An endemic species is a taxonomic unit whose natural distribution is restricted to a defined geographic area, such as a specific island, mountain range, ecoregion, or political region, and does not occur naturally elsewhere. In biogeography and conservation biology, endemism is used to quantify spatial patterns of biodiversity, identify centers of diversification, and prioritize regions for protection. Endemic species often exhibit high levels of local adaptation and evolutionary distinctiveness but are also disproportionately vulnerable to habitat alteration, invasive species, climate change, and other anthropogenic pressures due to their limited range and frequently small, fragmented populations.
When you picture a cave, you probably think of an environment devoid of life. But for most caves on Earth, this couldn't be further from the truth.
Plants & Animals
Jun 6, 2026
0
11
A seven-year collaborative study has revealed alarming fluctuations in the health of Hawaii's endangered insular false killer whales, with some individuals losing nearly a quarter of their body weight in just a few months. ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 5, 2026
0
14
As wildflowers go, the mountain jewelflower is demure, clever and quietly unbreakable. It has spread across many of California's iconic landscapes, from Sonoma wine country to the oak-dotted foothills, even over the Sierra ...
Plants & Animals
May 30, 2026
0
20
Conservationists are in a race against time to prevent one of the world's rarest island plants from disappearing forever, after seeds collected from the only surviving wild Dendroseris neriifolia tree arrived at the Millennium ...
Plants & Animals
May 29, 2026
0
312
One of the world's rarest parakeets has seen its numbers surge thanks to a pair of super breeders now responsible for more than 10% of the total population.
Ecology
May 27, 2026
0
25
The removal of invasive rodents from Lord Howe Island has triggered a rebound of invertebrate life, with researchers from the University of Sydney and collaborators documenting sharp increases in the abundance of insects ...
Plants & Animals
May 25, 2026
0
49
Marine scientists have discovered that what was once thought to be a single sea slug species is actually at least 75 distinct species that were shaped over millions of years by repeated Antarctic glacial cycles.
Plants & Animals
May 21, 2026
0
6
Behind the scenes at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, a record-breaking conservation milestone is helping secure the future of one of the world's most imperiled amphibians. Months of meticulous care and coordination enabled Brookfield ...
Plants & Animals
May 20, 2026
0
42
To the untrained eye, the Florida scrub ecosystem isn't much to look at. Scattered in patches around coastal and inland Florida, the scrub landscape is dominated by shrubs and short oaks, all growing out of sandy soil.
Ecology
May 18, 2026
0
7
When most people think about biodiversity in lakes and rivers, they imagine fish, plants, or perhaps birds and amphibians. But beneath the surface exists another world that often goes unnoticed: microscopic parasites that ...
