Spatial and environmental determinants of vascular plant species richness distribution in the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands

摘要: Abstract Using an exhaustive data compilation, Iberian vascular plant species richness in 50×50 UTM grid cells was regressed against 24 explanatory variables (spatial, geographical, topographical, geological, climatic, land use and environmental diversity variables) using Generalized Linear Models partial regression analysis order to ascertain the relative contribution of primary, heterogeneous spatially structured variables. The variation accounted for by these is reasonably high (65% total deviance). Little less than half this A purely spatial component hardly significant. most significant are those related altitude, particularly maximum whose cubic response reflects occurrence number at highest altitudes. This result highlighted importance mountains as hotspots relevance large small scale historical factors contemporary distribution patterns. Climatic or energy-related contributed little, whereas geological (calcareous acid rocks) and, a lesser extent, heterogeneity (land altitude range) seem be more important.