Contribution of Altos de Chicauma to the Protection of Phylogenetic Diversity of the Flora in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile

Abstract

Protected areas play a key role in safeguarding biodiversity, particularly species richness and endemism. However, they often overlook evolutionary contributions. Phylogenetic Diversity (PD) incorporates the accumulated evolutionary history of species, allowing the identification of areas that preserve a broader range of evolutionary attributes. The Chilean Mediterranean hotspot stands out for its high PD and species richness. Within this hotspot, the Metropolitan Region of Santiago (RM) contains several protected areas, mainly in the Andes. On the western edge of the RM, in the Coastal Range, lies “Altos de Chicauma,” part of one of the 23 Priority Sites for Conservation, recognized for their biogeographic and bioclimatic importance. This study quantified the contribution of Altos de Chicauma to the protection of PD for the vascular flora of the RM in the Coastal Range. We compiled floristic information from the site and compared it with the complete flora of the RM, from which a baseline phylogeny was constructed. We also identified the conservation status and origin of the species in the study area. Altos de Chicauma, with 506 vascular plant species and covering 0.52% of the RM, protects 46.8% of the region’s PD, 55.0% of the PD of endemic species, and 43.5% of the PD of species of conservation concern. Our results indicate that Altos de Chicauma is a highly valuable area for safeguarding the PD and species richness of the RM.