An updated floristic map of the world

Area of Science:

• Biogeography
• Phylogenetics
• Evolutionary Biology
• Geology

Background:

• Floristic regions organize plant life globally, aiding biological research.
• Existing floristic regions lack evolutionary insights and phylogenetic considerations.
• The roles of tectonic dynamics and climate in shaping floristic regions are unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To update global floristic regions by integrating plant distributions and phylogeny.
• To investigate the evolutionary history and temporal changes of floristic regions.
• To determine the influence of tectonic and climatic factors on floristic regionalization.

Main Methods:

• Integrated global distribution data for 12,664 angiosperm genera.
• Incorporated a comprehensive angiosperm phylogeny.
• Analyzed macroevolutionary and paleogeographic processes to define regions.

Main Results:

• Identified eight major floristic realms and 16 nested sub-realms.
• Confirmed Holarctic, Neotropical, and Australian realms; refuted Paleotropical, Antarctic, and Cape realms.
• Found that most realms originated in the Paleogene, primarily shaped by plate tectonics-induced isolation, with minimal climate influence.

Conclusions:

• Integrating phylogenetic and distribution data is crucial for accurate floristic regionalization.
• Plate tectonics is the dominant force in the formation of floristic realms.
• Macroevolutionary and paleogeographic processes significantly shape regional floras over geological time.