Data and code from: Priority areas for preserving angiosperm evolutionary history in the Iberian Peninsula

Data files

Jul 07, 2026 version files 4.78 MB

files.zip

4.75 MB
IberianEDGE_DRYAD.R

22.35 KB
README.md

2.97 KB

Abstract

Aim

To identify areas with a high concentration of threatened evolutionary history and to evaluate how effectively the current network of protected areas encompasses them, focusing on the global conservation relevance of angiosperms native to a regional biodiversity hotspot.

Location

The area of study comprises the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, one of the most angiosperm-rich areas within the Mediterranean hotspot. We have studied all native angiosperms (5411 species) using a high-resolution (10 × 10 km grid) occurrence dataset.

Methods

We have used the evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered (EDGE) metric to combine phylogenetic singularity with extinction risk and identify taxa that represent unique evolutionary history under threat. Individual EDGE scores were used to identify regions harbouring higher values of threatened evolutionary history, as well as to delineate areas that optimally preserve angiosperm evolutionary history.

Results

Our findings reveal that threatened angiosperm evolutionary history is primarily concentrated in mountainous and coastal regions. We identified a set of 22 complementary EDGE zones—areas containing unique and endangered evolutionary lineages—whose protection would secure the preservation of more than 90% of threatened evolutionary history. While several EDGE zones overlap with existing protected areas, particularly in mountains, others harbouring few but evolutionarily unique and highly threatened taxa remain largely unprotected. This study highlights the value of applying global conservation metrics such as EDGE at regional scales. Our results provide a foundation for integrating evolutionary history into conservation prioritisation in the Iberian Peninsula and offer a replicable framework for implementing the EDGE approach in other biodiversity-rich regions.

Description of the dataset

This repository includes the data and code to reproduce the results obtained in the paper 'Priority Areas for Preserving Angiosperm Evolutionary History in the Iberian Peninsula' (Ramos-Gutiérrez et al., 2026; https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.70224).

Files and data description

'files.zip' includes the data used for analyses and creation of figures for this paper, as well as Supplementary Data. It should be unzipped and stored in the same directory as the script to ensure it Works correctly. In case it is replicated, a results subdirectory may be created if the script is not edited.

'/grids' folder. This directory includes geographic information (MGRS 10x10 grid cells, as well as regional provinces). Grid cells ('UTM10x10.shp')were used to detect high EDGE areas and delineate EDGE zones(as it is the geographic information stored in the AFLIBER dataset, where angiosperm distributions was obtained from). Province borders ('PeninsulaIberica.shp') was used for aesthetic purposes when rendering figures.
'/lists' folder. This directory includes tabular data including angiosperm distributions and individual EDGE scores. 'afliber_matrix_10x10.csv' represents a wide-format array of angiosperm distributions after subsetting form AFLIBER dataset Ramos-Gutiérrez et al., 2021; https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13363), where columns represent species, and rows MGRS 10x10 grid cells (name match those included in the shapefile). File 'Iberian_EDGE.csv' includes information for all 5,411 native angiosperm species in the Iberian peninsula; specificattly taxon name ('taxon' column); its IUCN Red List category ('RLcat'); its classification as an EDGE species or not (is.EDGE, "Y/N"), and the median EDGE score across 200 replicates /EDGE.median).
'SupplementaryData' folder includes supplementary data to the manuscript to evaluate the degree of uncertainty derived from phylogenetic and extinction risk information. However, it is not needed to replicate analyses. File 'SuppDataS1a_Taxa_number_Family.csv' depict how many species per family were randomly inserted into the backbone phylogeny (column 'no_phylo'), and how many were already sampled ('yes_phylo). Also, it depicts how many species per family presented an IUCN Red List assessment ('yes_assessed') and how many were classified as threatened or not-threatened('no_assessed'). File 'SuppDataS1b_Taxa_number_Genus.csv' represents the same information but for the genus level rather than family.

Analysis script

'IberianEDGE_DRYAD.R' includes the code used (in R software) for the analyses and creation of figures for this paper. To ensure reproducibility, make sure to unzip file 'files.zip' in the same directory as the script ('IberianEDGE_DRYAD.R'). Plot rendering lines are commented in the script to disable the creation of undesired plots.