Vive la Différence!
Species richness is not the same as phylogenetic diversity, but you knew that, right?
Conservation strategies should focus on the relatedness of species rather than their sheer number, according to a study published this week. A team of scientists headed by Kew Gardens’ Félix Forest and Richard Grenyer proved their point by comparing species richness with phylogenetic diversity – the evolutionary links between species – at the Cape of South Africa, one of the world’s most spectacular botanical biodiversity hotspots. Although they found more species in the west, these tended to be closely related, recently evolved groups. The east had fewer but more diverse species, and thus a higher “evolutionary potential”. Saving the most feature-rich areas is the best bet-hedging strategy for conservation planners, say the study’s authors, although there are other factors to take into account. One is the effect of political boundaries: the best conservation plan for a country is not necessarily the best for the region as a whole. If only life were simple…
Source: Forest, F, Grenyer, R, Rouget, M, Davies, TJ, Cowling, RM, Faith, DP, Balmford, A, Manning, JC, Procheş, van der Bank, M, Reeves, G, Hedderson, TAJ & Savolainen, V (2007) Preserving the evolutionary potential of floras in biodiversity hotspots. Nature DOI: 10.1038/nature05587
Image © Félix Forest
