Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 77 (4): 695-709, 2004
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Conservation priorities using phylogenetic information and endemicity: an example based on
Carabid beetles from Southern South America
Based on information of the Southern South American carabid species, 17 areas of
endemism were defined. Gamma diversity, percentage of endemism, phylogenetic value, and complementarity, were estimated for
each area of endemism, except for the Juan Fernández islands because no information of phylogenetic value was available for this
area. Four phylogenetic values of taxonomic weight were calculated, using standardization and endemicity. Results show that
standardization of phylogenetic value produce data bias when cladograms differ in size. Complementarity between areas appears as a
useful secondary tool. Nevertheless, the results show that complementarity must be used in conjunction with specific diversity and
endemicity, to determine the importance of areas. Comparisons of results obtained using W, We, and strict and modified
complementarity analyses showed that phylogenetic value with endemicity (We) can be applied as a unique value to determine
the importance of each area. Using We, the six first areas selected, accumulated 72 % of phylogenetic value, and 74 % of gamma
diversity of the southern South American carabids. None of the other used parameters accumulated 70 % of species before the
seventh area is added. The six selected areas are the Valdivian rain forest, pampean mountains, Coquimbo, western Patagonia,
central Chile, and Araucanian. It is worth to noting that pampean mountains and western Patagonia are grassland habitats, Coquimbo
and central Chile are arid and semiarid habitats, and only the Valdivian rain forests and Araucanian are forests with Nothofagus
trees.
Key words:
phylogenetic value,
endemicity, complementarity, Carabidae, South America
