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Spatial Phylogenetics Reveals Endemism Hotspots and Conservation Priorities in Chinese Asteraceae

Summary

This study examined over 1000 species of sunflower family plants (Asteraceae) across China using evolutionary relationships and geographic data. Researchers discovered three regions with exceptional plant diversity and unique evolutionary history deserving protection: the Tianshan-Altai Mountains in the northwest, the Hengduan Mountains in the southwest, and Taiwan Island. These areas preserve ancient plant lineages found nowhere else on Earth, making them conservation priorities.

Background

The Asteraceae is the largest family of dicotyledonous plants globally and the most species-rich plant family in China, comprising approximately 2533 indigenous species. Despite this significance, a comprehensive biodiversity assessment integrating phylogenetic approaches for Chinese Asteraceae has been lacking, hindering identification of conservation priority areas from an evolutionary perspective.

Objective

This study aimed to reconstruct the phylogeny of Chinese Asteraceae and integrate spatial distribution data to map patterns of species richness, weighted endemism, phylogenetic diversity, and phylogenetic endemism. The goal was to identify biodiversity and endemism hotspots deserving conservation priority using spatial phylogenetic methods.

Results

Analysis revealed exceptionally high biodiversity, phylogenetic diversity, and endemism in three major regions: the Tianshan-Altai Mountains of northwestern China, southwestern China (particularly the Hengduan Mountains), and Taiwan Island. Spearman correlation analysis showed high positive correlations among all indices (ρ = 0.90-0.96), with species richness contributing over 80% to variance in principal component analysis.

Conclusion

The study identified three conservation priority areas for Chinese Asteraceae based on their high values across all biodiversity indicators and unique evolutionary heritage. The findings emphasize that complex topography and climatic stability in these regions have preserved long independent evolutionary lineages with exceptional genetic and functional traits, warranting prioritized conservation efforts.
  • Published in:Ecology and Evolution,
  • Study Type:Spatial phylogenetic analysis and biodiversity assessment,
  • Source: 10.1002/ece3.72403, PMID: 41185756
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