Felipe Domínguez Lozano

Recent progress in conservation of threatened Spanish vascular flora: a critical review

Abstract The transfer of legal responsibilities from the Central Government to the Autonomous Communities ended a tradition of paying little attention to endangered Spanish flora. The studies undertaken to implement the European Natura 2000 network, and to prepare regional ‘Red Data Books’ and lists of protected flora offered a much better view of which species were really at risk. As a consequence, a growing number of botanists is now involved in different aspects of conservation biology. The recent publication of a new Spanish Red List of vascular flora has provided the groundwork for the so-called ‘Threatened Flora Atlas’ project, which will update and homogenise the information on 500 taxa at risk. This project will produce a new Spanish Red Book and monitor the status of 40 selected species. The Spanish strategy for plant conservation is discussed, pointing out some deficiencies, such as the neglect of non-vascular taxa, the uneven and sometimes uncoordinated local policies and the uncertain future of some current initiatives.

Rarity and threat relationships in the conservation planning of Iberian flora

We analysed the threatened flora of Iberia (including the Balearic Islands) in order to define and explain factors related to levels of rarity and threat. Conservation measures were derived from the relationships observed. We used a random sample of 59 narrowly distributed plant species from the pool (588 species) of potentially endangered flora. Twelve variables were used to classify species into groups based on a multivariate technique: non-parametric principal component analysis. Our results do not indicate a single management model driven by a single mechanism of rarity. Four classes of rare plants were produced from the statistical algorithm: agamospermic species, plants associated with water, endemics, and range-margin (geographical-limit) plants. Some specific strategies for each of these groups are proposed, allowing further discussion and assessment. The overall pattern in conservation practice of threatened Iberian plants seems to be defined by three of the variables in use: ecological specificity, geographical rarity and rate of threat. None of the biological variables in the sample show particularly strong trends in the data.We analysed the threatened flora of Iberia (including the Balearic Islands) in order to define and explain factors related to levels of rarity and threat. Conservation measures were derived from the relationships observed. We used a random sample of 59 narrowly distributed plant species from the pool (588 species) of potentially endangered flora. Twelve variables were used to classify species into groups based on a multivariate technique: non-parametric principal component analysis. Our results do not indicate a single management model driven by a single mechanism of rarity. Four classes of rare plants were produced from the statistical algorithm: agamospermic species, plants associated with water, endemics, and range-margin (geographical-limit) plants. Some specific strategies for each of these groups are proposed, allowing further discussion and assessment. The overall pattern in conservation practice of threatened Iberian plants seems to be defined by three of the variables in use: ecological specificity, geographical rarity and rate of threat. None of the biological variables in the sample show particularly strong trends in the data.