The Contribution of Hydric Habitats to the Richness of the Cape Fynbos Flora

• DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13962
• Publication Date: 2025-01-20T08:22:21Z
• Authors: J. J. van Blerk; M. D. Cramer; A. G. West; S. D. Musker; G. A. Verboom
• Keywords: Hydric soil; Flora; Endemism

ABSTRACT Aim The Cape Fold Belt Mountains, underlying the fynbos flora, facilitate widespread moisture collection and groundwater availability across region, with importance for maintaining hydric habitat niches. We assessed contribution of habitat‐associated species (HH species) to richness this how varies phylogenetically spatially. Location Floristic Region (CFR), South Africa. Methods compiled data describing preference distributions 3114 in 23 clades. used published descriptions identify putative HH tested association is structured using both Ornstein‐Uhlenbeck models measures phylogenetic signal. species' distribution regional hotspots boosted regression trees (BRTs) associated environmental drivers. Results Preference habitats nearly a fifth our study, being most strongly represented monocot are concentrated southwestern CFR, where they contribute high overall richness. BRTs indicated that generally saturating, winter precipitation and/or elevated levels discharge. Main Conclusions Our findings indicate unique climate, topography hydrology CFR formation maintenance important habitats, which play host large fraction flora despite much region semi‐ or seasonally arid. These highlight threat climate change underscore need extreme caution regarding activities like abstraction, could disrupt hydrological processes essential sustaining these their flora.