Sammanfattning

One of the most fundamental questions in ecology is how many species inhabit the Earth. However, due to massive logistical and financial challenges and taxonomic difficulties connected to the species concept definition, the global numbers of species, including those of important and well-studied life forms such as trees, still remain largely unknown. Here, based on global groundsourced data, we estimate the total tree species richness at global, continental, and biome levels. Our results indicate that there are 73,000 tree species globally, among which ∼9,000 tree species are yet to be discovered. Roughly 40% of undiscovered tree species are in South America. Moreover, almost one-third of all tree species to be discovered may be rare, with very low populations and limited spatial distribution (likely in remote tropical lowlands and mountains). These findings highlight the vulnerability of global forest biodiversity to anthropogenic changes in land use and climate, which disproportionately threaten rare species and thus, global tree richness.

Nyckelord

biodiversity; forests; hyperdominance; rarity; richness

Publicerad i

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
2022, Volym: 119, nummer: 6, artikelnummer: e2115329119

SLU författare

• Fridman, Jonas

  • Institutionen för skoglig resurshushållning, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

• Westerlund, Bertil

  • Institutionen för skoglig resurshushållning, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

Associerade SLU-program

SLU Skogsskadecentrum


Globala målen

Skydda, återställa och främja ett hållbart nyttjande av landbaserade ekosystem, hållbart bruka skogar, bekämpa ökenspridning, hejda och vrida tillbaka markförstöringen samt hejda förlusten av biologisk mångfald


UKÄ forskningsämne

Skogsvetenskap
Ekologi
Botanik


Publikationens identifierare

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2115329119

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/115835