Bioclimatic and physical characterization of the world’s islands

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 110; no. 38; pp. 15307 - 15312
• Main Authors: Weigelt, Patrick, Jetz, Walter, Kreft, Holger
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC National Academy of Sciences 17.09.2013; National Acad Sciences
• Subjects: Altitude; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Arid climates; Bioclimatology; Biodiversity; Biogeography; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Sciences; Climate; Climate change; Cluster Analysis; data collection; ecoregions; ecosystems; Environment; evolution; Flowers & plants; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geological Phenomena; Harbors; Heterogeneity; Islands; Models, Biological; multicultural diversity; Oceans and Seas; Ordination; Physical Sciences; Plant species; Plants; Principal Component Analysis; Rain; Seasonal variations; Seasons; species diversity; Species richness; Species Specificity; Synecology; temperate zones; Temperature; Terrestrial ecosystems; Wet climates; World; Species diversity; Geographic distribution; vascular plant diversity; Vegetation; environmental regionalization; Biogeography; island biogeography; Island; Species richness

The Earth’s islands harbor a distinct, yet highly threatened, biological and cultural diversity that has been shaped by geographic isolation and unique environments. Island systems are key natural laboratories for testing theory in ecology and evolution. However, despite their potential usefulness f...