The phytogeography of rare vascular plants in Ontario and its bearing on plant conservation

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 469-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
George W. Argus
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Plant Conservation ◽  
Rare Plants ◽  
Hudson Bay ◽  
Conservation Priority ◽  
Northern Ontario ◽  
Rare Taxa ◽  
High Conservation ◽  
Further Development

The phytogeographic patterns displayed by the 550 rare vascular plant taxa in Ontario, including 349 that are rare nationally, are correlated with counties, site regions, and floristic provinces. Rare taxa are concentrated in southwestern Ontario decreasing northward, with secondary concentrations along the Hudson Bay coast. Rare taxa in Ontario are predominantly peripheral taxa, which have their main ranges outside of Ontario. Many of these taxa, however, have a high Canadian conservation priority because they are also at risk in adjacent states or provinces. Rare taxa with Appalachian and Coastal Plain affinities are most common in southwestern Ontario. Arctic and boreal affinities predominate in Northern Ontario. These patterns are correlated with temperature and moisture parameters, which are incorporated with the Hills' site regions classification. Most high conservation priority taxa occur in the Carolinian region, the most highly settled and most highly agriculturalized part of the province. There is an urgent need for conservation of the remaining forest and wetlands in this region. The fragmentary ecosystems still remaining must be protected from further development. There is a need to study the correlation of rare plant occurrences with existing parks and reserves throughout the province to facilitate the identification of priority regions for protection. Key words: rare plants, phytogeography, conservation, Ontario.

scholarly journals Additions to the Vascular Flora of Ontario, Canada, from the Sutton Ridges, Hudson Bay Lowland Ecoregion

2011 ◽  
Vol 125 (3) ◽  
pp. 241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Oldham ◽  
Samuel R. Brinker
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Hudson Bay ◽  
Northern Ontario ◽  
Vascular Flora ◽  
Arctic Plants ◽  
Diapensia Lapponica ◽  
Hudson Bay Lowland

Field studies in the Hudson Bay Lowland ecoregion of northern Ontario during 2010 resulted in the discovery of four native vascular plant species not previously confirmed from the province: Arctic Bellflower (Campanula uniflora; Campanulaceae), Lapland Diapensia (Diapensia lapponica; Diapensiaceae), Alpine Azalea (Kalmia procumbens; Ericaceae), and Alpine Brook Saxifrage (Saxifraga rivularis; Saxifragaceae). These four species are widespread arctic plants occurring in both North America and Eurasia and were found on the Sutton Ridges, a Precambrian bedrock inlier surrounded by the extensive wetlands of the Hudson Bay Lowland.

scholarly journals The effects of temporal continuities of grasslands on the diversity and species composition of plants

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inoue Taiki ◽  
Yaida A. Yuki ◽  
Uehara Yuki ◽  
Katsuhara R. Koki ◽  
Kawai Jun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Community ◽  
Vegetation History ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Conservation Priority ◽  
Biological Communities ◽  
Natural Grasslands ◽  
Temporal Continuity ◽  
High Conservation

AbstractSemi-natural grasslands are ecosystems rich in biodiversity. However, their decline has been reported worldwide, and identification of grasslands with high conservation priority is urgently required. Recently, an increasing number of studies have reported that past vegetation history affects current biological communities. To evaluate whether the temporal continuity of grasslands promotes biodiversity, and thus can be an indicator of conservation priority, we studied vascular plant communities in old (160– 1000s years) and new (52–70 years after deforestation) grasslands, as well as in forests, of Sugadaira Highland in central Japan. The number of plant species was highest in old grasslands, followed by new grasslands and forests. This pattern was much clearer in the number of grassland-dependent native and grassland-dependent endangered species, indicating the role of old grasslands as refugia for those species. The species composition differed between old and new grasslands. New grasslands had species compositions in between those of old grasslands and forests, suggesting that the plant community in new grasslands retains the influence of past forestation for more than 52 years after deforestation. Eleven indicator species were detected in old grasslands, but none in new grasslands, suggesting the uniqueness of the plant community in old grasslands. We conclude that the temporal continuity of grasslands increases plant diversity and can be an indicator of grasslands with high conservation priority.

Floristic inventory of Djurdjura National Park, northern Algeria: a first checklist of its vascular flora

Phytotaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 490 (3) ◽  
pp. 221-238
Author(s):  
RACHID MEDDOUR ◽  
OUAHIBA SAHAR
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Vascular Plants ◽  
National Park ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Plant Conservation ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
North African ◽  
Floristic Inventory ◽  
High Conservation ◽  
Endemic Flora

This study provides a first checklist of the native vascular plant taxa of Djurdjura National Park, based on collections and field visits (2011–2015), with an analysis of its composition and species diversity. The results of floristic analysis outlines the main characteristics of the flora of Djurdjura National Park. It hosts a remarkable species diversity of 757 plant taxa (including 659 species, 95 subspecies, 2 varieties, and 1 forma) belonging to 381 genera in 88 families. Despite covering ca. 0.008% of the total area of Algeria, this national park protects about 17% of the vascular plants of the country. The most represented families are Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae, Lamiaceae, Apiaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Rosaceae, and Brassicaceae, while the most represented genera are Trifolium (with 15 taxa) and Silene (12). Hemicryptophytes (37.25%) and therophytes (30%) are the most represented life forms among the local flora, a pattern typical of mountainous areas. Mediterranean taxa comprise 64.6%, followed by North African taxa (14%), European (7.53%), and widely distributed taxa (13.87%), which reveals the Mediterranean character of the mountain’s flora. The endemic flora of Djurdjura National Park contains 106 taxa (14%), of which 20 are endemic to Algeria. In addition, six are exclusive and range-restricted to the Djurdjura National Park. Hence, we emphasized a large number of priority taxa (30) of high conservation value. The presence of exclusive endemics, and threatened species, along with high floristic diversity, strengthen the importance of plant conservation in the studied area.

scholarly journals High conservation priority of range-edge plant populations not matched by habitat protection or research effort

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Caissy ◽  
S. Klemet-N’Guessan ◽  
R. Jackiw ◽  
C.G. Eckert ◽  
A. L. Hargreaves
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Species Conservation ◽  
Plant Conservation ◽  
Conservation Priority ◽  
Habitat Protection ◽  
Range Edge ◽  
Relative Conservation ◽  
High Conservation ◽  
Edge Populations

ABSTRACTHigh-latitude countries tend to contain the polar range-edge of many species that are nationally rare but globally common. This can focus national conservation efforts toward range-edge populations, whose conservation needs and value are disputed. Using plants in Canada as a case study, we ask whether national species-conservation rankings prioritize range-edge populations, and whether conservation priority is matched by habitat protection and research effort. We found that >75% of federally-protected plants only occur in Canada peripherally, at the northernmost 20% or less of their total range, and that the most imperilled taxa had the smallest percentage of their range in Canada (endangered plants: median=1.0%). Occurring peripherally in Canada was associated with higher threat even after accounting for range area, potentially because range-edge taxa experienced 85% higher human population densities in their Canadian range than non-peripheral taxa. High conservation priority was not matched by habitat protection, as more imperilled and more peripheral taxa had smaller fractions of their Canadian range in protected areas. Finally, peer-reviewed research on plants at-risk in Canada was low. Only 42% of plants considered at-risk in Canada had been studied in Canada, and only 11% of species with large distributions outside Canada had been studied in the context of their wider geographic range—information that is critical to establishing their relative conservation value. Our results illustrate that plant conservation in Canada is fundamentally linked to conserving range-edge populations, yet edge populations themselves are understudied, a research gap we must close to improve evidence-based conservation.

Population densities and conservation assessments for three species of chameleons in the Toliara region of south-western Madagascar

2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laza Andriamandimbiarisoa ◽  
Christopher Raxworthy ◽  
Kristopher Karsten ◽  
Stanley Fox
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Conservation Priority ◽  
Population Densities ◽  
Pet Trade ◽  
Anthropogenic Habitats ◽  
Spread F ◽  
Illegal Harvesting ◽  
High Conservation ◽  
Conservation Assessments ◽  
Lower Population

AbstractMadagascar is a high conservation priority. Rainforests receive most of the focus, but the dry deciduous and spiny forests of south-western Madagascar house many endemics, are under high deforestation pressure, and remain largely unprotected. Charismatic vertebrates, like chameleons, face a secondary threat: harvesting for the commercial pet trade. Six chameleons inhabit the arid southwest near Toliara: Furcifer antimena, F. belalandaensis, F. labordi, F. lateralis, F. oustaleti, and F. verrucosus. We measured population densities of three of those species. Furcifer verrucosus has a large distribution, was dense (97.7 ha–1; 95% CI = 60.2-158.6), and inhabited forests and anthropogenic habitats. Furcifer labordi was much less dense (30.8 ha–1; 13.4-70.9), has a restricted range, and has a unique life history that makes it susceptible to perturbations from deforestation or illegal harvesting. Furcifer antimena was the least dense (17.0 ha–1; 9.3-30.9) and has an even smaller distribution range. We lack density data for F. lateralis, but this species was abundant in anthropogenic habitats. Within their respective ranges, there are currently no protected areas for F. antimena and only few for F. labordi; these two species are far less abundant than the more widely spread F. verrucosus. We recommend that high conservation priority be focused on F. antimena and the southern populations of F. labordi due to their restricted distributions, susceptibility to extirpation, lower population densities, and lack of formal protection. Establishing protected areas in the Ranobe region and north of the Fiherenana River, in the Belalanda region, would help protect important populations of these vulnerable species.

Revision of the Pachycondyla wasmannii-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 3609 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-141
Author(s):  
JEAN CLAUDE RAKOTONIRINA ◽  
BRIAN L. FISHER
Keyword(s):  
Identification Key ◽  
Conservation Priority ◽  
Key To Species ◽  
Species Limits ◽  
Distribution Maps ◽  
High Conservation

Defining species limits and describing species of ants are important to identify taxa and habitats with elevated diversity in areas of high conservation priority such as the Malagasy region. The Pachycondyla wasmannii-group is revised in the Malagasy region where eight species are recognized, four of which are new: P. masoala sp. n., P. planicornis sp. n., P. tavaratra sp. n., and P. vazimba sp. n. Four species have been previously described: P. cambouei Forel, P. comorensis (André), P. perroti Forel, and P. wasmannii Forel. Pachycondyla perroti admista Forel is newly synonymized under P. perroti. Pachycondyla cambouei is widespread in eastern Madagascar, morphologically variable, and divided into seven morphotypes. An identification key to species and distribution maps are provided for the genus in the Malagasy region. All species are known only from Madagascar except P. wasmannii, which occurs also on Anjouan of the Comoros Islands.

scholarly journals Rare component of Halych National Nature Park forest ecosystems flora (Ivano-Frankivsk region)

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 290-302
Author(s):  
Dmytrash-Vatseba I.I. ◽  
Shumska N.V. ◽  
Gniezdilova V.I.
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Rare Species ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Rare Plants ◽  
Occurrence Rate ◽  
Population Number ◽  
Vascular Plant Species ◽  
General Number ◽  
Nature Park

The paper contains a synopsis of rare component of flora of Halych National Nature Park forest ecosystems, as well as evaluation of distribution trends of rare vascular plant species and the state of their populations. Being established in 2004, the Park is located in Halych district of Ivano-Frankivsk region on the area of 14684.8 ha. Forests occupy the biggest part of its territory (81.1 %), among which predominate poor and mixed oak (Querceta roboris), beech (Fageta sylvaticae) and hornbeam (Carpineta betuli) woods. Inventory check of plant cover of the forest ecosystems has been done between 2008-2019 years. According to the results of our study, within the forests and forest margins grow 303 vascular plant species, out of which 63 are rare (20.8 %). The list of rare species is composed of species included to the Red Data Book of Ukraine, of species protected by international conventions and directives and complemented by species that are threatened within the study region. Species were considered as threatened if the number of localities and / or population size were small. Regionally rare species were selected based on the analyzes of results of our field survey and materials of herbarium collections. We have found that the third part of rare species (33.3 %) has high coenotic amplitude and a bit less species (26.2 %) favor forest margins. Rare species having low coenotic amplitude are confined to beech woods (19.1 %). Rare species are considerably distinguished by occurrence. Species with scarce occurrence predominate. For instance, 61 % of the species were found in 1-5 localities, of which 25 species occur only in one or two sites. Share of species growing in 6-10 localities within the Park is equal to 26.6 %. Only a small percentage (6.2 %) of rare species comprises species with relatively frequent occurrence (11–20 localities as well as more than 20 cites). Rare species of the Park forests with the highest occurrence rate are Lilium martagon and some members of Orchidaceae family. Predominantly, rare species have populations of small size, for instance, 81.2 % of the species were found in quantities of a few plants – several hundreds of individuals. The most threatened are species general number of which at the Park area is several plants (15.6 %). These species are as follows: Circaea alpina, Atropa bella-donna, Campanula latifolia, Phyteuma spicatum, Epipactis atrorubens etc. The biggest groups comprise species with general number of few tens and several hundreds of individuals (totally 65.6 %). Species with big populations represent far smaller part of forest rare species. Nine rare species grow in the number of several thousands of plants within the Park and three species (Allium ursinum, Galanthus nivalis and Leucojum vernum) – over a million. It has been established that 52.4 % of rare species populations taken together remain in critically bad state, 28.6 % of the populations – in bad state, 14.3 % – in satisfactory state. Only 4.8 % of populations are in good state. Our results show that about 95 % of species are in need of protection and continuous monitoring of population number. Furthermore, 51 species of rare plants,having low number and bad state of populations, require to work out and implement management plans for their restoration. Key words: rare species, vascular plants, population state, species occurrence, population number

Floristic composition and conservation value of the stubble-field weed community, dominated by Stachys annua in western Hungary

Biologia ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gyula Pinke ◽  
Robert Pál
Keyword(s):  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Floristic Composition ◽  
Ambrosia Artemisiifolia ◽  
Significant Decline ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Conservation Priority ◽  
Farmland Birds ◽  
Coturnix Coturnix ◽  
The Past ◽  
High Conservation

AbstractThe stubble-field weed community, dominated by Stachys annua, was generally distributed in Hungary until the 1950s on mid-heavy and heavy, base-rich soils. Stachys annua is an excellent nectar-producer, and from the nectar collected in its habitats popular stubble-honey was produced. This vegetation type has suffered significant decline, mainly due to the early ploughing of stubbles associated with the intensification of agriculture. In the present study, the floristic composition of this community is assessed based on 213 phytosociological records, and its distribution in the past ten years in western Hungary is mapped. Sixty-five percent of the species are of Eurasian, European and Mediterranean elements, and the largest proportion of the species are spring-germinating summer annuals. The proportion of insect-pollinated plant species is approximately 70%, and the species composition also offers significant seed food sources for farmland birds, e.g. Coturnix coturnix and Perdix perdix. Therefore this community should deserve a high conservation priority for biodiversity. The factors that offer the greatest threats to the continuing existence of this community type are intensive agricultural management and the increasing spread of Ambrosia artemisiifolia.

Bryophyte diversity along an altitudinal gradient in Darién National Park, Panama

1992 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Rob Gradstein ◽  
Noris Salazar Allen
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Rain Forest ◽  
National Park ◽  
Altitudinal Gradient ◽  
Plant Conservation ◽  
Montane Forest ◽  
Species Assemblages ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Seasonal Climate

A bryophyte inventory along an altitudinal gradient on Cerro Pirre (1200 m), Darién National Park, Panama, demonstrates that the different rain forest types along the gradient (inundatedlowland, hillside-lowland, submontane, montane elfin forest) have very different species assemblages. The montane forest has the largest number of exclusive species and the largest bryophyte biomass. Species richness is greatest in the submontane forest. The bryophyte flora of Cerro Pirre is not exceedingly rich in species owing to the rather low elevation of the mountain and the seasonal climate in the adjacent coastal plain. Nevertheless, the distinct altitudinal diversification and the occurrence of a considerable number of rare hepatic taxa, demonstrate the importance of Darién National Park as an area of plant conservation. Forty hepatic species are reported as new to Panama.

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