Author: Julian Schrader, Lecturer in Plant Ecology, Macquarie University

Researchers have long known that islands are hotspots for species diversity. But, until recently, there weren’t precise figures to quantify the diversity of plant life on islands. A study involving an international team of scientists has filled this gap. The researchers developed a database of vegetation information from more than 3,400 geographical regions worldwide, including about 2,000 islands. The Conversation Africa chatted with the study’s lead author, Julian Schrader, about the findings on African islands’ plant life, including the fact that Madagascar has the world’s highest percentage of plant species endemic to a single island. Why did you want to…