New threats for a protected plant: the need to review and update recovery plans of endangered species

• Joaquín Moreno ^[1] ; María José Cuesta ^[1] ; Pilar Torres ^[1] ; Pablo Ferrandis ^[2]
  1. [1] Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche

     Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche

     Elche, España

     
  2. [2] Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha

     Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha

     Ciudad Real, España

     
• Localización: Mediterranean Botany, ISSN-e 2603-9109, Vol. 45, Vol. 1, 2024
• Idioma: inglés
• Enlaces
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• Resumen

  • Helianthemum polygonoides is a perennial halophyte described in 1987 in the Saltmarsh of Cordovilla (Albacete, SE Spain). In 2004 its distribution area was approximately 16 hectares, and its population was estimated at around 185000 adult individuals. Thus, this species is considered a local endemism due to its restricted distribution area, being catalogued as a “Critically Endangered” (CR) Atlas and Red Book of Threatened Vascular Flora of Spain. The main goal of this study is to review the current situation of the species, updating its distribution area and current threats and, consequently, establishing up-to-date conservation guidelines. A marked increment in the H. polygonoides population have been found (381909 individuals were estimated in 2022 census). We located new populations of H. polygonoides, increasing its core distribution area and revealing the accuracy of proposed protection measures. In this context, our results confirmed the direct relationship between the population size and the protection measures. According to the threat’s assessment, we have observed that most of the threats and impacts have been reduced (e.g., grazing) or stopped (e.g., accumulation of debris). However, we have found new threats (e.g., rabbit proliferation, wild boar damages, and fires), emphasising the need to review and update the H. polygonoides Recovery Plan. In fact, we want to point out that mentioned threats are in constant change. We suggest the inclusion of new guidelines to control the newly-found threats and provide eight additional conservation proposals to improve the conservation status of the current populations of H. polygonoides.