Low overlaps between hotspots and complementary sets of vertebrate and plant species in China

Hotspots and complementary sets have been widely used to identify conservation priorities. It is pivotal to detect the congruence among priority areas for diverse taxa. However, congruence between hotspots and complementary sets of vertebrates and vascular plants in China is poorly understood. Here, we made a comprehensive assessment of the congruence between hotspots and complementary sets for 15,521 wild woody plant, fern, amphibian, reptile, bird and mammal species from 2376 counties in the terrestrial and inland water ecosystems of China. Our results showed the extensive incongruence among hotspots of vertebrates and plants, inconcordance among the complementary sets of the six taxa, and little coincidence between hotspots and complementary sets in China. Our findings suggest that diverse taxa should be considered for identification of priority conservation areas according to their different ecological requirements and life histories using different methods.