Alpine habitats are characterized by a high rate of range restricted species compared to those of lower elevations. This is also the case for the Irano-Anatolian global biodiversity hotspot in South-West Asia, which is a mountainous area harbouring a high amount of endemic species. Using two quantitative approaches, Endemicity Analysis and Network-Clustering, we want to identify areas of concordant species distribution patterns in the alpine zone of this region as well as to test the hypothesis that, given the high proportion of endemics among alpine species, delimitation of these areas is determined mainly by endemic alpine species, i.e., areas of concordant species distribution patterns are congruent with areas of endemism. Endemicity Analysis identifed six areas of concordant species distribution patterns irrespective of dataset (total alpine species versus endemic alpine species), whereas the Network-Clustering approach identifed fve and four Bioregions from total alpine species and endemic alpine species, respectively. Most of these areas have been previously identifed using the endemic fora of diferent elevational zones. The identifed units using both methods and both datasets are strongly congruent, proposing that they reveal meaningful distribution patterns. Bioregionalization in the Irano-Anatolian biodiversity hotspot appears to be strongly infuenced by the endemic alpine species, a pattern likely to hold in alpine regions outside the Irano-Anatolian hotspot.

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