Biodiversity Hotspot of the Irano-Anatolian Region

As biodiversity across the globe declines at an alarming rate due to anthropogenic pressures, the Biodiversity Hotspots of the World series provides a critical scientific record of the planet’s most ecologically significant and vulnerable regions.Each volume delivers a focused, multidisciplinary examination of a designated hotspot-capturing its unique biological richness while addressing the urgent need for conservation. This volume explores the Irano-Anatolian Region, a globally recognized biodiversity hotspot spanning Southwest Asia, including parts of Türkiye, Iran, Iraq, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkmenistan.Characterized by dramatic tectonic landscapes-such as the Zagros and Alborz mountain ranges and the Armenian Highlands-the region supports a remarkable diversity of habitats and species.Its complex topography and climatic variation have fostered high levels of endemism, including specialized flora such as halophytic plants and a wide array of endemic orchids, many of w