Part I. The Meaning of Endemism -- 1. The Increasing Importance of Endemism: Responsibility, the Media and Education -- 2. How to Quantify Endemism -- Part II. Endemic Vascular Plants over Time -- 3. Factors that Create and Increase Endemism -- 4. Factors that Threaten and Reduce Endemism -- Part III. Endemic Vascular Plants in Space -- 5. Biogeography of Endemic Vascular Plants – Overview -- 6. Endemism on Islands - Case Studies -- 7. Endemism in Mainland Regions - Case Studies -- Part IV. Endemism in Vascular Plants – Synthesis -- Appendix -- Glossary.

The book about Endemism in Vascular Plants is the first comprehensive analysis of the macroecology and geobotany of endemic vascular plants with case-studies and analyses from different regions in the world. Endemism is a pre-extinction phenomenon. Endemics are threatened with extinction. Due to international nature conservation policies and due to the perception of the public the importance of the concept of endemism is increasing. Endemism can result from different biological and environmental processes. Depending on the process conservation measures should be adapted. Endemic vascular plant taxa, in the setting of their species composition and vegetation types are important features of landscapes and indicators of the quality of relating habitats. The book is an important basis for biologists, ecologists, geographers, planners and managers of nature reserves and national parks, and people generally interested in nature conservation and biogeography of vascular plants. Furthermore, the book provides an insight into biological phenomena which are related to evolutionary, genetical, ecological processes, and landscape history under climate change and anthropogenic impacts. 21 experts from all over the world are contributors of the book. The scientists describe and analyse distribution patterns and underlying evolutionary and ecological processes of mainland regions e.g. in Middle America, South America, Europe, Middle East and Southeast Asia, and island regions of tropical and subtropical zones in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Basin, Indic Ocean, and Pacific Ocean as well.