Endemicity and evolutionary value: a study of Chilean endemic vascular plant genera
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2014Metadata
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Scherson Vicencio, Rosa Amelia
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Endemicity and evolutionary value: a study of Chilean endemic vascular plant genera
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Abstract
This study uses phylogeny-based measures of evolutionary potential (phylogenetic
diversity and community structure) to evaluate the evolutionary value of
vascular plant genera endemic to Chile. Endemicity is regarded as a very important
consideration for conservation purposes. Taxa that are endemic to a single
country are valuable conservation targets, as their protection depends upon a
single government policy. This is especially relevant in developing countries in
which conservation is not always a high resource allocation priority. Phylogenybased
measures of evolutionary potential such as phylogenetic diversity (PD)
have been regarded as meaningful measures of the “value” of taxa and ecosystems,
as they are able to account for the attributes that could allow taxa to
recover from environmental changes. Chile is an area of remarkable endemism,
harboring a flora that shows the highest number of endemic genera in South
America. We studied PD and community structure of this flora using a previously
available supertree at the genus level, to which we added DNA sequences
of 53 genera endemic to Chile. Using discrepancy values and a null model
approach, we decoupled PD from taxon richness, in order to compare their
geographic distribution over a one-degree grid. An interesting pattern was
observed in which areas to the southwest appear to harbor more PD than
expected by their generic richness than those areas to the north of the country.
In addition, some southern areas showed more PD than expected by chance, as
calculated with the null model approach. Geological history as documented by
the study of ancient floras as well as glacial refuges in the coastal range of
southern Chile during the quaternary seem to be consistent with the observed
pattern, highlighting the importance of this area for conservation purposes.
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Ecology and Evolution 2014; 4(6): 806– 816
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