4 Species Richness
Species richness depends on spatial scale, species concept, calculation mode, and the
group of organisms considered. The following examples may give an impression
about the species richness related to grassland ecosystems in the world.
Many grassland ecosystems such as the grasslands of the high Andes (Fig. 3),
Central Chile, and Southern Patagonia rank highest for the biological importance of
Endemic Bird Areas (White et al. 2000).
More than 1300 vascular plant species, which are endemic to Europe, are
associated with grassland habitats; only endemics related to rocks and screes are
more numerous (>2700). Scrub and heath take position number three (>1100),
followed by forest with c. 770 endemic vascular plant species. Other habitat types
represent lower endemism (Bruchmann and Hobohm 2010; Hobohm 2014).
At local scales (plots <50 m
2 ) all world records of the plant species richness were
determined in grassland habitats. For example, 89 different plant species have been
identified in a single m
2 of temperate grassland. This is a higher number than in
tropical rainforests or in any other habitat type of the same plot size (Wilson et al.
2012).
Fig. 3 Paramo with Espeletia grandiflora in Colombia, west of Bogota (photographed by Carsten
Hobohm)
336
C. Hobohm et al.
Species richness depends on spatial scale, species concept, calculation mode, and the
group of organisms considered. The following examples may give an impression
about the species richness related to grassland ecosystems in the world.
Many grassland ecosystems such as the grasslands of the high Andes (Fig. 3),
Central Chile, and Southern Patagonia rank highest for the biological importance of
Endemic Bird Areas (White et al. 2000).
More than 1300 vascular plant species, which are endemic to Europe, are
associated with grassland habitats; only endemics related to rocks and screes are
more numerous (>2700). Scrub and heath take position number three (>1100),
followed by forest with c. 770 endemic vascular plant species. Other habitat types
represent lower endemism (Bruchmann and Hobohm 2010; Hobohm 2014).
At local scales (plots <50 m
2 ) all world records of the plant species richness were
determined in grassland habitats. For example, 89 different plant species have been
identified in a single m
2 of temperate grassland. This is a higher number than in
tropical rainforests or in any other habitat type of the same plot size (Wilson et al.
2012).
Fig. 3 Paramo with Espeletia grandiflora in Colombia, west of Bogota (photographed by Carsten
Hobohm)
336
C. Hobohm et al.