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Diversity of temperate plants in east Asia

Author

Listed:
  • S. P. Harrison

    (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry
    Dynamic Palaeoclimatology, Lund University)

  • G. Yu

    (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry
    Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • H. Takahara

    (University Forest, Kyoto Prefectural University)

  • I. C. Prentice

    (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry)

Abstract

The exceptionally broad species diversity of vascular plant genera in east Asian temperate forests, compared with their sister taxa in North America, has been attributed to the greater climatic diversity of east Asia, combined with opportunities for allopatric speciation afforded by repeated fragmentation and coalescence of populations through Late Cenozoic ice-age cycles1. According to Qian and Ricklefs1, these opportunities occurred in east Asia because temperate forests extended across the continental shelf to link populations in China, Korea and Japan during glacial periods, whereas higher sea levels during interglacial periods isolated these regions and warmer temperatures restricted temperate taxa to disjunct refuges. However, palaeovegetation data from east Asia2,3,4,5,6 show that temperate forests were considerably less extensive than today during the Last Glacial Maximum, calling into question the coalescence of tree populations required by the hypothesis of Qian and Ricklefs1.

Suggested Citation

  • S. P. Harrison & G. Yu & H. Takahara & I. C. Prentice, 2001. "Diversity of temperate plants in east Asia," Nature, Nature, vol. 413(6852), pages 129-130, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:413:y:2001:i:6852:d:10.1038_35093166
    DOI: 10.1038/35093166
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