DOI: 10.5061/dryad.cc2fqz6fj
title: Data from: Endemic fish promote ecological structure in a tropical biodiversity hotspot

description: Endemic species enrich biodiversity hotspots, but how do they contribute
 to biodiversity structure at macroecological scales? Here, we argue that
 classifying endemic species using a framework defined by the complementary
 axes of taxonomic and functional diversity is key to revealing how these
 patterns underpin community convergence and divergence; these processes
 are known to configure communities to be compositionally more similar or
 dissimilar, respectively. Using the endemic freshwater fish communities of
 India's Western Ghats Escarpment (WGE), one of the
 'hottest' spots of global biodiversity as a test case, we find
 that geographically widespread, trait-distinct endemics are
 disproportionately present in the west-flowing basins of the WGE, where
 they promote overall convergence (i.e., both taxonomic and functional). In
 contrast, among east-flowing basins, a lower-than-expected occurrence of
 the same category of species supports taxonomic divergence and functional
 convergence. We attribute this heterogeneity to western-flowing basins
 having higher 1) ecosystem productivity that supports
 trait-distinctiveness, and 2) temporary lateral connectivity that
 facilitates fish dispersal. Our study demonstrates how different
 dimensions of diversity interact to produce ecological structure, thereby
 underlining their role in resilience. Thus, this framework has application
 in conservation and policy, and can guide global efforts to protect
 endemic biodiversity in hotspots.
description: # Data from: Endemic fish promote ecological structure in a tropical
 biodiversity hotspot Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.cc2fqz6fj](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.cc2fqz6fj) ##
 Description of the data and file structure Basin-wise occurrence and
 morphological trait data of freshwater fishes of the Western Ghats     
 ### Files and variables **This dataset consists of a one main
 SahyadriFish.zip folder** SahyadriFish.xlsx: Basin-wise occurrence and
 morphological trait data of freshwater fishes of the Western Ghats       
     **Spatial grain:** Basin at 7-8 Pfafstatter level **Spatial extent**:
 The Western Ghats Hotspot Region **Taxa**: Freshwater Fish **Database
 management & Curation**: Rohitashva Shukla, Kartik Shanker, Neelesh
 Dahanukar, Rajeev Raghavan, J A Johnson, Anuradha Bhat, Vidyadhar Atkore
 **Inquiry contact**: Rohitashva Shukla
 ([shukla_rohitashva@yahoo.co.in](mailto:shukla_rohitashva@yahoo.co.in))
 **Database file format:** Excel              **Cite Dataset As**: Shukla R
 *et al*. 2025 Data from: Endemic fish promote ecological structure in a
 tropical biodiversity hotspot. Dryad Digital Repository
 (DOI:10.5061/dryad.cc2fqz6fj) **Datasheets names**: *SahyadriFish_trait*,
 *SahyadriFish_occur*, *SahyadriFish_occur_ref* ***SahyadriFish_trait***:
 This datasheet contains functional trait information for 325 freshwater
 fish species of the Western Ghats of India. All morphological features are
 measured in centimeter. ·       Species: Species observed in the Western
 Ghats ·       Endemism (character): Assigned endemic status to each
 species based on Dahanukar *et al*. (2004) ·       Family (character):
 Family of a species ·       Genus (character): Genus of a species ·      
 MBL (decimal): Maximum body length (in centimeter) ·       MBL_log: log
 transformed maximum body length ·       BEL (decimal): Body elongation
 (standard length/maximum body depth; variables measured in centimeter)
 ·       VEP (decimal): Vertical eye position (eye position/maximum body
 depth; variables measured in centimeter) ·       RES (decimal): Relative
 eye size (eye depth/head depth; variables measured in centimeter) ·      
 OGP (decimal): Oral gap position (mouth position/maximum body
 depth; variables measured in centimeter) ·       BLS (decimal): Body
 lateral shape (head depth/maximum body depth; variables measured in
 centimeter) ·       PFV (decimal): Pectoral fin vertical position
 (pectoral fin position/maximum body depth; variables measured in
 centimeter) ·       PFS (decimal): Pectoral fin size (pectoral fin
 length/standard length; variables measured in centimeter) ·       CPT
 (decimal): Caudal peduncle throttling (maximum caudal fin depth/caudal
 peduncle depth; variables measured in centimeter) ·       Specimen_type
 (character): Type of specimen used in data extraction (S-live specimen,
 IL- original illustration) ·       Ref_traits (character): Original source
 of the data ***SahyadriFish_occur :*** Species occurrences in 59 river
 basins ·       Species (character): Species observed in the Western Ghats
 ·       Endemism (character): Assigned endemic status to each species
 based on Dahanukar et al. (2004) (end- endemic, ne- non-endemic) ·      
 Ecological roles (character): Species are categorized into Rare,
 Common-redundant, Restricted Redundant & widespread-nonredundant
 categories. NE category is assigned to non-endemic species. These
 categories were assigned to species based on their position in functional
 and taxonomic bidimensional space ·       T_restricted (character):
 Endemic species were categorized in taxonomic restricted and widespread
 category based on their geographical restrictedness (*Ri*) values ·      
 F_distinct (character): Endemic species were categorized in functional
 distinct and redundant category based on their global distinctiveness
 (*Di)* values ·       Presence (character): Species presence in east or
 west or both side of the escarpment ·       body_form (character): Species
 are categorized according to their body forms (e.g., carp, carp-minnow,
 catfish, sucker catfish, snakehead, leaf fish, loach, etc.)  ·      
 Aghnashini (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·      
 Amravathi (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·      
 Anjarkandy (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Bedti
 (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Bhadra (binary):
 Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Bharathapuzha (binary):
 Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Bhavani (binary): Species
 presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Bhima (binary): Species presence (1)
 and absence (0) ·       Cauvery_up (binary): Species presence (1) and
 absence (0) ·       Chaliyar (binary): Species presence (1) and absence
 (0) ·       Darna (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·      
 Doodhganga (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·      
 Ghataprabha (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·      
 Godavari_up (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·      
 Hemavathi (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Ithikkara
 (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Kabini (binary):
 Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Kadalundi (binary): Species
 presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Kadwa (binary): Species presence (1)
 and absence (0) ·       Kali (binary): Species presence (1) and absence
 (0) ·       Kallada (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·      
 Karamana (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Korapuzha
 (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Koyna (binary):
 Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Krishna_up (binary): Species
 presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Kukadi (binary): Species presence (1)
 and absence (0) ·       Kundalika (binary): Species presence (1) and
 absence (0) ·       Kuppam (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0)
 ·       Kuttiyadi (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0)Mahadai
 ·       Malaprabha (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·      
 Meenachil (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·      
 Mula-Mutha (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·      
 Muvattupuzha (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·      
 Nethrawathi (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Neyyar
 (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Nira (binary):
 Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Pampa (binary): Species
 presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Panchganga (binary): Species presence
 (1) and absence (0) ·       Panjhara (binary): Species presence (1) and
 absence (0) ·       Payaswini (binary): Species presence (1) and absence
 (0) ·       Periya (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·      
 Puzhakkal (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Savithri
 (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Sharavathi
 (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Shiriya (binary):
 Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Sita (binary): Species
 presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Suvarna (binary): Species presence
 (1) and absence (0) ·       Tambraparani (binary): Species presence (1)
 and absence (0) ·       Thamiraparani (binary): Species presence (1) and
 absence (0) ·       Thejaswini (binary): Species presence (1) and absence
 (0) ·       Tunga (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·      
 Ulhas (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Vaigai
 (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Valapattnam
 (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Vamanpuram
 (binary): Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Varahi (binary):
 Species presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Warna (binary): Species
 presence (1) and absence (0) ·       Zuari (binary): Species presence (1)
 and absence (0) ***SahyadriFish_occur_ref***: A list of selected peer
 reviewed papers, and other important reports, theses and documents used
 for the compilation of basin-wise species occurrence data.
 ***SahyadriFish_Readme:*** Information related to the SahyadriFish.xlsx
 **R Scripts & datafiles** **null_model_24_5_24.R**: This script is
 used to generate the null communities from the overall species by basin
 presence-absence data (i.e. nullmodel_com_2_10_22.csv). The number of
 endemic species were counted from the null communities and the
 standardized effect sizes were calculated using the observed and null
 richness values. ‘picante’ package was used to perform the null model
 analysis. This script is also used to plot the effect size values (i.e.
 SES_group_3_10_22.csv) comparing east- and west-flowing basins. Box plots
 were plotted using ‘ggplot2’ and ‘ggbeeswarm’ package.
 **nullmodel_com_2_10_22.csv**: This file contains species by basin
 community data used in the null model analysis (i.e null_model_24_5_24.R)
 which considered only endemic species. ·       Species: Species found in
 the Western Ghats region.       ·       Endemism: Assigned endemic status
 to each species based on Dahanukar *et al.* (2004).  ·       Rarity:
 Endemic species are categorized into Rare, Common-redundant, Restricted
 Redundant & widespread-nonredundant categories. NE category means
 non-endemic. These categories were assigned to species based on their
 position in functional and taxonomic bidimensional space. ·      
 Rarity_categories: Endemic species are categorized into Rare, redundant,
 & widespread-nonredundant categories. NE category means non-endemic. 
 ·       T_restricted: Endemic species were categorized in taxonomic
 restricted and widespread category based on their geographical
 restrictedness (*Ri*) values. ·       F_distinct: Endemic species were
 categorized in functional distinct and redundant category based on their
 global distinctiveness (*Di*) values. ·       Aghnashini- Zuari (59
 columns): Species presence (1) and absence (0) in 59 river basins.
 **SES_group_3_10_22.csv:** This file contains the standardized richness
 values for different categories of endemic species. ·       Basin name:
 River basins included in the study ·       position: Basins situated north
 of Palghat gap in east (NPE) and west (NPW), and basins that are situated
 south of Palghat gap in eastern (SPE) and western (SPW) sides of the
 Western Ghats Escarpment.      ·       flow: Basins categorized based on
 whether they flow towards east or west ·       gap: Basins categorized
 based on whether they are situated north (NP) or south (SP) of Palghat
 gap.   ·       ses_EndRich: Standardized overall endemic species richness
 ·       ses_NeRich: Standardized overall non-endemic species richness
 ·       ses_rare: Standardized rare endemic species richness    ·      
 ses_common: Standardized common endemic species richness           ·      
 ses_rest_redun: Standardized geographically restricted and trait-redundant
 endemic species richness      ·       ses_wide_nonredun: Standardized
 geographically widespread trait-distinct endemic species richness ·      
 ses_redun: Standardized trait-redundant endemic species richness          
 ·       ses_T_restrict: Standardized geographically restricted endemic
 species richness. ·       ses_T_wide: Standardized geographically
 widespread endemic species richness    ·       ses_F_distinct:
 Standardized trait-distinct endemic species richness        ·      
 ses_F_redund: Standardized trait-redundant endemic species richness
 **null_model_allsp_01_09_25.R**: This script is used to generate the null
 communities from the overall basin by species presence-absence data
 (i.e.nullmodel_com_2_10_22_1.csv). The number of GW-TD, Rare, GR-TR &
 Common species (i.e. both endemics and non-endemics) were counted from the
 generated null communities and the standardized richness values were
 calculated using observed and null richness values. ‘picante’ package was
 used to perform the null model analysis. This script is also used to plot
 the standardized richness values for GW-TD, Rare, GR-TR & Common
 species (i.e. SES_group_3_10_22_1.csv) comparing east- and west-flowing
 basins. Box plots were plotted using ‘ggplot2’ and ‘ggbeeswarm’ package.
 **nullmodel_com_2_10_22_1.csv**: This file contains species by basin
 community data used in the null model analysis (i.e
 null_model_allsp_01_09_25.R) considering both endemic and non-endemic
 species. ·       Species: Species found in the Western Ghats region.      
 ·       Endemism: Endemism status assigned to each species based on
 Dahanukar *et al.* (2004).  ·       Rarity: Endemic species are
 categorized into Rare, Common-redundant, Restricted Redundant &
 widespread-nonredundant categories. NE category means non-endemic. These
 categories were assigned to species based on their position in functional
 and taxonomic bidimensional space. ·       Rarity_all: Both endemic and
 non-endemic species are categorized into Rare, redundant, &
 widespread-nonredundant categories. ·       Rarity_categories: Endemic
 species are categorized into Rare, redundant, &
 widespread-nonredundant categories. NE category means non-endemic. 
 ·       T_restricted: All species were categorized in taxonomic restricted
 and widespread category based on their geographical restrictedness (*Ri*)
 values. ·       F_distinct: All species were categorized in functional
 distinct and redundant category based on their global distinctiveness
 (*Di*) values. ·       Aghnashini- Zuari (59 columns): Species presence
 (1) and absence (0) in 59 river basins. **SES_group_3_10_22_1.csv:** This
 file contains the standardized richness values for different categories of
 species. This includes results obtained from all species analysis
 including both endemic and non-endemic species. First 15 columns are same
 as explained in SES_group_3_10_22.csv file. ·       ses_rare_all:
 Standardized rare species richness ·       ses_common_all: Standardized
 common species richness              ·       ses_rest_redun_all:
 Standardized geographically restricted trait-redundant species
 richness     ·       ses_wide_nonredun_all: Standardized geographically
 widespread trait-distinct species richness ·       ses_T_restrict_all:
 Standardized geographically restricted species richness        ·      
 ses_T_wide_all: Standardized geographically widespread species
 richness        ·       ses_F_distinct_all: Standardized functionally
 distinct species richness        ·       ses_F_redund_all: Standardized
 functionally redundant species richness **PCA_trait_funrar_3_6_24.R**:
 This script is used to calculate geographical restrictedness (*Ri*) and
 global functional distinctiveness (*Di*) values for all observed species
 using the package ‘funrar’. In next step, we calculated the restrictedness
 for all species that are found in only east, only west and both sides of
 the escarpment. Then, we plotted *Di* and *Ri* values of species in a
 bidimensional space and compared them across east and west. Box plots were
 plotted using ‘ggplot2’ and ‘ggbeeswarm’ package.
 **traitafterimpute_group.csv**: This file contains functional traits for
 325 species that are found in the Western Ghats. We imputed missing data
 values (5.8%) on the species*trait matrix using the R package
 “missForest”. ·       Species: Species found in the Western Ghats
 region.       ·       Endemism: Assigned endemic status to each species
 based on Dahanukar *et al*. (2004). ·       genus: Genus of the species
 ·       family: Family of the species ·       West: Number of basins a
 species occupies in west ·       East: Number of basins a species occupies
 in east            ·       Presence: Presence of species in east, west or
 in both sides of the escarpment        ·       Presence_end_status:
 Presence of endemic (end) and non-endemic (ne) species in east, west or in
 both sides of the escarpment.         ·       body_form: Species are
 categorized according to their body forms (leaf fish, carp, loach,
 carp-minnow, glassfish, snakehead etc.).         ·       body_form_major:
 Species are categorized according to their major body forms (e.g., carp,
 carp-minnow, catfish, sucker catfish, snakehead, leaf fish, loach, etc.) 
 ·       MBL: Maximum body length (in cm) ·       MBL_log: log transformed
 maximum body length ·       BEL: Body elongation (standard length/maximum
 body depth; variables were measured in cm)             ·       VEP:
 Vertical eye position (eye position/maximum body depth; variables measured
 in cm)   ·       RES: Relative eye size (eye depth/head depth; variables
 measured in cm)            ·       OGP: Oral gap position (mouth
 position/maximum body depth; variables measured in cm)        ·       BLS:
 Body lateral shape (head depth/maximum body depth; variables measured in
 cm) ·       PFV: Pectoral fin vertical position (pectoral fin
 position/maximum body depth; variables measured in cm) ·       PFS:
 Pectoral fin size (pectoral fin length/standard length; variables measured
 in cm) ·       CPT: Caudal peduncle throttling (maximum caudal fin
 depth/caudal peduncle depth; variables measured in cm)
 **com_t_26_9_22.csv:** This file contains basin by species community data
 used in the calculation (i.e PCA_trait_funrar_3_6_24.R) of geographical
 restrictedness (*Ri*) and global functional distinctiveness (*Di*).
 ·       sites:  59 river basins of the Western Ghats region ·      
 Species (1-325): Species presence (1) and absence (0) in 59 river basins
 **comdata_15_09_22.csv:** This file contains species by basin community
 data used in the calculation of geographical restrictedness (*Ri*) and
 functional distinctiveness (*Di*) (PCA_trait_funrar_3_6_24.R). ·      
 Species: Species found in the Western Ghats region ·       Endemism:
 Endemic status assigned to species based on Dahanukar *et al*. (2004).
 ·       genus: Genus of the species ·       family: Family of the species
 ·       Basin (1-59): Species presence (1) and absence (0) in 59 river
 basins **only_east_2_4_23.csv:** Geographical restrictedness values of the
 species that are only found in east-flowing basins. ·       Species:
 Species found in the eastern side of the Western Ghats ·       Ri_east:
 Geographical restrictedness (*Ri*) values **only_west_2_4_23.csv:**
 Geographical restrictedness values of the species that are only found in
 west-flowing basins. ·       Species: Species found in the western side of
 the Western Ghats ·       Ri_west: Geographical restrictedness (*Ri*)
 values **funrar_results_28_9_22.csv:** Uniqueness (*Ui*), global
 distinctiveness (*Di*) and geographical restrictedness (*Ri*) values of
 all species that are found in the Western Ghats. First twenty (20) columns
 are similar as explained in traitafterimpute_group.csv. ·       Ui:
 Species uniqueness values ·       global_Di: Species global
 distinctiveness (*Di*) values         ·       Ri: Geographical
 restrictedness values (*Ri*) values **Rest_dist_box_12_10_22.csv:** Global
 distinctiveness (*Di*) and geographical restrictedness (*Ri*) values of
 all species that are found in the Western Ghats. ·       Species: Species
 that are found in the Western Ghats      ·       Endemism: Endemic status
 assigned to species based on Dahanukar *et al*. (2004).        ·      
 global_Di: Species global distinctiveness (*Di*) values         ·      
 Ri: Geographical restrictedness values (*Ri*) values              ·      
 Presence: Species presence in eastern or western side of the Western Ghats
 Escarpment **ctree_%basin_24_05_2024.R**: Script is used to run the
 classification and regression tree (ctree) analysis to test which
 environmental variable drive the differences in standardized richness
 values for overall endemic, GW-TD, Rare, GR-TR & common endemic
 species across the Western Ghats Escarpment. ‘partykit’ package is used to
 run the ctree analysis. This script is also used to calculate the
 percentage of basins situated above and below the null expectation (i.e
 zero line in box plot) in endemic species richness comparisons.
 **env_7_10_22.csv**: This file contains the basin-wise values for
 environmental variables. ·       Basin: 59 river basins included in the
 study ·       flow.dir: The direction of the water flow- east (1) &
 west (0) ·       Position: Basins situated north of Palghat gap in east
 (NPE) and west (NPW), and basins that are situated south of Palghat gap in
 eastern (SPE) and western (SPW) side of the Escarpment. ·       flow:
 Basins categorized based on whether a basin flows towards east or west
 ·       gap: Basins categorized based on whether they are situated north
 (NP) or south (SP) of Palghat gap         ·       SpRich: Observed species
 richness in each basin              ·       EndRich: Observed endemic
 species richness in each basin   ·       area: Total area of a basin in
 km^2^ ·       str.dens: Stream density (total length of riverine channel
 network in km / surface area of the studied subbasin in km^2^)       
 ·       soc: Soil organic carbon in tonnes/hectare             ·      
 dis.pyr : Annual average water discharge (cubic meters/second) ·      
 soil.div: Soil diversity (Shannon index) ·       cover.div: Land cover
 diversity (Shannon index)        ·       classarea: Percentage of basin
 area above 1000-meter altitude             ·       alt.mean: Mean
 elevation (meter)    ·       alt.min: Minimum elevation (meter) ·      
 alt.max: Maximum elevation (meter)            ·       alt.range: elevation
 range      ·       HI.index: Hypsometric index              ·      
 slope.mean: Mean slope (in degrees)          ·       rad.cv:  Solar
 radiation annual variability ·       rad.sum: Overall annual sum of solar
 radiation (KJ/m^2^/day) ·       aet.sum: Overall annual sum of actual
 evapotranspiration (mm)    ·       aet.cv: Overall annual variability of
 actual evapotranspiration ·       prec.bio12: Precipitation (annual mean;
 in millimetres)   ·       prec.cv.bio15: Precipitation annual variability
 (seasonality)              ·       t.mean.bio1: Temperature (annual mean;
 in degrees)       ·       t.range.bio7: Temperature (annual range)  
 ·       varbio1: Quaternary climatic stability (annual mean temperature) 
 ·       varbio7: Quaternary climatic stability (temperature
 variability)       ·       varbio12: Quaternary climatic stability (annual
 mean precipitation) ·       varbio15: Quaternary climatic stability
 (precipitation variability)       ·       dor.pva: Degree of regulation
 (in %) ·       ppd.sav: Population density (people per km^2^)        
 ·       rdd.sav: Road density (meters per km^2^)       ·       urb.sse:
 Urban extent (in %) ·       pac.sse: Protected area (in %)          
 ·       xcoord : Centroid location of a basin (longitude in ˚E). ·      
 ycoord : Centroid location of a basin (latitude in ˚N). ·       Perc_800:
 Percentage of basin area above 800-meter altitude            
               ·       Column logArea to column arcsinHI: Transformed
 variables (log or arcsine)       ·       Column logAreaS to column
 slope.meanS: Standardized variables (z score; mean=0, standard
 deviation=1) ·       clim1, clim2, energy1, energy2, iso1, iso2, history1,
 history2: Variables derived from PCA analysis conducted on all climate,
 all energy, all isolation and all Quaternary history variables.       
 ·       Column ses_EndRich to column ses_F_redund: Same as explained in
 SES_group_3_10_22.csv file. **percentage_basins.csv**: Percentage of
 standardized endemic richness values situated above and below the null
 expectation (zero line). ·       perc_east_plus: Percentage of
 east-flowing basins above the null expectation  ·       perc_east_minus:
 Percentage of east-flowing basins below the null expectation ·      
 perc_west_plus: Percentage of west-flowing basins above the null
 expectation  ·       perc_west_minus: Percentage of west-flowing basins
 below the null expectation **RDA_analysis_19_12_23:** This script is used
 to perform Canonical Redundancy Analysis (RDA), Moran’s Eigenvector Maps
 (MEM) and variance partitioning analysis. The analysis is conducted using
 ‘vegan’, ‘adespatial’, and ‘spacemakeR’ package.
 **com_end_beta_9_5_23.csv**: Basin by species community data (only endemic
 species are included). ·       Basin: basins included in the study ·      
 Species (1-223): presence (1) and absence (0) of each species
 **env_all_6_12_23.csv:** Variables and their values are same as described
 in env_7_10_22.csv file. **GWFD_all_14_12_23.csv:** Presence-absence
 community data of geographically widespread and functionally distinct
 endemic species. ·       Basin: 59 river basins included in the study
 ·       Species: Species presence (1) and absence (0)
 **rare_all_20_12_23.csv:** Presence-absence community data of Rare endemic
 species. ·       Basin: 59 river basins included in the study ·      
 Species: Species presence (1) and absence (0) **common_all_20_12_23.csv:**
 Presence-absence community data of common endemic species. ·       Basin:
 59 river basins included in the study ·       Species: Species presence
 (1) and absence (0) **GRFR_all_20_12_23.csv:** Presence-absence community
 data of GRFR endemic species. ·       Basin: 59 river basins included in
 the study ·       Species: Species presence (1) and absence (0)
 **connectivity.csv:** Connectivity matrix (59*59) which is used to
 calculate spatial MEM predictors **weight_matrix.csv:** Spatial weight
 matrix (59 * 59) which is used to calculate spatial MEM predictors
 **euclid_west_8_12_23.csv:** Connectivity weight square matrix (35 * 35)
 of west-flowing river basins which is used to calculate spatial MEM
 predictors **com_end_west_all.csv:** Basin by species community data (only
 endemic species are included) of west-flowing river basins. ·       Basin:
 35 west-flowing basins included in the study ·       Species: presence (1)
 and absence (0) of each species **GWFD_west_8_12_23.csv:**
 Presence-absence community data of geographically widespread and
 functionally distinct endemic species that are found in west-flowing river
 basins. ·       Basin: 35 river basins included in the study ·      
 Species: Species presence (1) and absence (0) **rare_west_22_12_23.csv:**
 Presence-absence community data of Rare endemic species that are found in
 west-flowing river basins. ·       Basin: 35 river basins included in the
 study ·       Species: Species presence (1) and absence (0)
 **GRFR_west_22_12_23.csv:** Presence-absence community data of GRFR
 endemic species for west-flowing basins. ·       Basin: 35 river basins
 included in the study ·       Species: Species presence (1) and absence
 (0) **common_west_23_12_23.csv:** Presence-absence community data of
 common endemic species for west-flowing river basins. ·       Basin: 35
 river basins included in the study ·       Species: Species presence (1)
 and absence (0) **euclid_east_12_12_23.csv:** Connectivity weight square
 matrix (24 * 24) of east-flowing river basins which is used to calculate
 spatial MEM predictors **com_end_east_all.csv:** Basin by species
 community data (only endemic species are included) of east-flowing river
 basins. ·       Basin: 24 east-flowing basins included in the study
 ·       Species: presence (1) and absence (0) of each species
 **GWFD_east_8_12_23.csv:** Presence-absence community data of
 geographically widespread and functionally distinct endemic species that
 are found in east-flowing river basins. ·       Basin: 24 river basins
 included in the study ·       Species: Species presence (1) and absence
 (0) **rare_east_22_12_23.csv:** Presence-absence community data of Rare
 endemic species that are found in east-flowing river basins. ·      
 Basin: 24 river basins included in the study ·       Species: Species
 presence (1) and absence (0) **GRFR_east_22_12_23.csv:** Presence-absence
 community data of geographically restricted and functionally redundant
 endemic species that are found in east-flowing river basins. ·      
 Basin: 24 river basins included in the study ·       Species: Species
 presence (1) and absence (0) **common_east_23_12_23.csv:**
 Presence-absence community data of common endemic species that are found
 in east-flowing river basins. ·       Basin: 24 river basins included in
 the study ·       Species: Species presence (1) and absence (0)
 **ESRvsSR_24_05_24.R**: This script is used to plot endemic species
 richness vs overall species richness of studied river basins.
 'ggplot2’ package is used for plotting. **SES_QGIS_27_10_22.csv:**
 This file contains the standardized richness values for different
 categories of species. This includes results derived for only endemic
 species. ·       BASIN_NAME: River basins included in the study ·      
 specRich_new: Species richness values for each river basin ·      
 endRich_new: Endemic species richness values for each river basin ·      
 position: Basins situated north of Palghat gap in east (NPE) and west
 (NPW), and basins that are situated south of Palghat gap in eastern (SPE)
 and western (SPW) side of the Western Ghats Escarpment. ·       flow:
 Basins categorized based on whether they flow towards east or
 west.             ·       gap: Basins categorized based on whether they
 are situated north (NP) or south (SP) of Palghat gap.   ·      
 ses_EndRich: Standardized overall endemic species richness ·      
 ses_NeRich: Standardized overall non-endemic species richness ·      
 ses_rare: Standardized rare endemic species richness    ·      
 ses_common: Standardized common endemic species richness           ·      
 ses_rest_redun: Standardized geographically restricted and trait-redundant
 endemic species richness      ·       ses_wide_nonredun: Standardized
 geographically widespread trait-distinct endemic species richness ·      
 ses_redun: Standardized trait-redundant endemic species richness          
 ·       ses_T_restrict: Standardized geographically restricted endemic
 species richness ·       ses_T_wide: Standardized geographically
 widespread endemic species richness    ·       ses_F_distinct:
 Standardized trait-distinct endemic species richness        ·      
 ses_F_redund: Standardized trait-redundant endemic species richness.
 **SES_all_sp_01_09_25.csv:** This file contains the standardized richness
 values for widespread trait-distinct, Rare, geographically restricted
 trait-redundant, and Common species. This includes results derived for all
 species including non-endemics. ·       ses_EndRich: Standardized overall
 endemic species richness ·       ses_NeRich: Standardized overall
 non-endemic species richness ·       ses_rare_all: Standardized overall
 Rare species richness              ·       ses_common_all: Standardized
 overall Common species richness           ·       ses_rest_redun_all:
 Standardized overall geographically restricted and trait-redundant species
 richness    ·       ses_wide_nonredun_all: Standardized overall
 geographically widespread trait-distinct species richness   ·      
 ses_T_restrict_all: Standardized geographically restricted species
 richness ·       ses_T_wide_all: Standardized geographically widespread
 species richness        ·       ses_F_distinct_all: Standardized
 trait-distinct species richness           ·       ses_F_redund_all:
 Standardized trait-redundant species richness.
 **trait_imputation_22_9_22.R:** This script is used to impute missing data
 values (5.8%) on the species×trait matrix (i.e. trait_22_09_22.csv) using
 “missForest” package. **trait_22_09_22.csv:** This file contains
 functional traits calculated for 325 species that are found in the Western
 Ghats. ·       Species: Species found in the Western Ghats region        
 ·       Endemism: Assigned endemic status to each species based on
 Dahanukar *et al*. (2004). ·       genus: Genus of the species. ·      
 family: Family of the species. ·       MBL: Maximum body length (in cm)
 ·       MBL_log: log transformed maximum body length ·       BEL: Body
 elongation (standard length/maximum body depth; variables measured in
 cm)             ·       VEP: Vertical eye position (eye position/maximum
 body depth; variables measured in cm)   ·       RES: Relative eye
 size (eye depth/head depth; variables measured in cm)            ·      
 OGP: Oral gap position (mouth position/maximum body depth; variables
 measured in cm)         ·       BLS: Body lateral shape (head
 depth/maximum body depth; variables measured in cm) ·       PFV: Pectoral
 fin vertical position (pectoral fin position/maximum body depth; variables
 measured in cm) ·       PFS: Pectoral fin size (pectoral fin
 length/standard length; variables measured in cm) ·       CPT: Caudal
 peduncle throttling (maximum caudal fin depth/caudal peduncle
 depth; variables measured in cm) ## Code/software All analyses were
 performed in R (R version 4.4.2).