Aim In this study, we (1) determine whether simple species distribution models based on regional data provide incomplete descriptions of potential distributions;(2) investigate whether underrepresented areas where potential distributions are estimated using only regional data are spatially and environmentally structured; and (3) examine why regional data may not adequately describe potential distributions.Location Iberian Peninsula. Methods We used a multidimensional envelope procedure to estimate the potential distributional areas of 73 species of Iberian diving beetles (Dytiscidae) using two data sets (Iberian data and data from the entire range). We used a Mann-Whitney U-test to compare the features (climate, number of database records and proportion of human-transformed land uses) of these underrepresented areas with those of the remaining Iberian territory.Results By comparing species-richness estimates obtained by overlaying predicted species distributions modelled using either global or regional data, we found that some areas of species' potential distributions are underrepresented when only regional data are used. Incomplete estimates of potential distributions when using only Iberian data may be partly attributable to limited survey efforts combined with unique local climates, but none of the considered factors by itself seems to fully explain this underrepresentation.Main conclusions Our results show that species data from regional inventories may provide an incomplete description of the environmental limits of most species, resulting in a biased description of species' niches. The results of distribution models based on partial information about the environmental niche of a species may be inaccurate. To minimize this error, we highlight the importance of considering all known populations of a given species or at least a sample of populations distributed across the whole range, to include environmental extremes of the distribution. We highlight some methodological and conceptual concerns that should be considered when attempting to infer potential distributions from occurrence data.

1. Using a recently created database representing the joint effort of around 100 invertebrate taxonomists, this study uses the information on 52 arthropoda and 27 mollusca species that are endangered and critically endangered to examine to what extent invertebrate species are represented in existing Spanish protected areas.2. As distribution information is available at a 100 km 2 resolution, we consider different area thresholds to judge cells as being protected.3. Approximately 19% of the area represented by the grid cells with observed occurrences rates as extant protected reserves, and 36% is included within the Natura 2000 network.4. If having 50% of the cell area as a Natura 2000 reserve is considered as sufficient to have effective protection, almost 68% of species and 32% of probable populations (contiguous cell groups) would be represented.5. However, 77% of species and 94% of probable populations are not represented in the current protected reserves if we establish that at least 95% of each cell area should belong to a reserve to provide effective protection.6. Thus, existing conservation strategies, which are based primarily on the protection of certain areas and vertebrate species, may be insufficient to ensure the conservation of invertebrate species.

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Colombian ecosystems maintain key ecological processes that support thousands of species, including human beings. With the expansion of the country's population, and the implementation of a government's development plan based on an economy centred on extraction patterns, the conservation of these ecosystems is at serious risk. It is a priority to implement effective strategies that ensure the protection of the country's biological diversity as well as the mitigation and prevention of threats and to contribute to its proper use. Colombia's development strategies as well as its peoples' wellbeing depend on the suitable condition of its natural assets. The identification of surrogates of conservation, the formulation of conservation goals, the prioritization of key areas and the formulation of conservation strategies based on the preservation, restoration and sustainable use of the territory and its biodiversity are proposed for 60% of the emerged land (~ 700,000 Km 2). This research aims at giving proper guidelines to manage the territory and finding common points between development and biodiversity conservation, as well as to use this input for the development and implementation of a National Decision-making Support System (DSS) that will potentially have an impact on Colombia's environmental policies and territorial planning schemes.