Evolutionary history reveals spatial concentration of threatened evolutionary diversity in Agave across the Americas

A groundbreaking study reveals that the Tehuacán–Cuicatlán Valley and other arid regions in Mexico, the USA, and Guatemala are critical hotspots for threatened evolutionary diversity in Agave, hosting a disproportionate share of evolutionarily unique and endangered species. Using a time-calibrated phylogenomic framework analyzing 207 taxa and 286 nuclear genes, researchers traced Agave's origins to Aridoamerica during the late Miocene (∼7 Ma), highlighting how dispersal and macroevolutionary processes shaped its biodiversity. The study identifies 70 Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) taxa, with species like Agave montium-sancticaroli and A. aurea var. promontorii facing extreme conservation risks. These findings underscore the urgent need to prioritize spatial conservation efforts in these regions, where anthropogenic pressures exacerbate threats to unique evolutionary lineages.

Ruiz-Mondragón, K. Y., Eguiarte, L. E., García-Mendoza, A. J., Aguirre-Planter, E., Nieto Sotelo, J., Corcoran, M., Rees, P., Barker, A., Cable, S., Manco, B. N., Prosper, D., Blaise, J., Lira-Saade, R., & Viruel, J. (2026). Evolutionary history reveals spatial concentration of threatened evolutionary diversity in Agave across the Americas. Biological Conservation, 322, 112076. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2026.112076