Predicting regional hotspots of phylogenetic diversity across multiple species groups

AIM: The protection of phylogenetic diversity has become a priority in conservation biology, but its achievement requires a detailed understanding of (a) hotspots of phylogenetic diversity on a management‐relevant scale and (b) the land use and climate factors determining local phylogenetic diversity. In this study, we identified spatial patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity and their environmental drivers. LOCATION: Bavaria, Germany. METHODS: To map the cross‐taxon phylogenetic diversity, we combined species distribution data obtained from country‐wide monitoring programmes and phylogenetic trees of birds, bats, dragonflies, grasshoppers and butterflies and calculated the phylogenetic diversity standardized by species richness. Generalized additive models were used to test the effects of land use and climate on phylogenetic diversity. We identified hotspots of phylogenetic diversity and assessed the extent to which established protected areas in Bavaria cover these hotspots. RESULTS: High coverage by urban areas, arable land and water bodies negatively affected the phylogenetic diversity of most species groups. The phylogenetic diversity of birds increased with increasing meadow cover. Climate did not influence the phylogenetic diversity of the studied groups. We identified 10 regional hotspots that contained the highest standardized phylogenetic diversity across the examined species groups. There was a strong mismatch between hotspots of phylogenetic diversity among the species groups. Protected areas (national parks, natural reserves and areas of the Flora‐Fauna‐Habitat Directive) overlapped only to ~9.6% with these hotspots of standardized phylogenetic diversity. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: Cross‐taxon approaches are required to identify hotspots of phylogenetic diversity at a management‐relevant scale. At regional scales, land use was more important than climate in determining phylogenetic diversity. Our study highlights the importance of involving land users into strategies for protecting phylogenetic diversity.