Regional patterns of biodiversity in New Guinea plants

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Abstract
Regional patterns of biodiversity in seven recently-studied, speciose groups of New Guinea plants (comprising 200 species, or 1–2% of the flora) are analysed with maps showing numbers of species in 1° grid cells. Patterns are correlated with the tectonic history of New Guinea. The New Guinea orogen involved rocks of the northern margin of the Australian craton as well as the terranes accreted to the margin, and the current axial range is geologically and biologically composite. The southern Nothofagus has a main massing on the Australian craton portion of the New Guinea mountains. In contrast, four typical genera of Malesian rainforest ( Parsonsia , Archidendron , Aglaia , Amyema ) have centres of biodiversity on the accreted terranes north of the craton. There are 32 distinct tectono-stratigraphic terranes (some composite) which have been accreted to the craton at different times through the Tertiary and these may have travelled hundreds or even thousands of kilometres before docking. Finally, the «decaisninoid group» of Loranthaceae and the fern Grammitis have centres of diversity on both the craton and the accreted terranes.

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