Differences in species-area relationships among the major lineages of land plants: A macroecological perspective

Abstract

Although the increase in species richness with increasing area is considered one of the few laws in ecology, the role of environmental and taxon-specific features in shaping species–area relationships (SARs) remains controversial. Using 421 land-plant floras covering continents, continental islands and oceanic islands, we investigate whether variations in SAR parameters can be interpreted in terms of differences among lineages in speciation mode and dispersal capacities (TAXON), or of geological history and geographical isolation between continents and islands (GEO).