EVOLUTION AND CONSERVATION OF PLANT SPECIES ENDEMIC TO THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN

Evolution and conservation are two aspects deeply interconnected: knowing the processes that drive the former, enables better management of the latter. Improve the knowledge about the vulnerability and future perspective for the species is indispensable to preserve the processes that generate biodiversity and thus biodiversity itself. In this thesis, I investigated some Mediterranean endemic plant species, using an integrated study method, to assess their evolution and propose appropriate management strategies. Indeed, the lack of indepth taxonomic knowledge, which does not consider biological and ecological aspects, makes species delimitation difficult and consequently slows down the proper conservation and protection. I aimed at: (a) providing information on Santolina genus that is taxonomically complex, to better understand plant evolution in the Mediterranean Basin and (b) assessing extinction risk of endemism to better manage conservation actions, decreasing risk and increasing cost effectiveness. The investigation of Santolina genus, conducted using mainly phylogenetic analysis and ecological niche models, enriched considerably our knowledge of the relationships among species, shedding light on the processes that led to a current species framework. Additionally, the results demonstrated that in groups with taxonomic complexity an integrated study approach, based on the use of different and independent evidence, may provide important information to solve taxonomic problems. Ecological niche models are a valid tool to assess extinction risk of species, providing information on crucial aspects of species distribution. Indeed, I used them to get information on the factors influencing the distribution of species and on the cost-effectiveness of assisted colonization and other conservation translocations.