Influence of Environmental and Economic Factors on Endemic Flora in the European Union

Abstract

The optimal development and survival of certain animal and plant species has sometimes been used as a sustainability indicator regarding environmental health or quality in a given territory. In this sense, the number of endemic species is an important indicator of proper environmental conservation. In this paper we study the relationship between the number of endemic plants and certain environmental variables related to human and economic development in various European countries. A statistical study was carried out using spatial analysis techniques to establish an explanatory model of the number of plant species endemic to each country analyzed and to provide an overview of the information recorded in the European Union.