Abstract
After an 11-year period of exceptional specimen acquisition, we evaluated the robustness of the Western Australian Herbarium Specimen Database in elucidating patterns of diversity and phytogeographic maps of the Southwest Australian Floristic Region (SWAFR). Using rarefaction strategies to compensate for sample bias and a novel approach to multivariate classification and site ordination, we generated maps of floristic provinces and districts in the SWAFR. A 33% increase in specimen numbers and 10% additional taxa were recorded in the study area (SWAFR and 75 km inland buffer) over the 11 years, although historical biases in collecting patterns tended to persist. Although floristic district concepts were robust, regional and provincial concepts were more equivocal. We therefore opted for broad delineations rather than geographically precise ones. We propose a novel phytogeographic map, adding a new floristic province (Kalbarri), five new districts and other boundary adjustments for and in the SWAFR. The updated SWAFR has 8379 native vascular plant taxa (82% species and 18% subspecies), of which 47% are endemic and 49% have been described since 1970. Biodiversity indices generated from collections data should be used cautiously. In contrast, the new phytogeographic regionalization of the SWAFR is robust at the district level. Despite shortcomings, herbarium collections provide the best information available for broadscale analyses of plant diversity.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-15 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society |
| Volume | 184 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 May 2017 |
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A new phytogeographic map for the Southwest Australian Floristic Region after an exceptional decade of collection and discovery. / Gioia, Paul; Hopper, Stephen D.
In: Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, Vol. 184, No. 1, 01.05.2017, p. 1-15.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - A new phytogeographic map for the Southwest Australian Floristic Region after an exceptional decade of collection and discovery
AU - Gioia, Paul
AU - Hopper, Stephen D.
PY - 2017/5/1
Y1 - 2017/5/1
N2 - After an 11-year period of exceptional specimen acquisition, we evaluated the robustness of the Western Australian Herbarium Specimen Database in elucidating patterns of diversity and phytogeographic maps of the Southwest Australian Floristic Region (SWAFR). Using rarefaction strategies to compensate for sample bias and a novel approach to multivariate classification and site ordination, we generated maps of floristic provinces and districts in the SWAFR. A 33% increase in specimen numbers and 10% additional taxa were recorded in the study area (SWAFR and 75 km inland buffer) over the 11 years, although historical biases in collecting patterns tended to persist. Although floristic district concepts were robust, regional and provincial concepts were more equivocal. We therefore opted for broad delineations rather than geographically precise ones. We propose a novel phytogeographic map, adding a new floristic province (Kalbarri), five new districts and other boundary adjustments for and in the SWAFR. The updated SWAFR has 8379 native vascular plant taxa (82% species and 18% subspecies), of which 47% are endemic and 49% have been described since 1970. Biodiversity indices generated from collections data should be used cautiously. In contrast, the new phytogeographic regionalization of the SWAFR is robust at the district level. Despite shortcomings, herbarium collections provide the best information available for broadscale analyses of plant diversity.
AB - After an 11-year period of exceptional specimen acquisition, we evaluated the robustness of the Western Australian Herbarium Specimen Database in elucidating patterns of diversity and phytogeographic maps of the Southwest Australian Floristic Region (SWAFR). Using rarefaction strategies to compensate for sample bias and a novel approach to multivariate classification and site ordination, we generated maps of floristic provinces and districts in the SWAFR. A 33% increase in specimen numbers and 10% additional taxa were recorded in the study area (SWAFR and 75 km inland buffer) over the 11 years, although historical biases in collecting patterns tended to persist. Although floristic district concepts were robust, regional and provincial concepts were more equivocal. We therefore opted for broad delineations rather than geographically precise ones. We propose a novel phytogeographic map, adding a new floristic province (Kalbarri), five new districts and other boundary adjustments for and in the SWAFR. The updated SWAFR has 8379 native vascular plant taxa (82% species and 18% subspecies), of which 47% are endemic and 49% have been described since 1970. Biodiversity indices generated from collections data should be used cautiously. In contrast, the new phytogeographic regionalization of the SWAFR is robust at the district level. Despite shortcomings, herbarium collections provide the best information available for broadscale analyses of plant diversity.
KW - Biodiversity hotspots
KW - Conservation planning
KW - Herbarium
KW - Rarefaction
KW - Sample effort bias
KW - Species endemism
KW - Species richness
KW - Western Australia
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85037635020&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/botlinnean/box010
DO - 10.1093/botlinnean/box010
M3 - Article
VL - 184
SP - 1
EP - 15
JO - Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society
JF - Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society
SN - 0024-4074
IS - 1
ER -