An assessment of liverwort richness, endemicity and conservation in a megadiverse country - Colombia

Abstract

Knowing the centers of richness and endemism is crucial for prioritizing biodiversity conservation efforts, particularly in taxa susceptible to environmental changes and in regions of significant biological importance. We used species occurrence data from species lists, online information sources, and herbarium records to identify the centers of endemism of liverworts in Colombia. Sampling biases were assessed using the ‘sampbias’ package. Geospatial analyses were applied to identify species richness and endemism centers, with the latter identified using the NDM/VNDM algorithm. Species conservation status was evaluated based on IUCN Red List criterion B using the ‘ConR’ package. Despite low sampling efforts across all regions, the collection bias model revealed disparities in sampling, with fewer expected records in the Orinoco, Caribbean, and Amazon regions, highlighting the need for new inventories in these priority areas. The Andean (567 total species, 16 endemic species and subspecies) and Pacific (301 total species, 7 endemic species) regions stood out with higher richness. Two centers of endemism were identified: the Pacific and the Andean regions, emerging as priorities for conservation investments. Only 4% of the total area of the centers of endemism in Colombia was found within protected areas (PAs), and 40% of species were classified as threatened. Despite the challenges, 22.7% of the endemic species are found within PAs, underscoring the urgent need for efficient PA management, especially those located along the central Andes Mountain range.