| Abstract Detail
Biogeography Naranjo, Andre [1], Majure, Lucas [2]. Understanding Phylogenetic Diversity and Endemism in the Greater Antilles: Caribbean Melastomes as a Case Test Example. Understanding biodiversity is critical for the proper conservation of ecosystems experiencing extreme stress from global change during the modern age. Few other ecosystems are at such high risk of disappearing, especially due to logging and agricultural activities, as the mountain range complexes of the Greater Antilles, located within the Caribbean Biodiversity Hotspot. Using members of a hyper-diverse clade of Melastomataceae (tribe Miconieae), endemic to the region as a test case, and which are composed of several different clades with varying ages, we calculated metrics, such as phylogenetic diversity (PD/RPD) and phylogenetic endemism (PE/RPE). We incorporated locality data with our Miconieae phylogeny to understand areas of neo-endemism, paleo-endemism, mixed endemism, and super-endemism identified from CANAPE analyses. Our goal was to identify which mountain ranges in the Greater Antilles are so-called museums or nurseries of biodiversity, what areas of endemism overlap with significantly phylo-diverse regions, and how much areas of high diversity and endemism overlap with conserved lands. The Massif de La Hotte was the highest scoring region for PD, and PD/RPD significant cells were found across the mountains of the Greater Antilles. A total of 23 grid cells were found by CANAPE to contain significant endemism, with a high proportion of endemism hotspots in Jamaica. Overlap of these significant CANAPE cells with currently protected areas was high (~90%). Elucidating phylogenetic diversity and endemism patterns across the vastly different ecosystems of this biodiversity hotspot will aid in our understanding of how these biodiverse forests were formed.
1 - Florida International University, Department of Biological Sciences, 11200 SW 8th Street, OE232 , Miami, FL, 33199, United States
2 - Florida Museum Of Natural History, Department Of Natural History, 1659 Museum Rd. , Gainesville, FL, 32611, United States
Keywords:
Melastomes
phylogenetic diversity
endemism
CANAPE
Greater Antilles.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Number: BIOG I010
Abstract ID:216
Candidate for Awards:None |
