Predicting undetected native vascular plant diversity at a global scale.

Autor:	Daru BH; Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A] 2024 Aug 20; Vol. 121 (34), pp. e2319989121. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Aug 12.
DOI:	10.1073/pnas.2319989121
Abstrakt:	Vascular plants are diverse and a major component of terrestrial ecosystems, yet their geographic distributions remain incomplete. Here, I present a global database of vascular plant distributions by integrating species distribution models calibrated to species' dispersal ability and natural habitats to predict native range maps for 201,681 vascular plant species into unsurveyed areas. Using these maps, I uncover unique patterns of native vascular plant diversity, endemism, and phylogenetic diversity revealing hotspots in underdocumented biodiversity-rich regions. These hotspots, based on detailed species-level maps, show a pronounced latitudinal gradient, strongly supporting the theory of increasing diversity toward the equator. I trained random forest models to extrapolate diversity patterns under unbiased global sampling and identify overlaps with modeled estimations but unveiled cryptic hotspots that were not captured by modeled estimations. Only 29% to 36% of extrapolated plant hotspots are inside protected areas, leaving more than 60% outside and vulnerable. However, the unprotected hotspots harbor species with unique attributes that make them good candidates for conservation prioritization. Competing Interests: Competing interests statement:The author declares no competing interest.
Databáze:	MEDLINE
Externí odkaz:	Zobrazit plný text záznamu