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The number of tree species on Earth
Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review
DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2115329119
Final published version
- Roberto Cazzolla Gatti, Purdue University, University of Bologna, Tomsk State University ,
- Peter B. Reich, University of Minnesota, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Western Sydney University ,
- Javier G.P. Gamarra, FAO ,
- Tom Crowther, Institute of Integrative Biology ,
- Cang Hui, University of Stellenbosch, African Institute for Mathematical Sciences ,
- Albert Morera, University of Lleida, Forest Technology Centre of Catalonia ,
- Jean Francois Bastin, University of Liege ,
- Sergio de-Miguel, University of Lleida, Forest Technology Centre of Catalonia ,
- Gert Jan Nabuurs, Wageningen University & Research ,
- Jens Christian Svenning
- Josep M. Serra-Diaz, Universite de Lorraine ,
- Cory Merow, University of Connecticut ,
- Brian Enquist, University of Arizona ,
- Maria Kamenetsky, University of Wisconsin-Madison ,
- Junho Lee, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology ,
- Jun Zhu, University of Wisconsin-Madison ,
- Jinyun Fang, Peking University ,
- Douglass F. Jacobs, Purdue University ,
- Bryan Pijanowski, Purdue University ,
- Arindam Banerjee, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ,
- Robert A. Giaquinto, University of Minnesota ,
- Giorgio Alberti, University of Udine, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano ,
- Angelica Maria Almeyda Zambrano, University of Florida ,
- Esteban Alvarez-Davila, Universidad Nacional de Colombia ,
- Alejandro Araujo-Murakami, Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado ,
- Valerio Avitabile, European Commission Joint Research Centre Institute ,
- Gerardo A. Aymard, Compensation International Progress S. A.-Ciprogress Greenlife, Herbario Universitario (PORT) ,
- Radomir Balazy, Forest Research Institute ,
- Chris Baraloto, Florida International University ,
- Jorcely G. Barroso, Universidade Federal do Acre ,
- Meredith L. Bastian, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Duke University ,
- Philippe Birnbaum, Universite de Montpellier, Institut Agronomique néo-Calédonien ,
- Robert Bitariho, Mbarara University of Science and Technology ,
- Jan Bogaert, University of Liege ,
- Frans Bongers, Wageningen University & Research ,
- Olivier Bouriaud, Stefan Cel Mare University ,
- Pedro H.S. Brancalion, Universidade de Sao Paulo ,
- Francis Q. Brearley, Manchester Metropolitan University ,
- Eben North Broadbent, University of Florida ,
- Filippo Bussotti, University of Florence ,
- Wendeson Castro da Silva, Amazonia Green Landscape Protection and Governance Programme, Universidade Federal do Acre ,
- Ricardo Gomes César, Universidade de Sao Paulo ,
- Goran Češljar, GIS and Forest Policy ,
- Víctor Chama Moscoso, Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad del Cusco ,
- Han Y.H. Chen, Lakehead University ,
- Emil Cienciala, Institute of Forest Ecosystem Research 254 01 Jilove u Prahy, Czech Academy of Sciences ,
- Connie J. Clark, Duke University ,
- David A. Coomes, University of Cambridge ,
- Selvadurai Dayanandan, Concordia University ,
- Mathieu Decuyper, Wageningen University & Research, World Agroforestry Centre
One of the most fundamental questions in ecology is how many species inhabit the Earth. However, due to massive logistical and financial challenges and taxonomic difficulties connected to the species concept definition, the global numbers of species, including those of important and well-studied life forms such as trees, still remain largely unknown. Here, based on global ground-sourced data, we estimate the total tree species richness at global, continental, and biome levels. Our results indicate that there are ∼73,000 tree species globally, among which ∼9,000 tree species are yet to be discovered. Roughly 40% of undiscovered tree species are in South America. Moreover, almost one-third of all tree species to be discovered may be rare, with very low populations and limited spatial distribution (likely in remote tropical lowlands and mountains). These findings highlight the vulnerability of global forest biodiversity to anthropogenic changes in land use and climate, which disproportionately threaten rare species and thus, global tree richness.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e2115329119 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |
| Volume | 119 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| ISSN | 0027-8424 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2022 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.
- biodiversity, forests, hyperdominance, rarity, richness, BIODIVERSITY, RICHNESS, COVERAGE, PATTERNS, COMPLETENESS, ABUNDANCE, SAMPLE, HETEROGENEITY, ECOLOGY, DIVERSITY
Research areas
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ID: 231292973