Towards a global Action Plan for endangered bryophytes

Abstract

THE WORLD-WIDE REDUCTION, GRAGMENTACION AND ISOLATION OF HABITATS IMPORTANT FOR BRYOPHYTES HAVE LED TO A CONSEQUENTIAL LOSS OF SPECIES RICHNESS AND GENETIC DIVERSITY. DESPITE THE INCOMPLETENSS OF OUR SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT BRYOPHYTES WORLD-WIDE, THE IUCN/LAB BRYOOPHYTE. COMMITTEE HERE PRESENTS THE SKELETON OF AN ACTION PLAN (AP) FOR BRYOPHYTES. WE WILL SUGGEST BETTER PROTECTION OF A WIDE VARIETY OF AREAS AND HABITATS TO HALT THE DECLINE OF THE DIVERSITY. ESPECIALLY TROPICAL AREAS ARE STILL POORLY KNOWN. THEIR PROTECTION WILL NEED MORE RESOURCES AND THEIR BRYOLOGISTS MORE HELP AIMS OF THE AP WILL BE: TO INFORM PEOPLE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF BRYOPHYTES TO MAN AND NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS, TO ASSESS SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS AND "HOT SPOTS" FOR PROTECTION, TO INFORM ABOUT THE CAUSES OF THREATS TO BRYOPHYTES, TO ENDORSE NEW AND RELEVANT CONSERVATION PROJECTS, AND TO DOCUMENT INDIVIDUAL CASES OF ENDANGERED SPECIES. BESIDES AIR POLLUTION, WHICH SEEMS TO CUASE MA MUCH GREATER THREAT TO BRYOPHYTES THAN E.G., FLOWERING PLANTS, MANY OF THE THREATS TO BRYOPHYTES ARE SIMILAR. THEY INCLUDE DEFORESTATION, THINNING OF FORESTS, RECLAMATION OF LAND, URBANISATION, ROADS, DAM BUILDINGS, MINING, DRAINAGE OF WETLANDS, OVERGRAZING. INVASIVE, INTRODUCED SPECIES CAN BRING DEVASTATION TO THE NATIVE FLORAS. ALSO, FRAGMENTATION OF HABITATS CAUSED BY THE INCREASED USE OF LAND FOR CULTIVATION IS IMPOVERISHING THE DIVERSITY OF THE FLORA. THE FINAL AP WILL REVIEW THE SITUATION, CONTINENT BY CONTINENT,AND IDENTIFY THE CENTRES OF ENDEMISM THAT NEED URGENT PROTECTION. FOR BRYOPHYTE CONSERVATION, THE MOST USED ACTION HITHERTO IS TO IDENTIFY CERTAIN HABITATS. IN EUROPE THE USE OF RED LISTED OR RARE SPECIES HAS BEEN EMPLOYED TO JUSTIFY THE PRESERVATION OF NATURAL HABITATS WITH SUCCESS. IN SOME COUNTRIES AN "UMBRELLA-SPECIES" APPROACH CAN BE USED INSTEAD OF, OR PARALLEL TO, AN ENDANGERED SPECIES APPROACH. ALSO THE USE OF BRYOPHYTES AS "KEY-STONE" SPECIES MAY BE STRATEGIC INPUT, BECAUSE THE PROTECTION OF "KEY-STONE" SPECIES AFFECTS MANY OTHER SPECIES. VERY FEW LEGAL INSTRUMENTS CAN BE APPLIED TO PROTECT THE BRYOPHYTES. MANY COUNTRIES HAVE NOW RATIFIED THE UN CONVENTION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY. THE CONVENTION INCLUDES BRYOPHYTES WHICH SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY PLAN OF EACH COUNTRY. TO DATE, CONSERVATION IS IN GENERAL GROSSLY UNDER-FUNDED AND MORE SUPPORT AS WELL AS RESEARCH IS NEEDED, THOUGH THE NEED FOR MORE RESEARCH SHOULD NOT BE USED AS AN EXCUSE TO DELAY ANY CONSERVATION ACTION. TO SUM UP. THA DRAFT AP FOCUSES ON DIFFERENT WAYS TO CONSERVE THE BRYOPHYTE DIVERSITY BY PROTECTION, EXPLAINING THE IMPORTANCE OF BRYOPHYTES AS WELL AS THREATS TO THEM, THEIR INCORPORATION IN ALL CONSERVATION PROGRAMMES HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED FOR MORE KNOWLEDGE.