Islands, and particularly oceanic islands, harbour typically very original fauna and flora but usually not too many species. However, adding up the species of all the islands they might reach important numbers, at least in some taxa. Does anybody know of an estimation of the contribution of island endemics to the global number of species for different groups?
Are you familiar with our paper "Atlantic reef fish, biogeography and evolution"? Maybe you can find some answers there. Also I suggests Ricardo S. Santos et al. boof on Seamounts. You can find bith these suggestions by downloading in Research gate.
For terrestrial invertebrates and plants endemic to oceanic Island I strongly recomend you contact, respectively, Paulo A. V. Borges and Rui B. Elias (University of the Azores)
Cheers,
JP
An important parameter for oceanic island diversity is the distance to the mainland which may serve as source for colonization, Therefore I think there is not a single and straightforward answer to your question. It depends also of the kind of organism you are studying. Concerning aquatic insects and Ephemeroptera in peculiar we are now studying from Macaronesia, there is a good relationship between distance to the mainland and overall diversity: over 12 species in the Canaries (mostly undescribed, but genetically and morphologically different), 3 on Madeira and a single one on Azores.
Hope it helps,
Best wishes,
Michel
According to BirdLife International (1998) publication on Endemic Bird Areas of the World no less than 53% of all restricted-range bird species inhabit islands, in oppostite to 47% of other endemics found in continental areas. (Widespread bird species: c. 7,100 species, / restricted-range bird species: 2,623 species = 27%). At continental islands occure 31% of island endemics, at oceanic islands occure much more than that, 69% of Island bird endemics.
Since these figueres were published, several new bird species has been described, recently total number of global bird species is over 10 000, but I think, that the rate of restricted-range birds to the rest of bird species could not change significantly.
Hi Samuel,
Thanks. This is the kind of info I am looking for. If I did not misunderstand the figures, out of 9763 species 2623 are restricted in range, and of these 53% some 1390 inhabit islands. Therefore, the island endemic bird species suppose some 14.24% of the global bird diversity. Interesting! I wonder how are the numbers for other taxa.
Tahnks
Jabi
HI Jabi,
Yes, You are right. The figures are correct. The rate of island endemics is very high in terms of birds and especially high is a number of endemics confined to oceanic islands. Recent numbers of bird species is a bit highr now than in 1998, when these figures were published, but I think that the rates are still correct.
Hi Joäo,
I read through the paper. It is very nice and there is a lot on phylogeography of fish and an amazing database of reed fish. However I am more interested in absolute numbers rather than regional estimates or island/archipelago percentages. I have seen several works on particular islands with plenty of interesting information, but I am looking for global estimations.
Thanks for your support,
Jabi
As a follow up question we may ask how much evolution on islands has contributed to global biodiversity as lineages developed on islands colonize the mainland, see Fabre et al. 2012 on a bird lineage. Can we say that global biodiversity is strongly affected by island biology as dispersal to and from islands is a significant component of the evolutionary history of lineages?
Dear Jabi, are you aware of this publication?
Kier, G., Kreft, H., Lee, T.M., Jetz, W., Ibisch, P.L., Nowicki, C., Mutke, J. & Barthlott, W. (2009) A global assessment of endemism and species richness across island and mainland regions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Natural Sciences, USA, 106, 9322-9327.
Dear Gunnar,
I was not!
I read it and it is very interesting, it reinfoces the idea of oceanic islands as home of endemiss for several taxa, although it provides no global figures for species. I have seen similar papers for specific taxa with stimations for particular islands or achipelagos Yet, I am looking for figures more than ratios.
Thanks,
Jabi
Yes, I can calculate that from my latest book for the owls of the world if somebody is interested!
Rgs,
Heimo
Hi Danny,
Very interesting. Thanks. I will check that reference!
Best,
Jabi
Hi Heimo,
If you could calculate that numbers, would be nice.
Please proceed!!
Thanks,
Jabi
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