Seeing the forest through many trees: multi-taxon patterns of phylogenetic diversity in the Atlantic Forest hotspot

Abstract

We combine phylogenetic and point locality data from selected lineages of the Atlantic Forest flora and fauna to compare spatial patterns of biodiversity sustained by the current configuration of forest remnants to a scenario of complete forest preservation. We then ask the question "how much biodiversity is likely lost, already"? Specifically, we assess how habitat loss likely impacted the climatic spaces occupied by the local species, the inferred composition of local communities and the spatial distribution of phylogenetic diversity and endemism.