| Abstract Detail
Systematics Section/ASPT Diazgranados, Mauricio [1], Funk, Vicki [1]. Why are they so rare? Infrequent collections in the flora of the Guiana Shield. The Guiana Shield covers an area of approximately 1,520,000 km2 in six countries, with ecosystems that range from tropical rain forest to savannas and tepui vegetation. Thirty years of the Biological Diversity of the Guiana Shield Program (BDG), run by the Smithsonian Institution, have resulted in a database with circa 181,838 plant collections, belonging to 14,261 species (40% endemic), 2,654 genera and 440 families. This makes the shield one of the most biodiverse areas of the planet. The study of its diversity is revealing interesting patterns, such as the astonishing number of rare species: 43% (4,277 singletons and 1,855 doubletons). Why are there so many rare species? Are these really rare in nature or just undercollected? To which families/genera do they belong? What are they habits? Where are they found? Is richness of rare species related to richness of common species? Can all this information be used to identify areas of special interest for collecting? Answer to such questions may provide insights into the structure of areas of high diversity.
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Related Links:
Biological Diversity of the Guiana Shield
1 - National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, US National Herbarium, Department of Botany, P.O. Box 37012, Washington, DC, 20013-7012, USA
Keywords:
biodiversity
Guiana Shield
Rarity
species richness.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 4
Location: Payette/Boise Centre
Date: Monday, July 28th, 2014
Time: 8:15 AM
Number: 4002
Abstract ID:717
Candidate for Awards:None |
