Phylogenetic Endemism Research Articles

Tectonic and climatic controls on plant biodiversity in the Hengduan Mountains, China

Mountainous regions contain some of the most dynamic landscapes in the world and host a majority of the global biodiversity hotspots. The Hengduan Mountains, located at the syntax of Eurasia and India, have a complex geological history associated with the hyperdiverse assemblage of species. Tectonics and geomorphic and climate processes in the Hengduan Mountains may have jointly caused the emergence of high biodiversity. We propose three mechanisms that may promote high-level montane biodiversity: habitat creation, habitat disruption, and habitat oscillations. We mapped species richness patterns for seed plants and computed phylogenetic endemism across the entire Hengduan region. We developed a set of geomorphic metrics regarding these mechanisms to link plant richness and phylogenetic endemism patterns. By estimating the component of species richness due to habitat heterogeneity, we isolate the component due to tectono-geomorphic processes. We found that regions of exceptionally high species richness are explained by a combination of habitat heterogeneity and tectono-geomorphic processes, while glaciation and high climate change velocity are associated with low richness, thus contributing to recent extinction. We interpret the richness of biodiversity hotspots in the Hengduan Mountains in terms of climatic and tectonic processes.

A multifaceted approach to expanding conservation efforts in the Pan-Himalayan landscape

The Pan-Himalayan biogeographic domain is a significant region for biodiversity conservation and climate resilience. This region has both tropical and extratropical flora and holds ecological, cultural, and socio-economic importance. However, knowledge about the spatial distribution and threats to threatened plant species in the study area is still poorly known. In this study we evaluate the phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic endemism of threatened flora in the region, and also examine the effect of rapid land cover transformation and landscape fragmentation between 2000 and 2020 on the preservation of distinct evolutionary lineages. Phylogenetic metrics provide a better understanding of ecological, historical, and evolutionary factors that shape plant communities in highly biodiverse regions. Our result show that current protected areas are insufficient for preserving Pan-Himalayan biodiversity, and also reveal a significant gap in conservation efforts within these areas. We highlight conservation priorities areas in the western Himalayan belt encompassing 2.43 million km2 and covering 26.73% of the total area. However, a large conservation gap encompassed 22.67% (2.06 million km2) hotspots of total study area, whereas non-hotspot priorities covered 67.62% (0.77 million km2) of the total protected area, revealing a mismatch between biodiversity hotspots and protected areas. In addition, biodiversity priority areas have been threatened by rapid land cover transformation and landscape fragmentation between 2000 and 2020. There were 6.93% increase in cropland area and 172.64% increase in impervious surface, while an increase in landscape fragmentation and a decrease in landscape cohesion in different hotspots within protected areas. The biodiversity hotspot regions emphasize the need to conserve unique evolutionary lineages and high species occurrence areas with targeted conservation strategies. Mountainous, but cross-border international cooperation is highly recommended for effective preservation strategies. Our study has implications for advancing biodiversity preservation and sustainable ecosystem management not only in the Pan-Himalayan but also in similar regions, as well as for achieving the 2030 protection goal.

Once upon a time: exploring the biogeographic history of the largest endemic lizard family in the Neotropics (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae)

Abstract Gymnophthalmids are a diverse lineage of Neotropical lizards that present challenges in the understanding of their phylogenetic relationships and biogeographic history. Using a densely sampled phylogeny and distribution data, we investigated their biogeography at the family level. Dividing South and Central America into 12 regions, we tested six biogeographic models considering dispersal-extinction, vicariance, and founder events. Our analysis revealed high taxonomic and phylogenetic endemism in the Andes, Amazon, and Guiana Shield. The best-fit model identified the Guiana Shield as the likely ancestral area of the family, with dispersal events dominating over vicariance. Key areas for species interchange were the Amazon, Northern Andes, and Guiana Shield. The core regions of diversification included the Andes, Amazon, and Guiana Shield, with elevated species richness and biotic interchange events during the Eocene and Oligocene. The Guiana Shield stood out as a stronghold of gymnophthalmid diversity, driven by dispersal rates and ancient lineages. Our findings challenge previous hypotheses about the diversification of these lizards, suggesting a colonization pattern from lowlands to high elevations rather than the South-to-North Speciation Hypothesis for Andean lineages.

Global patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic endemism in liverwort assemblages

Exploring the worldwide patterns of endemism and the processes that lead to the formation of high-endemism centers is crucial in biogeography. This study examines the geographic distribution and ecological influences on the endemism of liverworts across 390 regions worldwide. We assess phylogenetic endemism and relative phylogenetic endemism in relation to eleven environmental factors, which represent current and Quaternary climate variations, as well as topographic and environmental heterogeneity. Areas with higher endemism in liverworts tend to have higher temperatures, precipitation, and environmental heterogeneity, but lower temperature seasonality and lesser impacts from Quaternary climate changes. Regions exhibiting notably high endemism are predominantly found in tropical Asia, Madagascar, eastern Australia, and the Andes, while those with notably low endemism are generally in temperate Eurasia and North America, parts of Africa, and eastern South America. Centers of neo-endemism are mainly in southern Africa, whereas centers of paleo-endemism are in southern South America, tropical Asia, and New Zealand. Environment variability is a more significant predictor of phylogenetic endemism than current climate conditions, which are themselves more predictive than variables related to Quaternary climate changes. Nevertheless, these three types of explanatory variables combined explain only about one-third of the variance in phylogenetic endemism.

Soil flooding filters evolutionary lineages of tree communities in Amazonian riparian forests.

Inundations in Amazonian black-water river floodplain result in the selection of different tree lineages, thus promoting coexistence between species. We investigated whether Amazonian tree communities are phylogenetically structured and distributed along a flooding gradient from irregularly flooded forests along streams embedded within upland (terra-firme) forest to seasonally flooded floodplains of large rivers (igapós). Floristic inventories and hydrological monitoring were performed along the Falsino River, a black-water river in the eastern Amazon within the Amapá National Forest. We constructed a presence-and-absence matrix and generated a phylogeny using the vascular plant database available in GenBank. We calculated the standardized values of the metrics of phylogenetic diversity (ses.PD), average phylogenetic distance (ses.MPD), and average nearest-neighbor distance (ses.MNTD) to test whether the history of relationships between species in the community is influenced by inundation. We used the phylogenetic endemism (PE) metric to verify the existence of taxa with restricted distribution. Linear regressions were used to test whether phylogenetic metrics have a significant relationship with the variables: maximum flood height, maximum water table depth, and maximum flood amplitude. The results show that forests subject to prolonged seasonal flooding have reduced taxon richness, low phylogenetic diversity, and random distribution of lineages within communities. On the other hand, terra-firme riparian forests showed higher rates of taxon richness, diversity, and phylogenetic dispersion, in addition to greater phylogenetic endemism. These results indicate that seasonal and predictable soil flooding filters tree lineages along the hydrographic gradient. Different adaptations to root waterlogging are likely requirements for colonization in these environments and may represent an important factor in the diversification of tree lineages in the Amazon biome.

Geographical pattern of the deviation between taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity and its implications for the conservation of Chinese orchids

Orchidaceae stands as one of the “flagship” groups in global biodiversity conservation, attracting significant attention from researchers in China. Previous studies have focused on taxonomic diversity, neglecting the integration of phylogeny and functional aspects. Here, we have leveraged a large dataset of distributions, evolutionary relationships, and functional traits of orchids in China to analyze geographic patterns of species richness (SR), weighted endemism (WE), phylogenetic diversity (PD), phylogenetic endemism (PE), functional diversity (FD), and functional endemism (FE). Furthermore, we analyzed the deviations between PD (or FD) and SR (PDdev, and FDdev), as well as between PE (or FE) and WE (PEdev, and FEdev), taking into account climatic and environmental variables. We also delineated the priority protection and survey areas of orchid plants in China. Our results revealed that the geographic patterns of SR, WE, PD, PE, FD, and FE for orchids generally exhibited similar trends. However, there were notable inconsistencies in the geographical patterns of PDdev, FDdev, PEdev, and FEdev, which might be related to the different environmental responses of these four diversity deviation metrics. We have pinpointed six priority conservation areas for orchids in China, i.e., southeasterrn Xizang, western Yunnan, central Yunan, the Karst area at the border of Guizhou and Guangxi, the border of Guangdong and Guangxi, and Taiwan Island. In addition, we have also identified certain priority survey areas for orchids, encompassing southeastern Xizang and other crucial locales. These findings will guide future conservation and research efforts aimed at safeguarding the rich biodiversity of orchids in China.

Large-scale geographic patterns and environmental and anthropogenic drivers of wetland plant diversity in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

BackgroundThe geographic patterns of plant diversity in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) have been widely studied, but few studies have focused on wetland plants. This study quantified the geographic patterns of wetland plant diversity in the QTP through a comprehensive analysis of taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional indices.MethodsBased on a large number of floras, monographs, specimens and field survey data, we constructed a comprehensive dataset of 1,958 wetland plant species in the QTP. Species richness (SR), phylogenetic diversity (PD), functional diversity (FD), net relatedness index (NRI) and net functional relatedness index (NFRI) were used to assess the taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity of wetland plants. We explored the relationships between the diversity indices and four categories of environmental variables (i.e. energy-water, climate seasonality, topography and human activities). We used four diversity indices, namely endemic species richness, weighted endemism, phylogenetic endemism and functional endemism, together with the categorical analysis of neo- and paleo-endemism (CANAPE), to identify the endemic centers of wetland plants in the QTP.ResultsSR, PD and FD were highly consistent and showed a decreasing trend from southeast to northwest, decreasing with increasing elevation. The phylogenetic structure of wetland plant assemblages in most parts of the plateau is mainly clustered. The functional structure of wetland plant assemblages in the southeast of the plateau is overdispersed, while the functional structure of wetland plant assemblages in other areas is clustered. Energy-water and climate seasonality were the two most important categories of variables affecting wetland plant diversity. Environmental variables had a greater effect on the functional structure of wetland plants than on the phylogenetic structure. This study identified seven endemic centres, mainly in the Himalayas and Hengduan Mountains.ConclusionsClimate and topography are the main factors determining the geographic distribution of wetland plant diversity at large scales. The majority of grid cells in the QTP with significant phylogenetic endemism were mixed and super-endemism. At large scales, compared to climate and topography, human activities may not have a negative impact on wetland plant diversity in the QTP.

Hidden hotspots of amphibian biodiversity in China

Identifying and protecting hotspots of endemism and species richness is crucial for mitigating the global biodiversity crisis. However, our understanding of spatial diversity patterns is far from complete, which severely limits our ability to conserve biodiversity hotspots. Here, we report a comprehensive analysis of amphibian species diversity in China, one of the most species-rich countries on Earth. Our study combines 20 y of field surveys with new molecular analyses of 521 described species and also identifies 100 potential cryptic species. We identify 10 hotspots of amphibian diversity in China, each with exceptional species richness and endemism and with exceptional phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic endemism (based on a new time-calibrated, species-level phylogeny for Chinese amphibians). These 10 hotspots encompass 59.6% of China's described amphibian species, 49.0% of cryptic species, and 55.6% of species endemic to China. Only four of these 10 hotspots correspond to previously recognized biodiversity hotspots. The six new hotspots include the Nanling Mountains and other mountain ranges in South China. Among the 186 species in the six new hotspots, only 9.7% are well covered by protected areas and most (88.2%) are exposed to high human impacts. Five of the six new hotspots are under very high human pressure and are in urgent need of protection. We also find that patterns of richness in cryptic species are significantly related to those in described species but are not identical.

Spatial heterogeneity of neo- and paleo-endemism for plants in Madagascar

Madagascar is a biogeographically unique island with a remarkably high level of endemism. However, endemic taxa in Madagascar are massively threatened due to unprecedented pressures from anthropogenic habitat modification and climate change. A comprehensive phylogeny-based biodiversity evaluation of the island remains lacking. Here, we identify hotspots of taxonomic and phylogenetic plant diversity and neo- and paleo-endemism by generating a novel dated tree of life for the island. The tree is based on unprecedented sampling of 3,950 species (33% of the total known species) and 1,621 genera (93% of the total known genera and 69% of endemic genera) of Malagasy vascular plants. We find that island-endemic genera are concentrated in multiple lineages combining high taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. Integrating phylogenetic and geographic distribution data, our results reveal that taxon richness and endemism are concentrated in the northern, eastern, and southeastern humid forests. Paleo-endemism centers are concentrated in humid eastern and central regions, whereas neo-endemism centers are concentrated in the dry and spiny forests in western and southern Madagascar. Our statistical analysis of endemic genera in each vegetation region supports a higher proportion of ancient endemic genera in the east but a higher proportion of recent endemic genera in the south and west. Overlaying centers of phylogenetic endemism with protected areas, we identify conservation gaps concentrated in western and southern Madagascar. These gaps should be incorporated into conservation strategies to aid the protection of multiple facets of biodiversity and their benefits to the Malagasy people.

Spatial patterns of congruence or mismatch between taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity and endemism of perennial flora along the aridity gradient of Chile.

Understanding the relationships between taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity and endemism across environmental gradients is essential for elucidating the eco-evolutionary mechanisms that shape local plant communities. A database was compiled from field surveys, national herbarium records, and virtual records of perennial plant specimens collected in the aridity gradient of northern Chile, between 18 and 32°S. A large-scale dated phylogeny of available perennial plants was used, and 11 functional traits were selected to construct a dendrogram using the Unweighted Pair-Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) method for the species present in our database. We calculated spatial patterns of a-diversity, including taxonomic (TD), functional (FD), and phylogenetic (PD) diversity, as well as weighted (WE), functional (FE), and phylogenetic (PE) endemism. We used multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) to identify spatial congruencies and discrepancies among these dimensions and to test different eco-evolutionary processes. The diversity indices TD, FD and PD showed similar geographic patterns (R2 > 0.93), with lower diversity observed in absolute desert regions. The pattern of weighted endemism (WE) showed a weak association with functional endemism (FE) and phylogenetic endemism (PE) (local R2 < 0.48). The regions with lower FD or PD than expected given the TD (i.e. FD<TD and PD<TD) are mainly located in desert areas, as well as in high Andean areas influenced by the Atacama Desert, suggesting communities with associated in situ speciation processes, as well as a limitation of morpho-functional trait diversity in response to extreme environmental conditions (environmental filter hypothesis). Similarly, where FE and PE values are higher than expected given the WE (i.e. FE>WE and PE>WE), they are found in arid, high Andean and transitional zones, at different altitudes, which would indicate a greater presence of phylogenetic lineages and species with morpho-functional traits related to extreme environmental conditions and transitional biomes (arid-semiarid). These spatial discrepancies suggest different eco-evolutionary drivers between the dimensions of diversity and endemism (taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic). Areas of high diversity and high endemism do not necessarily coincide, and both should be addressed by conservation efforts.

Global patterns and ecological drivers of taxonomic and phylogenetic endemism in angiosperm genera

Endemism of lineages lies at the core of understanding variation in community composition among geographic regions because it reflects how speciation, extinction, and dispersal have influenced current distributions. Here, we investigated geographic patterns and ecological drivers of taxonomic and phylogenetic endemism of angiosperm genera across the world. We identify centers of paleo-endemism and neo-endemism of angiosperm genera, and show that they are mostly located in the Southern Hemisphere in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in Asia and Australia. Different categories of phylogenetic endemism centers can be differentiated using current climate conditions. Current climate, historical climate change, and geographic variables together explained ∼80% of global variation in taxonomic and phylogenetic endemism, while 42−46%, 1%, and 15% were independently explained by these three types of variables, respectively. Thus our findings show that past climate change, current climate, and geography act together in shaping endemism, which are consistent with the findings of previous studies that higher temperature and topographic heterogeneity promote endemism. Our study showed that many centers of phylogenetic endemism of angiosperms, including regions in Amazonia, Venezuela, and west-central tropical Africa that have not previously been identified as biodiversity hotspots, are missed by taxon-based measures of endemism, indicating the importance of including evolutionary history in biodiversity assessment.

Diversity of endemic cold‐water amphipods threatened by climate warming in northwestern China

AbstractAimClimate change threatens freshwater faunal diversity. To prioritize areas for conservation, patterns in the distribution of species must be understood. We apply genetic analysis and species distribution models to identify patterns in the distribution of freshwater amphipods around Xinjiang, China, and project the impact of climate change on endemic species.LocationXinjiang, China.MethodsA time‐calibrated tree containing 37 freshwater amphipod molecular samples from Xinjiang is built to calculate phylogenetic diversity (PD), the standardized effect sizes of PD, weighted endemism, and phylogenetic endemism, in 100 × 100 km grid cells. Niche differentiation among species in an area of high phylogenetic endemism is explored using n‐dimensional hypervolumes and principal components analyses. Present‐day and projected future suitability of habitat of endemic freshwater amphipod species is described using species distribution models.ResultsAreas of high freshwater amphipod diversity occur along the western boundary of Xinjiang; Areas north of Irtysh River, Tian Shan mountains, and the eastern margin of Pamir, have high phylogenetic endemism. Seasonal temperature and average annual water temperature contribute most to niche differentiation between geographically related freshwater species, negatively affect the projected distributions of endemic amphipods, and with continued warming, reduce future range distributions or latitudinal shifts of species.Main ConclusionsHigh freshwater amphipod phylogenetic endemism occurs in Xinjiang. Environmental factors are responsible for niche differentiation of endemic species. Future climate change will substantially affect the geographic distributions of endemic amphipods. Conservation efforts should be prioritized in areas with highly concentrated phylogenetic endemism.

Climate change and land use threaten global hotspots of phylogenetic endemism for trees

Across the globe, tree species are under high anthropogenic pressure. Risks of extinction are notably more severe for species with restricted ranges and distinct evolutionary histories. Here, we use a global dataset covering 41,835 species (65.1% of known tree species) to assess the spatial pattern of tree species’ phylogenetic endemism, its macroecological drivers, and how future pressures may affect the conservation status of the identified hotspots. We found that low-to-mid latitudes host most endemism hotspots, with current climate being the strongest driver, and climatic stability across thousands to millions of years back in time as a major co-determinant. These hotspots are mostly located outside of protected areas and face relatively high land-use change and future climate change pressure. Our study highlights the risk from climate change for tree diversity and the necessity to strengthen conservation and restoration actions in global hotspots of phylogenetic endemism for trees to avoid major future losses of tree diversity.

Banksia (Proteaceae) contains less phylogenetic diversity than expected in Southwestern Australia

AbstractBanksia L.f., an iconic genus of the Proteaceae, is endemic to Australia, with its highest species richness and phylogenetic diversity (PD) in southwestern Western Australia. Analysis of the phylogenetic component of richness and endemism uncovered important patterns of Banksia evolutionary history that are not seen at the species level. We found that Banksia is significantly phylogenetically clustered in this region, likely due to recent evolutionary radiations. We also found significant concentrations of phylogenetic endemism in this region, both neoendemism (short, range‐restricted evolutionary branches) and paleoendemism (long, range‐restricted evolutionary branches). There is a striking northwest to southeast divide in phyloturnover in southwestern Western Australia. The majority of the variation in turnover patterns can be explained by environmental factors, with climate representing the largest covariate. This study adds to the growing body of evidence that indicates the importance of integrating phylogenetic and biodiversity data to inform conservation planning.

The vascular plant species endemic or nearly endemic to Puebla, Mexico

Background: Knowledge of endemism in a region (natural or political) is fundamental to determining natural biogeographic regions and establishing conservation priorities.&#x0D; Questions: How many vascular plant species are endemic to the state of Puebla? What is the geographic distribution of endemism in the state? Are there centers of phylogenetic endemism?&#x0D; Studied species: 356 species of vascular plants.&#x0D; Study site: State of Puebla, Mexico.&#x0D; Methods: Based on the literature review and botanical specimens in digitized databases, the vascular plant species endemic or nearly endemic to the state of Puebla, Mexico, was assessed. Using a grid cell 1° × 1° latitude and longitude size, the incidence of each species was assessed. With the above information and a phylogeny of the species, a spatial phylogenetic analysis was carried out to detect centers of phylogenetic endemism.&#x0D; Results: 82.6 % of the 356 endemic species to Puebla are distributed in only one to three grid cells. The spatial phylogenetic analysis revealed centers of high phylogenetic diversity and endemism as well as delineated centers of mixed and paleo-endemism.&#x0D; Conclusions: The state of Puebla contains areas that meet the criteria to be considered centers of species endemism. Strategies toward a better understanding of plant endemism, as here proposed, suggest a better comprehension of the chorology of Mexican endemism, and assess the true role of our natural protected areas in conserving endemic species.

Climatic stability and geological history shape global centers of neo- and paleoendemism in seed plants.

Assessing the distribution of geographically restricted and evolutionarily unique species and their underlying drivers is key to understanding biogeographical processes and critical for global conservation prioritization. Here, we quantified the geographic distribution and drivers of phylogenetic endemism for ~320,000 seed plants worldwide and identified centers and drivers of evolutionarily young (neoendemism) and evolutionarily old endemism (paleoendemism). Tropical and subtropical islands as well as tropical mountain regions displayed the world's highest phylogenetic endemism. Most tropical rainforest regions emerged as centers of paleoendemism, while most Mediterranean-climate regions showed high neoendemism. Centers where high neo- and paleoendemism coincide emerged on some oceanic and continental fragment islands, in Mediterranean-climate regions and parts of the Irano-Turanian floristic region. Global variation in phylogenetic endemism was well explained by a combination of past and present environmental factors (79.8 to 87.7% of variance explained) and most strongly related to environmental heterogeneity. Also, warm and wet climates, geographic isolation, and long-term climatic stability emerged as key drivers of phylogenetic endemism. Neo- and paleoendemism were jointly explained by climatic and geological history. Long-term climatic stability promoted the persistence of paleoendemics, while the isolation of oceanic islands and their unique geological histories promoted neoendemism. Mountainous regions promoted both neo- and paleoendemism, reflecting both diversification and persistence over time. Our study provides insights into the evolutionary underpinnings of biogeographical patterns in seed plants and identifies the areas on Earth with the highest evolutionary and biogeographical uniqueness-key information for setting global conservation priorities.

Are Mediterranean Island Mountains Hotspots of Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Biodiversity? The Case of the Endemic Flora of the Balearic Islands.

The Mediterranean islands are exceptionally rich in endemism, most of which is narrowly distributed. Conservation measures, such as protected areas, have been prioritised, mainly on the basis of species richness and endemism, but phylogenetic information should also be taken into account. In this study, we calculated several taxonomic and phylogenetic metrics at a high resolution for the endemic flora of the Balearic Islands (154 taxa), in order to identify (i) the spatial patterns and environmental factors that explain this endemism, (ii) hotspots of species and phylogenetic endemism, and (iii) gaps in the protected areas. The taxonomic and phylogenetic metrics showed different distribution patterns, but the mountainous areas of Mallorca, and some coastal areas of the Balearic Islands, have the highest values. These values were positively related to elevation, precipitation, temperature, and slope, and negatively related to the distance from the coast, aspect, and the temperature of the wettest quarter. We identified top grid hotspots where all the metrics had the highest values, and we also identified nano-hotspots within these hotspots, in some of the highest peaks of Mallorca, where most of these metrics' maximum values coincided. This approach allowed us to identify some gaps in the conservation priority areas, and to highlight the need to review their boundaries and definition.

Multiple facets of biodiversity are threatened by mining‐induced land‐use change in the Brazilian Amazon

AbstractAimMining is increasingly pressuring areas of critical importance for biodiversity conservation, such as the Brazilian Amazon. Biodiversity data are limited in the tropics, restricting the scope for risks to be appropriately estimated before mineral licensing decisions are made. As the distributions and range sizes of other taxa differ markedly from those of vertebrates—the common proxy for analysis of risk to biodiversity from mining—whether mining threatens lesser‐studied taxonomic groups differentially at a regional scale is unclear.LocationBrazilian Amazon.MethodsWe assess risks to several facets of biodiversity from industrial mining by comparing mining areas (within 70 km of an active mining lease) and areas unaffected by mining, employing species richness, species endemism, phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic endemism metrics calculated for angiosperms, arthropods and vertebrates.ResultsMining areas contained higher densities of species occurrence records than the unaffected landscape, and we accounted for this sampling bias in our analyses. None of the four biodiversity metrics differed between mining and nonmining areas for vertebrates. For arthropods, species endemism was greater in mined areas. Mined areas also had greater angiosperm species richness, phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic endemism, although less species endemism than unmined areas.Main ConclusionsUnlike for vertebrates, facets of angiosperm and arthropod diversity are relatively higher in areas of mining activity, underscoring the need to consider multiple taxonomic groups and biodiversity facets when assessing risk and evaluating management options for mining threats. Particularly concerning is the proximity of mining to areas supporting deep evolutionary history, which may be impossible to recover or replace. As pressures to expand mining in the Amazon grow, impact assessments with broader taxonomic reach and metric focus will be vital to conserving biodiversity in mining regions.

Reorganization of seagrass communities in a changing climate

Although climate change projections indicate significant threats to terrestrial biodiversity, the effects are much more profound and striking in the marine environment. Here we explore how different facets of locally distinctive α- and β-diversity (changes in spatial composition) of seagrasses will respond to future climate change scenarios across the globe and compare their coverage with the existing network of marine protected areas. By using species distribution modelling and a dated phylogeny, we predict widespread reductions in species’ range sizes that will result in increases in seagrass weighted and phylogenetic endemism. These projected increases of endemism will result in divergent shifts in the spatial composition of β-diversity leading to differentiation in some areas and the homogenization of seagrass communities in other regions. Regardless of the climate scenario, the potential hotspots of these projected shifts in seagrass α- and β-diversity are predicted to occur outside the current network of marine protected areas, providing new priority areas for future conservation planning that incorporate seagrasses. Our findings report responses of species to future climate for a group that is currently under represented in climate change assessments yet crucial in maintaining marine food chains and providing habitat for a wide range of marine biodiversity.

Spatial phylogenetics of the flora in the Sierra Madre del Sur, Mexico: Evolutionary puzzles in tropical mountains

AbstractAimTo test explicitly whether the Sierra Madre del Sur includes areas with significant neo‐, paleo‐ and mixed endemism and to explore possible environmental drivers implied in their high species richness and spatial phylogenetic patterns.LocationSierra Madre del Sur, Mexico.TaxonVascular plants.MethodsSpecies richness, species endemism, phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic endemism were analysed through a categorical analysis of neo‐ and paleo‐endemism for a set of 91493 unique records. Nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis tests for multiple comparisons of environmental variables among phylogenetic endemism categories were conducted.ResultsThe area includes 9524 species with 1133 endemics. The spatial distribution of species richness, endemism and phylogenetic metrics is heterogeneous. Species richness has a strong correlation with weighted endemism and weighted phylogenetic endemism. Neoendemism is mainly concentrated in the pine‐oak forest at higher elevations, paleo‐endemism in pine‐oak forest and seasonally dry tropical forest at lower elevations; mixed and super‐endemism were located in the cloud forest and its ecotones with the pine‐oak forest, tropical rain forest and seasonally dry tropical forest. The Kruskal–Wallis test showed significant differences only for elevation, precipitation and temperature.Main conclusionsThe Sierra Madre del Sur includes areas of neo‐, paleo‐ and mixed endemism heterogeneously distributed, representing an evolutionary puzzle of phylogenetic diversity promoted by environmental complexity. Recent diversification is suggested for areas of neoendemism, mainly in regions of pine‐oak forest and seasonally dry tropical forest, where elevation, seasonality and precipitation are variable. Areas of paleo‐ and mixed endemism indicate the preservation of ancient lineages in cloud forest and tropical forest. The Sierra Madre del Sur represents an intricate scenario for the diversification of Neotropical flora, with singular elements diverged in situ and others migrated and preserved in climatic and adaptative refugia through time.