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Aim – Paper-based publications were the main repository for phytogeographical information until the end of the 20 th century. These texts are still an important reference source for phytogeography and potentially a valuable source of data for research on environmental change. The recent digitization of biodiversity publications, text-mining and mark-up protocols means that these data are now more accessible than ever before. Here I examine the value of legacy literature specifically for studies on phytogeography. Methods – Three contrasting data mobilisation projects are used as case studies for the extraction of phytogeographic data. Two were digitisations and XML mark-up of floras, the Flore d'Afrique Centrale from the 20 th century and the Flora of Northumberland and Durham from the 19 th century. A third case study used Chenopodium vulvaria L. as a test case, where I attempted to recover as much phytogeographic data as possible for one species, both from literature and from herbarium specimens. Results – A large amount of useful information was extractable from legacy literature. The main limitations are that most localities need georeferencing and that observations are only rarely associated with a precise date. In the case of C. vulvaria literature contributed about 20% of all available observations of the species. Literature becomes a progressively more important source of data the further back in time one looks. However, useful observations become much rarer earlier than about 1850. Main conclusions – Sourcing phytogeographic data from legacy literature is valuable. It contains observations and links to other data that are unavailable from any other source. Nevertheless, its extraction takes a substantial investment in time. Before commencing on such a project it is important to prioritise work and understand the limitations of such data, particularly with regard to georeferencing.

The Deciduous Complex that occurs in northern Minas Gerais State, Brazil, raises questions about the floristic affinities of these formations in relation to neighboring phytogeographical domains. Little is known about the identity of the seasonal forest formations that comprise this complex, or about its relationships to abiotic components, such as soils, topography and climate. This study aimed to recognize the patterns of floristic similarity of all studied fragments of dry forest of northern Minas Gerais with soil and climate attributes, based on the available database. Cluster analysis indicated the existence of two floristic groups that had clear associations with either the Koppen's BSh (semi-arid) or Aw (seasonal tropical) climates. Likewise, the subdivisions of these groups showed clear associations with the dominant soil classes in the region. The Red-Yellow Latosol is the dominant soil classes in the BSh climatic domain, seconded by alluvial areas associated with Fluvic Neosols. The Aw domain comprised a much varied set of soils: Nitosols, Argisols, Cambisols and Litholic Neosols, most derived from the Bambuí limestone/slate formation. The ecotonal nature of northern Minas Gerais State provides a complex interaction between the flora of neighboring phytogeographical domains. This, allied to pedogeomorphological factors, allowed a better understanding of the effects of late Quaternary climate changes for the Deciduous Complex evolution. We conclude that the Latosols under present-day semi-arid climates (BSh) are relicts of former wetter climates, during which humid forest (semideciduous) expansion took place. Later, these semideciduous forests were subjected to a much drier climate, when selection for deciduousness led to the present-days Deciduous Complex scenario. O Complexo Decidual que ocorre no norte do Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil, levanta questões sobre a afinidade florística de suas formações, em relação aos domínios fitogeográficos vizinhos. Pouco se conhece sobre a identidade das formações de florestas estacionais que compreende esse complexo, ou sobre suas relações com os componentes abióticos, como solo, topografia e clima. O presente estudo objetivou reconhecer os padrões de similaridade florística de todos os fragmentos estudados de floresta decídua do Norte de Minas Gerais com atributos pedológicos e climáticos, com base no banco de dados disponíveis. Análises de agrupamento, indicaram a existência de dois grupos florísticos, os quais possuem clara associação com os domínios climáticos BSh (semi-árido) ou Aw (tropical chuvoso) de Koppen. As subdivisões desses grupos tiveram clara associação às classes de solos dominantes na região. Os Latossolos Vermelho-Amarelo são a classe de solo dominante no domínio climático BSh, seguidos por áreas aluviais associadas com Neossolos Flúvicos. O domínio Aw é compreendido por uma mescla de classes de solos diferenciados: Nitossolos, Argissolos, Cambissolos e Nessolos Litólicos, a maioria derivada dos calcários e ardósias da Formação Bambuí. A natureza ecotonal da região Norte do Estado de Minas Gerais propicia uma complexa interação da flora dos domínios fitogeográficos visinhos. Estes, somados aos fatores pedogeomorfológicos, possibilitaram melhor compreensão dos efeitos das mudanças climáticas do Quaternário tardio sobre a evolução do Complexo Decidual. Concluímos que os Latossolos do atual clima semi-árido (BSh) são relíquias de um clima úmido passado, durante o qual a expansão de florestas úmidas aconteceram. Mais tarde, essas florestas semidecíduas foram submetidas a um clima bem mais seco, quando a seleção da deciduidade levou ao cenário dos dias atuais no Complexo Decidual.

Regional climate models (RCMs) provide reliable climatic predictions for the next 90 years with high horizontal and temporal resolution. In the 21st century northward latitudinal and upward altitudinal shift of the distribution of plant species and phytogeographical units is expected. It is discussed how the modeling of phytogeographical unit can be reduced to modeling plant distributions. Predicted shift of the Moesz line is studied as case study (with three different modeling approaches) using 36 parameters of REMO regional climate dataset, ArcGIS geographic information software, and periods of 1961-1990 (reference period), 2011-2040, and 2041-2070. The disadvantages of this relatively simple climate envelope modeling (CEM) approach are then discussed and several ways of model improvement are suggested. Some statistical and artificial intelligence (AI) methods (logistic regression, cluster analysis and other clustering methods, decision tree, evolutionary algorithm, artificial neural network) are able to provide development of the model. Among them artificial neural networks (ANN) seems to be the most suitable algorithm for this purpose, which provides a black box method for distribution modeling.

International audience; African herbaceous biomes will likely face drastic changes in the near future, due to climate change and pressures from increasing human activities. However, these biomes have been simulated only by dynamic global vegetation models and failing to include the diversity of C 4 grasses has limited the accuracy of these models. Characterizing the floristic and physiognomic diversity of these herbaceous biomes would enhance the parameterization of C 4 grass plant functional types, thereby improving simulations. To this end, we used low-ermost and uppermost values of three grass physiognomic traits (culm height, leaf length, and leaf width) available in most floras to identify several grass physiognomic groups that form the grass cover in Senegal. We then checked the capacity of these groups to discriminate herbaceous biomes and mean annual precipitation domains. Specifically, we assessed whether these groups were sufficiently generic and robust to be applied to neighboring (Chad) and distant (South Africa) phytogeographic areas. The proportions of two phys-iognomic groups, defined by their lowermost limits, delineate steppe from savanna and forest biomes in Senegal, and nama-karoo, savanna, and grassland biomes in South Africa. Proportions of these two physiognomic groups additionally delineate the mean annual precipitation domains 600 mm in Senegal, Chad, and South Africa, as well as the 1000 mm domains in South Africa. These findings should help to identify and parameterize new C 4 grass plant functional types in vegetation models applied to West and South Africa.

We assess the potential impact of climate change on plant diversity in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) and its interaction with land transformation that has already occurred in the region. Predictions were made both at the scale of the Fynbos Biome (the dominant vegetation assemblage in the CFR) and for selected Proteaceae species. Bioclimatic modelling identified parts of the biome at particular risk from climate change. Species-level modelling (Generalised Additive Modelling) was done for 28 Proteaceae species selected from areas at high risk of biome loss, revealing individualistic range changes in a pattern broadly consistent with biome modelling results. Most species experienced potential range contractions (17 of 28), of which five showed range elimination. Several species (11 of 28) showed potential range expansions. For species showing range contractions, current land transformation had less impact on future potential ranges than did climate change, because many species ranges shifted to higher altitudes where land transformation is currently less prevalent. Fewer than half of the high-risk species showed overlap between current and future potential range, showing that propagule transport, establishment of species in novel ranges and conservation of landscape linkages will be critical for maintenance of biodiversity. Methods described here provide useful forecasts of potential climate change impacts that could guide conservation responses, but results need cautious interpretation in the light of the many assumptions underlying the techniques used.

24 p. -- fot., gráf. -- Post-print del artículo publicado en Systematics and Biodiversity. Versión revisada y corregida., Climate change is forcing many plant species to shift their range in search of adequate environmental conditions, being localized endemic species particularly at risk on mountain summits. The Pantepui biogeographic province, a set of flat-topped mountain summits (called tepuis) of northern South America, contains both high plant diversity and a high degree of endemism. Previous studies based on warming projections for the area suggested that half of the Pantepui endemic flora would disappear due to habitat loss by 2100. In this study, we selected one of the best-explored tepuis, Roraima-tepui, to establish the baseline of diversity and endemism for comparisons with historical data and future monitoring surveys, aimed at testing the hypothesis of upward migration of plants in response to global warming. We also analysed floristic and physiognomic features of the Eastern Tepui Chain (ETC, the mountain range where Roraima is located), and the phytogeographic patterns of both the ETC and Pantepui. The Roraima summit contains 227 species, including 44 new records, 13 exotic species (some of them with high invasive potential), and at least one species new to science. At the ETC level, Roraima is the tepui with highest species richness and degree of endemism, and shows a relatively high floristic similarity with Kukenán and Ilú. Herbaceous species dominate over shrubs on these tepuis, Tramen and Maringma, whereas on Yuruaní, Karaurín and Uei, they reach similar abundances. At the Pantepui level, endemic species have highly localized distribution patterns (17% local endemics). Conservation opportunities are evaluated in light of these results., This research was supported by the BBVA Foundation (project BIOCON 08-188/09 to Valentí Rull). Fieldwork permits were granted by the National Commission for the Protection of Tepuis, the National Office of Biological Diversity of the Ministry of Environment of Venezuela (ref. PRE-CE-2010-001), the National Parks Institute (refs. PAA-261-2010 and PAA-010-2012), and the indigenous community of Paraitepuy de Roraima.

The climatic conditions and elevation of the potential distribution area of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc) in China were determined by an ecological information system GREEN that has been developed by [Yan H, Booth TH, Zuo H, editors. GREEN — a climatic mapping program for China and its use in forestry. In: Matching trees and sites, ACIAR Proceedings No. 63. Australia: ACIAR, 1996]. The potential distribution areas of this tree species under current and predicted climatic conditions were mapped using IDRISI GIS. Based on the averages of rainfall and temperature predicted by 5 GCMs (GISS, NCAR, OSU, UKMO and MPI, i.e., an “averaged” model) and a new model HadCM2 for 2030, predictions were made on the future distributions of Korean pine. The result shows that the southern boundary of the potential distribution area of Korean pine will have a northward shift of 0.1° to 0.6° in latitude, and the northern boundary will have a northward shift of 0.3° to 0.5°, resulting in an expansion of the potential distribution area by 3.4% according to the average of the five models. However, the distribution areas will be decreased by 12.1% and 44.9% according to the scenarios predicted by HadCM2, which assumes annual increments of CO2 concentrations of 0.5% and 1%, respectively. The authors concluded that if the thresholds were properly selected the actual distribution and potential distribution of a tree species might agree. The projected distribution under changed climatic conditions depends on the GCM scenarios applied. Different GCM scenarios may sometimes give opposite conclusions, as in the case of Korean pine projected by the “averaged” and HadCM2 models. Keywords: Climate change, China, Korean pine, Geographic distribution

Based on conclusions drawn from general climatic impact assessmentin mountain regions, the review synthesizes results relevant to the European Alps published mainly from 1994 onward in the fields of population genetics, ecophysiology, phenology, phytogeography, modeling, paleoecology and vegetation dynamics. Other important factors of global change interacting synergistically with climatic factors are also mentioned, such as atmospheric CO2 concentration, eutrophication, ozone or changes in land-use. Topics addressed are general species distribution and populations (persistence, acclimation, genetic variability, dispersal, fragmentation, plant/animal interaction, species richness, conservation), potential response of vegetation (ecotonal shift – area, physiography – changes in the composition, structural changes), phenology, growth and productivity, and landscape. In conclusion, the European Alps appear to have a natural inertia and thus to tolerate an increase of 1–2 K of mean air temperature as far as plant species and ecosystems are concerned in general. However, the impact of land-use is very likely to negate this buffer in many areas. For a change of the order of 3 K or more, profound changes may be expected.

This study provides a first country-wide overview of the vertical distribution patterns and the chorology of vascular plant species that occur in the uppermost elevation zones in Iran. The current distribution patterns are discussed with respect to potential warming-induced species losses. Iran’s subnival and nival vegetation zones are found at elevations above 3600–3900 m in a highly fragmented distribution across Alborz, Zagros, and NW-Iran. Based on literature research and on field observations, all vascular plant species living in the subnival–nival zone of Iranian mountains were identified (151 species) and classified into three altitudinal groups: Group A comprises species that occur mainly in subnival–nival habitats (51 species). Group B are species being common in subnival–nival areas but are equally present in the alpine zone (56 species). Group C are species that can reach to subnival areas but also grow in alpine, subalpine and sometimes lower altitudes (44 species). The chorological patterns differ among the three groups. The percentage of species being endemic to Iran decreases from group A, to B and C, with 68, 53 and 20%, respectively. A narrow altitudinal distribution at high elevations is clearly related to a small-scaled geographical distribution range. The outstanding rate of high-altitude endemism appears to result mainly from orographic isolation of the country’s highly scattered cold areas and by the absence of extensive Pleistocene glaciations. The narrow distribution of most of Iran’s cold-adapted mountain flora and the low potential of alternative cold habitats render it highly vulnerable to climate change.

The forests in the Iberian Peninsula have been strongly influenced by past climatic changes, but reconstructing their historical distributions and dynamics is very difficult due to the complex climatic characteristics and relief of the region. Research disciplines such as phylogeography and species distribution modelling can describe the past range dynamics of individual tree species in relatively great detail and help elucidate how these species have reacted to climatic changes. Here we review phylogeographical and modelling studies from species representative of the major Iberian forest types and attempt to extract general trends from the diversity of individual species histories in the Peninsula. To date most studies focus on geographical range dynamics during the Pleistocene, but an increasing body of evidence shows that some species have also retained the genetic imprints of much more ancient processes. Many widespread Iberian species show a deep and often remarkably clear-cut divide between populations from the Mediterranean and from the Atlantic regions of the Iberian Peninsula, suggesting that both areas have independently sustained viable populations over extended periods. In fact, phylogeographical studies commonly find that species had several glacial refugia across the Iberian Peninsula. On the other hand, distribution models help identifying further suitable areas that could have sustained so far undetected refugia. Such studies are of interest for species conservation, because refugium populations are high-priority targets due to their long- term persistence and unique evolutionary trajectory. Overall, we conclude that palaeoecology, phylogeo- graphy and species distribution modelling have a great potential to inform each other because of their complementary perspectives and results. A true integration of these approaches is therefore fundamental for further progress in our understanding of past Iberian environments and the organisms they harboured

8 páginas, 4 figuras., Increasing temperatures are driving rapid upward range shifts of species in mountains. An altitudinal range retreat of 10 m is predicted to translate into a ∼10-km latitudinal retreat based on the rate at which temperatures decline with increasing altitude and latitude, yet reports of latitudinal rangeretractions are sparse. Here, we examine potential climatic, biological, anthropogenic and methodological explanations for this disparity. We argue that the lack of reported latitudinal rangeretractions stems more from a lack of research effort, compounded by methodological difficulties, rather than from their absence. Given the predicted negative impacts of increasing temperatures on wide areas of the latitudinal distributions of species, the investigation of rangeretractions should become a priority in biogeographical research., Funding was provided in part by Spanish MEC grants CGL2006-04025/BOS and Consolider-Ingenio Montes CSD2008-00040, Catalan Government grant SGR2005-003/12, Hungarian Government grant 6/047/2005 and the EU FP6 Network of Excellence ‘EVOLTREE’.

In a recent paper, McLachlan et al. presented evidence that migration rates of two tree species at the end of the last glacial ( c. 10–20 thousand years ago) were much slower than was previously thought. These results provide an important insight for climate-change impacts studies and suggest that the ability of species to track future climate change is limited. However, the detection of late-glacial refugia close to modern range limits also implies that some of our most catastrophic projections might be overstated.

In the Nansei-Shoto the phytogeography is complicated and presents an interesting problem in studies related to climatic fluctuation in the past and also to climatic changes induced by increasing atmospheric CO2. In the Nansei-Shoto from sea level to the peaks of mountains at 979 m, varied floras show different origins and affinities. The Islands share the flora of the lowlands with Taiwan, southern China, and Malaysia.

A floristic survey of twenty stabilized and unstabilized sand dunes in the Great Basin and Mojave Deserts was conducted over a 9-year period. The relative ages of dunes were determined by the number of endemic, psammophytic and azonal taxa at each dune. The relationships among older dunes were then analysed by two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) and Sorensen's coefficient of similarity (CC,) applied to the psammophytic taxa. These relationships were used to propose routes of psammophyte migration during the Holocene, taking into account climatic change and physiographic complexity in the Great Basin and Mojave Deserts. A total of 166 taxa was documented, representing eightyeight genera and twenty-seven families of vascular plants. Approximately 95% of the taxa was indigenous. Eureka, Big and Kelso dunes were the oldest dunes included in the