The overexploitation ofthe world’s biomes for natural products calls for the prioritization ofbiologically important ecosystems for conservation.Here we show that limestone karsts are “arks”ofbiodiversity and often contain high levels ofendemism.Humans have exploited karsts for a variety of products and services,but unsustainable practices have caused population declines and extinctions among site-endemic taxa.Limestone quarrying is the primary […]




