Analysis of the contribution and efficiency of the Santuario de la Naturaleza Yerba Loca, 33° S in protecting the regional vascular plant flora (Metropolitan and Fifth regions of Chile)

Abstract

Santuario de la Naturaleza Yerba Loca (SN Yerba Loca), Metropolitan Region (MR), 33° S, Chile is analyzed for its conservation value and efficiency in protecting native vascular plants in a regional context. The reserve's flora of 500 species and subtaxa was evaluated for species richness, endemism, range size and marginally distributed taxa, using species-area analysis, and tendencies in the floras of the MR (1,434 species and subtaxa) and MR-Fifth regions (1,841 species and subtaxa) to set the regional pattern. The reserve (0.7 % of MR land area and 0.3 % MR-Fifth land area) contains 34 % of the MR and 27% of the MR-Fifth floras, and around 16-17 % of the mediterranean-climate area (regions IV-VIII) flora of central Chile. Veech's Relative Richness Index (RRI) revealed that SN Yerba Loca houses exaggerated richness in relation to its land area (28 % more species than expected from the regional model). However, endemism rates (35 % Continental Chile endemics, 22 % Mediterranean endemi