Reclassifying the Threat Categories of Two Rare Plant Species Endemic to Central Anatolia

Year 2024, Volume: 52 Issue: 2, 85 - 95, 01.04.2024

Gül Ayyıldız , Merve Yıldırım , Ali Murat Keser , Ahmet Emre Yaprak , Gül Nilhan Tuğ

https://doi.org/10.15671/hjbc.1243954

Abstract

Aethionema turcica and Astragalus beypazaricus are rare endemic plant species restricted to marly-gypsaceous soils from Ankara, Turkey. In a study in 2000, Ae.turcica and A.beypazaricus were classified under the “Least Concern” and “Critically Endangered” threat categories, respectively. This study aimed to reassess the global conservation status of these species according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria by using the recent findings based on their population sizes, distribution areas, and the main threats. Field research was conducted between 2016 and 2018. Additionally, physical-chemical soil tests were run, and the climatic data were utilized to draw bioclimatic conclusions. In Ankara, there are two populations of Ae.turcica, with 359 mature individuals covering 12 km2 AOO and 23.5 km2 EOO areas. A.beypazaricus has only one fragmented population with a total of 5700 mature individuals in Beypazarı, and both AOO and EOO were discovered to be 4 km2. Both species are on the verge of extinction due to habitat fragmentation and loss formed by intense anthropogenic activity. According to the findings, the IUCN threat categories for Ae.turcica and A.beypazaricus were suggested to be reclassified as CR based on the criteria B1ab(ii, iii) and B1ab(ii, iii)+2ab(ii, iii), respectively.

Keywords

Aethionema turcica H.Duman&Aytaç, Astragalus beypazaricus Podlech&Aytaç, Plant Conservation, IUCN

Supporting Institution

Ankara University Research Fund

Project Number

18L0430010

Thanks

This research was supported by Ankara University Research Fund (Project no:18L0430010) and the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ninth Regional Directorate of Nature Protection and Natural Parks (Species Action Plan and Monitoring Project). Special thanks to Mecit Vural, Selçuk Tuğrul Körüklü, İsa Başköse, Batıkan Günal and Vildan Toprak for their significant contributions to this research.

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