Integrating ecological and biogeographical tools for the identification of conservation areas in two Neotropical biogeographic provinces in Argentina based on phytophagous insects

Abstract

The Chaco and Pampean provinces in the Neotropical region are highly disturbed by intensive forestry and livestock raising. This study is an integrative approach that aims to identify areas to be protected in these provinces. The distribution of 57 phytophagous coleoptera species was used, with a dataset comprising about 1500 georeferenced records. This information was used to analyze species richness and endemicity, build species distributional models projected to the Mid-Holocene, and perform a spatial conservation prioritization analysis of the landscape. Areas with high species richness, endemism areas, refugia (areas where the climate has remained favorable for most of the study species since the Mid-Holocene), and areas with a high conservation value of the landscape were recovered. Finally, all the evidence was considered together, and regions were recognized where the areas recovered following the previous four approaches were congruent. These areas are currently only partially protected and are regions where human activities pose a threat to biodiversity. All the evidence indicates that these are unique regions with features that make them particularly worthy of conservation. Integrating different approaches provides valuable information for recognizing areas that should be prioritized for biodiversity conservation.