XVI International Botanical Congess

A completely revised world map of species numbers of vascular plants is presented. The map is based on data from more than 1700 geographical units and detailed analyses on the correlation between biodiversity and geodiversity - the diversity of abiotic factors such as climate and orography. These patterns of gamma-diversity are compared with the patterns of species diversity in small plots for the neotropics. Our database comprises published species lists from nearly 300 forest plots in South America. Comparing the different patterns, the scale dependency of biodiversity becomes evident. Different patterns of spatial distribution of the diversity in different groups such as trees, shrubs or epiphytes are discussed as well as the correlation of biodiversity and geodiversity.