Global hotspots in the present-day distribution of ancient animal and plant lineages.

ABSTRACT: The current distribution of biotic lineages that emerged in the deep time has both theoretical and practical implications, in particular for understanding the processes that have forged present-day biodiversity and informing local and regional-scale conservation efforts. To date however, there has been no examination of such patterns globally across taxa and geological time. Here we map the diversity of selected extant seed plant and tetrapod vertebrate lineages that were already in existence either in the latest Triassic or latest Cretaceous. For Triassic-age lineages, we find concentrations in several regions - both tropical and temperate - parts of North America, Europe, East and South-east Asia, northern South America, and New Zealand. With Cretaceous-age lineages, high values are rela

SUBMITTER: Proches S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4620499 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature