were to provide baseline information on the fish fauna associated with these deep-water macroalgal meadows and to compare the abundance and diversity of fishes between the meadow interior and sandy perimeters. Because both species form structurally complex three-dimensional canopies, we hypothesized that they would support a greater abundance and diversity of fishes when compared to surrounding sandy areas. We surveyed the fish fauna associated with these meadows using visual surveys and collections made with clove-oil anesthetic. Using these techniques, we recorded a total of 49 species from 25 families for H. kanaloana meadows and surrounding sandy areas, and 28 species from 19 families for Avrainvillea sp. habitats. Percent endemism was 28.6% and 10.7%, respectively. Wrasses (Family Labridae) were the most speciose taxon in both habitats (11 and six species, respectively), followed by gobies for H. kanaloana (six species). The wrasse Oxycheilinus bimaculatus and cardinalfish Apogonichthys perdix were the most frequently-occurring species within the H. kanaloana and Avrainvillea canopies, respectively. Obligate herbivores and food-fish species were rare in both habitats. Surprisingly, the density and abundance of small epibenthic fishes were greater in open sand than in the meadow canopy. In addition, species richness was also higher in open sand for Avrainvillea sp. We hypothesize that the dense holdfasts and rhizoids present within the meadow canopy may impede benthic-dwelling or bioturbator species, which accounted for 86% and 57% of individuals collected in sand adjacent to H. kanaloana and Avrainvillea sp. habitats, respectively. Of the 65 unique species recorded in this study, 16 (25%) were detected in clove oil stations alone, illustrating the utility of clove-oil anesthetic in assessing the diversity and abundance of small-bodied epibenthic fishes.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE COMPOSITION OF THE TERRESTRIAL FAUNA AND FLORA OF THE TETHYS DESERT-STEPPE REGION OF PALEARARTICS, BIOGEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES OF THE CAUCASUS. MESSAGE 1. TERRESTRIAL FAUNA

Aim. The aim is to conduct a comparative analysis of the composition of the terrestrial fauna of the Tethys desert-steppe region of the Palearctic. Materials and methods. The work was based on the materials collected in different republics and regions of the Caucasus and the south of the European part of Russia during 50 years (from 1961 to 2016) which are kept in various domestic and foreign institutions. Catalogs on the studied model groups were also used to conduct the research. In making the dendrograms, a cluster analysis based on the Jaccard coefficient was used. Results. A detailed analysis was carried out by model groups of the animals of the Eastern and Western Thethys complexes of the desert-steppe region of the Palearctic. Comparative analysis has shown that a significant number of species and genera of the discussed territories is characterized by an exceptionally high ratio of endemic species and superspecies taxa. Indicators of endemism in model groups fluctuate depending on the population's ability to resettle. High endemism of faunas of darkling beetles, ground beetles, click beetles and land snails in the Eastern Tethys complex was noted. Conclusion. The Caucasus (in a new interpretation) is characterized by a high percentage of endemism for the studied model groups. A large number of the common Tethys genera and species in all model groups attests to their fundamental role in the overall composition of the biota against the background of powerful autochthonous centers of species-formation and, most importantly, the formation and functioning of the Palaearctic desert-steppe belt as the Tethys ocean reduced.

Topography‐driven isolation, speciation and a global increase of endemism with elevation

AbstractAimHigher‐elevation areas on islands and continental mountains tend to be separated by longer distances, predicting higher endemism at higher elevations; our study is the first to test the generality of the predicted pattern. We also compare it empirically with contrasting expectations from hypotheses invoking higher speciation with area, temperature and species richness.LocationThirty‐two insular and 18 continental elevational gradients from around the world.MethodsWe compiled entire floras with elevation‐specific occurrence information, and calculated the proportion of native species that are endemic (‘percent endemism’) in 100‐m bands, for each of the 50 elevational gradients. Using generalized linear models, we tested the relationships between percent endemism and elevation, isolation, temperature, area and species richness.ResultsPercent endemism consistently increased monotonically with elevation, globally. This was independent of richness–elevation relationships, which had varying shapes but decreased with elevation at high elevations. The endemism–elevation relationships were consistent with isolation‐related predictions, but inconsistent with hypotheses related to area, richness and temperature.Main conclusionsHigher per‐species speciation rates caused by increasing isolation with elevation are the most plausible and parsimonious explanation for the globally consistent pattern of higher endemism at higher elevations that we identify. We suggest that topography‐driven isolation increases speciation rates in mountainous areas, across all elevations and increasingly towards the equator. If so, it represents a mechanism that may contribute to generating latitudinal diversity gradients in a way that is consistent with both present‐day and palaeontological evidence.

Endemism in native floras of California’s Channel Islands correlated with seasonal patterns of aeolian processes

This study revisits the hypothesis that dispersal to California’s Channel Islands follows a stepping-stone pattern from mainland California, based on earlier work indicating that the floras conform to classic island-biogeographic expectations. A re-examination of data incorporating the directions of prevailing and seasonal Santa Ana winds greatly strengthens the power of the model to explain levels of endemism in the Channel Island floras, and suggests the importance of aoelian processes for island colonization. Regression analysis of percent endemism in the native flora against distances measured along the axis of winds improves the r2 from 0.099 to 0.482. The endemic species that flower in the dry season as a percent of the native flora of the islands is also strongly related to these revised source distances (r2 = 0.665). Furthermore, the native floras of the southern islands are nested subsets of the floras of the northern islands, and angiosperm flowering peaks during the dry season, providing seed for seasonally based dispersal. These results suggest that the northern islands may have served as a source of colonists for the southern islands, and that the pattern of aeolian inputs into an island system should be considered in other plant biogeographic studies.

An island biogeography model for beta diversity and endemism: The roles of speciation, extinction and dispersal

A community composition island biogeography model was developed to explain and predict two community patterns (beta diversity and endemism) with the consideration of speciation, extinction and dispersal processes. Results showed that rate of speciation is positively and linearly associated with beta diversity and endemism, that is, increasing species rates typically could increase the percentage of both endemism and beta diversity. The influences of immigration and extinction rates on beta diversity and endemism are nonlinear, but with numerical simulation, I could observe that increasing extinction rates would lead to decreasing percentage of endemism and beta diversity. The role of immigration rate is very similar to that of speciation rate, having a positive relationship with beta diversity and endemism. Finally, I found that beta diversity is closely related to the percentage of endemism. The slope of this positive relationship is determined jointly by different combinations of speciation, extinction and immigration rates.

The Hitchhiker’s guide to island endemism: biodiversity and endemic perennial plant species in roadside and surrounding vegetation

Roadsides are habitats with very specific environmental conditions, often substantially differing from their natural surroundings. However, roads can have a positive effect on local vascular plant species richness. Endemic species on oceanic islands are considered to be less disturbance-adapted than native non-endemics and thus should be negatively affected by roads. Islands provide optimal conditions for testing this, as they possess a large share of clearly defined endemic species. This study focuses on a comparison of endemic plant species in roadside and surrounding communities and the interacting effects of elevation, vegetation type and trade wind-induced precipitation differences. We applied 96 circular plots with 50 m radius along two elevational gradients on the eastern (humid) and western (dry) slope of La Palma, Canary Islands, ranging from 100 to 2,400 m. Interestingly, we found roads to have a significant positive effect on endemic richness and the percentage of endemics as well as the same tendency for plant species richness after correcting for elevation and precipitation. Endemic species turnover was relatively high. The opening of cliffs during construction and, not to be overlooked, the protection from disturbances such as fire and omnipresent introduced herbivores (mainly rabbits or goats) probably leads to a positive effect of roads on endemics. In addition, many endemics might profit from species-specific dispersal capabilities well suited for roadside conditions. However, we do not argue for the use or even construction of roads for nature conservation but suggest protecting existing endemic populations because natural areas have a higher conservation value.

Lista anotada de nuevas adiciones para la flora andina de Moquegua, Perú

New records of 103 species reunited in 79 genera and 33 families are presented for the flora of the upper basin of the Tambo-Ichuña Rivers in the General Sánchez Cerro Province in the Department of Moquegua. With this study the flora of the northern Andean region of Moquegua rises to 507 species, contained in 271 genera and 75 families. The number of endemic species rises compared to the results obtained in 2011 by the author. This percentage of endemism is one of the highest documented for the department of Moquegua. Comments on nomenclature are also highlighted for the species documented as well as the herbarium collections reviewed and the geographical area where it was found. This new contribution to knowledge of the country's flora is the result of field work and herbarium reviews made from 2009 through 2012, mentioning also, elements of flora that were not previously identified to species level (Montesinos, 2011). Revisions and botanical comparisons were made at the herbaria HUSA, USM and the virtual images of F and MO.

A BIOGEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS OF GREEK ONISCIDEAN ENDEMISM

ABSTRACT Despite our incomplete knowledge of Greek Oniscidea, a great number of species have already been described, of which 69% are endemic. This unusually high percentage of endemics is a result of intense speciation triggered by the complex topography, paleogeography, and ecological history of Greece. Using 100 × 100 km Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) squares as Operational Geographic Units (OGUs), we mapped the presence of all endemic species known until 1995, and applied Parsimony Analysis of Endemicity (PAE) in order to find patterns of OGU relationships. In the procedure, we reduced the original data matrix in two successive steps, excluding unin—formative and problematic species and OGUs. We analyzed separately the endemic species of the large genus Armadillidium, following the same procedure. The results lead to the recognition of two main biogeographic entities, the mountainous continental and the insular Aegean. These groups, and the relationships of OGUs on a finer scale, do not fully agr...