scholarly journals Counting complete? Finalising the plant inventory of a global biodiversity hotspot

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Treurnicht ◽  
Jonathan F Colville ◽  
Lucas N Joppa ◽  
Onno Huyser ◽  
John Manning
Keyword(s):  
Growth Form ◽  
Narrow Range ◽  
Cape Floristic Region ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot ◽  
Core Component ◽  
Species Discovery ◽  
Strategic Plans ◽  
Steady Rate ◽  
High Conservation ◽  
Global Biodiversity

The Cape Floristic Region – the world’s smallest, but third richest hotspot – experienced sustained levels of taxonomic effort and exploration for almost three centuries resulting in a near-complete plant species inventory. Here we analyse, for a core component of this flora, trends over a 250 year period in taxonomic effort and species discovery linked to ecological and conservation attributes. We show that >40% of species were described within the initial 100 years, followed by a steady rate of description, culminating in <1% of the flora estimated still to be described. A relatively constant cohort of taxonomists working at their ‘taxonomic maximum’ was seen across 250 years, while rates of description remained independent of plant growth-form. Since 1950, narrow-range taxa constituted significantly greater proportions of species discoveries, highlighting the fraction of undiscovered species which exist as localised endemics and thus of high conservation value. In the context of initiated global strategic plans for biodiversity, our dataset provides real world insights for other hotspots to consider the effort required for attaining set targets of comprehensive plant inventories.

scholarly journals Counting complete? Finalising the plant inventory of a global biodiversity hotspot

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Treurnicht ◽  
Jonathan F Colville ◽  
Lucas N Joppa ◽  
Onno Huyser ◽  
John Manning
Keyword(s):  
Growth Form ◽  
Narrow Range ◽  
Cape Floristic Region ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot ◽  
Core Component ◽  
Species Discovery ◽  
Strategic Plans ◽  
Steady Rate ◽  
High Conservation ◽  
Global Biodiversity

The Cape Floristic Region – the world’s smallest, but third richest hotspot – experienced sustained levels of taxonomic effort and exploration for almost three centuries resulting in a near-complete plant species inventory. Here we analyse, for a core component of this flora, trends over a 250 year period in taxonomic effort and species discovery linked to ecological and conservation attributes. We show that >40% of species were described within the initial 100 years, followed by a steady rate of description, culminating in <1% of the flora estimated still to be described. A relatively constant cohort of taxonomists working at their ‘taxonomic maximum’ was seen across 250 years, while rates of description remained independent of plant growth-form. Since 1950, narrow-range taxa constituted significantly greater proportions of species discoveries, highlighting the fraction of undiscovered species which exist as localised endemics and thus of high conservation value. In the context of initiated global strategic plans for biodiversity, our dataset provides real world insights for other hotspots to consider the effort required for attaining set targets of comprehensive plant inventories.

scholarly journals Counting complete? Finalising the plant inventory of a global biodiversity hotspot

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e2984 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Treurnicht ◽  
Jonathan F. Colville ◽  
Lucas N. Joppa ◽  
Onno Huyser ◽  
John Manning
Keyword(s):  
Growth Form ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Cape Floristic Region ◽  
Species Discovery ◽  
Strategic Plans ◽  
Steady Rate ◽  
High Conservation ◽  
Global Biodiversity ◽  
Conservation Concern ◽  
Species Descriptions

The Cape Floristic Region—the world’s smallest and third richest botanical hotspot—has benefited from sustained levels of taxonomic effort and exploration for almost three centuries, but how close is this to resulting in a near-complete plant species inventory? We analyse a core component of this flora over a 250-year period for trends in taxonomic effort and species discovery linked to ecological and conservation attributes. We show that >40% of the current total of species was described within the first 100 years of exploration, followed by a continued steady rate of description. We propose that <1% of the flora is still to be described. We document a relatively constant cohort of taxonomists, working over 250 years at what we interpret to be their ‘taxonomic maximum.’ Rates of description of new species were independent of plant growth-form but narrow-range taxa have constituted a significantly greater proportion of species discoveries since 1950. This suggests that the fraction of undiscovered species predominantly comprises localised endemics that are thus of high conservation concern. Our analysis provides important real-world insights for other hotspots in the context of global strategic plans for biodiversity in informing considerations of the likely effort required in attaining set targets of comprehensive plant inventories. In a time of unprecedented biodiversity loss, we argue for a focused research agenda across disciplines to increase the rate of species descriptions in global biodiversity hotspots.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORKS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO FARM-LEVEL EIA IN A GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT: A PROPOSAL FROM THE CAPE FLORISTIC REGION, SOUTH AFRICA

2008 ◽  
Vol 10 (04) ◽  
pp. 333-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHARL C. DE VILLIERS ◽  
RICHARD C. HILL
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Environmental Management ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Cape Floristic Region ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot ◽  
Habitat Transformation ◽  
Primary Driver ◽  
Global Biodiversity ◽  
Large Scale Land

Cultivation has been the primary driver of habitat transformation in South Africa. This paper explores the effectiveness of agricultural and, latterly, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) authorisation procedures in stemming biodiversity loss resulting from cultivation in the lowlands of the Cape Floristic Region, a global biodiversity hotspot. Owing to an activity-based focus, agri-environmental regulation has been largely unable to mitigate the cumulative effects of large-scale land clearance in threatened ecosystems. Case studies in the Sandveld and Slanghoek districts are used to argue that revised EIA regulations published in 2006 partly perpetuate the structural shortcomings of activity-based EIA. An ecosystem-based strategy for agri-environmental screening in biodiversity hotspots is introduced, drawing on conservation plans, the agricultural LandCare programme and the provision for Environmental Management Frameworks (EMF) in the 2006 EIA regulations. "Agri-EMFs", as a collaborative initiative that involves government, agricultural and non-governmental representatives, may present an effective alternative to the inefficiencies of project-level EIA.

scholarly journals Two new relict Syncordulia species found during museum and field studies of threatened dragonflies in the Cape Floristic Region (Odonata: Corduliidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 1467 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
KLAAS-DOUWE B. DIJKSTRA ◽  
MICHAEL J. SAMWAYS ◽  
JOHN P. SIMAIKA
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Narrow Range ◽  
Morphological Diversity ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Cape Floristic Region ◽  
Red List ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot ◽  
Museum Collections ◽  
Close Relatives

Red List assessments often require the verification of records and taxonomy in museum collections and the field. Such research during an assessment of threatened dragonflies in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) biodiversity hotspot, led to the discovery of two new narrow-range endemic Syncordulia species, bringing the known total to four in the genus. The new species, Syncordulia legator and S. serendipator, are described with emphasis on their identification, ecology and biogeography. Morphological diversity within the genus and the absence of obvious close relatives suggest an ancient and isolated presence in the CFR, emphasizing the uniqueness and conservation importance of the region’s endemic odonate fauna.

scholarly journals A conservation plan for a global biodiversity hotspot—the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa

2003 ◽  
Vol 112 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 191-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.M Cowling ◽  
R.L Pressey ◽  
M Rouget ◽  
A.T Lombard
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Cape Floristic Region ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot ◽  
Conservation Plan ◽  
Global Biodiversity

scholarly journals Islands in the desert: environmental distribution modelling of endemic flora reveals the extent of Pleistocene tropical relict vegetation in southern Arabia

2019 ◽  
Vol 124 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
James S Borrell ◽  
Ghudaina Al Issaey ◽  
Darach A Lupton ◽  
Thomas Starnes ◽  
Abdulrahman Al Hinai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Narrow Range ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Distribution Data ◽  
Endemic Plants ◽  
Environmental Niche ◽  
Environmental Distribution ◽  
Southern Arabia ◽  
Endemic Flora

AbstractBackground and AimsSouthern Arabia is a global biodiversity hotspot with a high proportion of endemic desert-adapted plants. Here we examine evidence for a Pleistocene climate refugium in the southern Central Desert of Oman, and its role in driving biogeographical patterns of endemism.MethodsDistribution data for seven narrow-range endemic plants were collected systematically across 195 quadrats, together with incidental and historic records. Important environmental variables relevant to arid coastal areas, including night-time fog and cloud cover, were developed for the study area. Environmental niche models using presence/absence data were built and tuned for each species, and spatial overlap was examined.Key ResultsA region of the Jiddat Al Arkad reported independent high model suitability for all species. Examination of environmental data across southern Oman indicates that the Jiddat Al Arkad displays a regionally unique climate with higher intra-annual stability, due in part to the influence of the southern monsoon. Despite this, the relative importance of environmental variables was highly differentiated among species, suggesting that characteristic variables such as coastal fog are not major cross-species predictors at this scale.ConclusionsThe co-occurrence of a high number of endemic study species within a narrow monsoon-influenced region is indicative of a refugium with low climate change velocity. Combined with climate analysis, our findings provide strong evidence for a southern Arabian Pleistocene refugium in Oman’s Central Desert. We suggest that this refugium has acted as an isolated temperate and mesic island in the desert, resulting in the evolution of these narrow-range endemic flora. Based on the composition of species, this system may represent the northernmost remnant of a continuous belt of mesic vegetation formerly ranging from Africa to Asia, with close links to the flora of East Africa. This has significant implications for future conservation of endemic plants in an arid biodiversity hotspot.

scholarly journals The biodiversity-wind energy-land use nexus in a global biodiversity hotspot

2021 ◽  
pp. 144471
Author(s):  
Vassiliki Kati ◽  
Christina Kassara ◽  
Zoi Vrontisi ◽  
Aristides Moustakas
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Wind Energy ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot ◽  
Global Biodiversity

scholarly journals Meta-analysis reveals severe pollen limitation for the flowering plants growing in East Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains region

BMC Ecology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianfeng Jiang ◽  
Yanping Xie
Keyword(s):  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Pollen Limitation ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Flowering Plants ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot ◽  
Clear Relationship ◽  
Hengduan Mountains ◽  
Independent Data ◽  
The World ◽  
Global Biodiversity

Abstract Background Pollen limitation occurs widely and has an important effect on flowering plants. The East Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains region is a global biodiversity hotspot. However, to our knowledge, no study has synthetically assessed the degree of pollen limitation in this area. The present study aims to reveal the degree of pollen limitation for the flowering plants growing on East Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains and to test whether the reproductive features or the elevation is closely correlated with the degree of pollen limitation in this area. Results We complied data from 76 studies, which included 96 species and 108 independent data records. We found that the flowering plants in this area undergo severe pollen limitation [overall Hedges’ d = 2.004, with a 95% confidence interval (1.3264, 2.6743)] that is much higher than that of the flowering plants growing in many other regions around the world. The degree of pollen limitation was tested to determine the correlation with the capacity for autonomous self-reproduction and with the pollination pattern (generalized vs. specialized pollination) of plants. In addition, we found a clear relationship between elevation and the degree of pollen limitation, which indicates that plants might undergo more severe pollen limitation in relatively high places. Conclusions This paper is the first to address the severe pollen limitation of the flowering plants growing in East Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains region. Moreover, we reveal the positive correlation between elevation and the degree of pollen limitation.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document