FINE-SCALE PHYLOGENETIC DIVERSITY PATTERNS IN MOIST ENVIRONMENTS, AND THEIR RELEVANCE FOR CONSERVATION

Proches Serban, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, South Africa

Abstract

The most dramatic realm transitions in history of life are those from aquatic to terrestrial  environments. This means that, if further adaptation to dry environments are gradual, the basal representatives in most terrestrial lineages will be restricted to moist environments. Recent approaches to conservation place a particular emphasis on areas of high phylogenetic diversity, but such work is usually only considering coarse-scale patterns. Here I argue that moist environments, especially in regions with high relictual loads, must be prioritised according the ancient lineages they harbour, and give examples of such lineages among beetles and higher plants.