biostudies-literatureHammoud CFonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek5441-5458https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8131802biostudies-literatureUnknown11(10)Recent research in island biogeography has highlighted the important role of late Quaternary sea-level fluctuations in shaping biogeographic patterns in insular systems but focused on oceanic systems. Through this study, we aim investigate how late Quaternary sea-level fluctuations shaped species richness patterns in continental-shelf island systems. Focusing on the Aegean archipelago, we first compiled maps of the area's geography using published data, under three sea-level stands: (a) current; (b) median sea-level over the last nine glacial-interglacial cycles (MSL); and (c) Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). We gathered taxon-island occurrences for multiple chorotypes of angiosperms, butterflies, centipedes, and reptiles. We investigated the impact of present-day and past geographic settings oEcology and evolutionPast connections with the mainland structure patterns of insular species richness in a continental-shelf archipelago (Aegean Sea, Greece).PMC813180211C5219NKougioumoutzis KHammoud CSimaiakis SMRijsdijk KFGeorgopoulou EVan Loon EEFoufopoulos JNorder SJfalsePast connections with the mainland structure patterns of insular species richness in a continental-shelf archipelago (Aegean Sea, Greece).Recent research in island biogeography has highlighted the important role of late Quaternary sea-level fluctuations in shaping biogeographic patterns in insular systems but focused on oceanic systems. Through this study, we aim investigate how late Quaternary sea-level fluctuations shaped species richness patterns in continental-shelf island systems. Focusing on the Aegean archipelago, we first compiled maps of the area's geography using published data, under three sea-level stands: (a) current; (b) median sea-level over the last nine glacial-interglacial cycles (MSL); and (c) Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). We gathered taxon-island occurrences for multiple chorotypes of angiosperms, butterflies, centipedes, and reptiles. We investigated the impact of present-day and past geographic settings o2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 May2025-04-18T16:04:05.512Z2025-04-07T03:02:29.941ZS-EPMC81318023402601910.1002/ece3.7438