Open AccessIUCN R ed L ist assessment of the C ape V erde endemic flora: towards a g lobal s trategy for p lant c onservation in M acaronesia
Author(s) -
Romeiras Maria M.,
Catarino Silvia,
Gomes Isildo,
Fernandes Claudia,
Costa Jose C.,
CaujapéCastells Juli,
Duarte Maria Cristina
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
botanical journal of the linnean society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.872
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1095-8339
pISSN - 0024-4074
DOI - 10.1111/boj.12370
Subject(s) - iucn red list , cape verde , threatened species , endangered species , endemism , herbarium , critically endangered , conservation status , biology , flora (microbiology) , ecology , conservation dependent species , habitat destruction , near threatened species , archipelago , cape , habitat , geography , archaeology , ethnology , genetics , bacteria , history
We review the conservation status and threats to the endemic vascular flora of the C ape V erde islands, mostly based on the past two decades of collecting, literature review and herbarium specimens. The application of IUCN R ed L ist criteria and categories using RAMAS software reveals that 78% of the endemic plants are threatened (29.3% C ritically E ndangered, 41.3% E ndangered, 7.6% V ulnerable). Most of these endemics have a limited geographical range, and half of them have A reas of O ccupancy and E xtents of O ccurrence of < 20 and 200 km 2 , respectively. Our data show that, over the last two decades, the C ape V erde vascular plants have become more threatened and their conservation status has declined, mostly as a consequence of the increase in exotic species, habitat degradation and human disturbance. This paper presents the first comprehensive IUCN R ed L ist data review for the plants endemic to C ape V erde, thus providing an important step towards the recognition and conservation of its threatened endemic flora at the national and global level. It also fills a knowledge gap, as it represents the first thorough assessment of the conservation status of the entire endemic flora of a M acaronesian archipelago.