An optimality criterion to determine areas of endemism

SZUMIK C.A., F. CUEZZO, P.A. GOLOBOFF & A.E. CHALUP

SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY

Taylor & Francis

Lugar: London; Año: 2002 vol. 51 p. 806 - 816

1063-5157

Abstract.—A formal method  was developed to determine areas of endemism. The study region is divided in to cells, and the number of species that can be considered as endemic is counted for a given set of cells (=area). Thus, the area with the maximum number of species considered endemic are preferred. This is the first method for identification of areas of endemism that implements an optimality criterion directly based on considering the aspects of species distribution that are relevant to endemism. The method is implemented in two computer programs, NDM and VNDM, available from the authors.