Background Centres of endemism have received much attention from evolutionists,
biogeographers, ecologists and conservationists. Climatic stability is often cited as a major …

OCBIL theory aims to develop an integrated series of hypotheses explaining the evolution
and ecology of, and best conservation practices for, biota on very old, climatically buffered …

High species diversity may result from recent rapid speciation in a 'cradle'and/or the gradual
accumulation and preservation of species over time in a 'museum',. China harbours nearly …

A biome is a key community ecological and biogeographical concept and, as such, has
profited from the overall progress of community ecology, punctuated by two major …

Summary The Andean mountains of South America are the most species‐rich biodiversity
hotspot worldwide with c. 15% of the world's plant species, in only 1% of the world's land …

The cacti are one of the most celebrated radiations of succulent plants. There has been
much speculation about their age, but progress in dating cactus origins has been hindered …

Mediterranean-type ecosystems (MTEs) are located today in southwestern Australia, the
Cape Region of South Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, California, and central Chile. These …

Aim This study aimed to identify the 'centres of endemism'of the Chinese spermatophyte
flora in order to indirectly detect the locations of past glacial refugia. The role of these areas …

Environmental change is rapidly accelerating, and many species will need to adapt to
survive. Ensuring that protected areas cover populations across a broad range of …

Studies of phylogenetic diversification often show evidence for slowdowns in diversification
rates over the history of clades. Recent studies seeking biological explanations for this …