Trees and shrubs collection of Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden-Institute

Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden-Institute (PABGI) is the northernmost in Russia (67о38'N.) and one of the few botanical gardens in the world inside the Arctic Circle. It has a unique collection of live plants, extensive herbarium funds. The article contains a list of the introduced woody plants in the PABSI collection fund. In 2018, the collection funds of woody plants included 27 families, 57 genera, 271 species, 21 subspecies, 14 species, 17 forms, 22 varieties and 22 hybrids. For the overwhelming majority of tree species introduced in PABGI, the presence of flowering / pollination and fruiting / seed production phases of different regularity is characteristic. The collection has 2 species included in the Russian Federation Red List. In the regional Red Lists of Russia there are 232 samples of 78 taxa of woody plants introduced in the PABGI. According to the list of rare species of IUCN, 298 samples of 106 taxa of woody plants have one particular international protection category or another.

Geography of dendrorarities conservation of the genus Spiraea L. in Ukraine

Over the last half century, the relevance of phytososological research has not diminished. Therefore, at the taxonomic and phytocoenotic levels, the current state of conservation of rare dendrodiversity of the genus Spiraea L. was analyzed. The quantitative and qualitative composition of the autochthonous and introduced, as well as phytocenotaxonomic species diversity, which is protected by world, national and regional red and green lists, has been established. Dendroexot Spiraea cana Waldst. & Kit. listed in The IUCN Red List, and Spiraea media subsp polonica (Blocki) Dostal (= Spiraea polonica Blocki) – in the Red Book of Ukraine, the remaining five plant species are listed in the regional red lists of 15 administrative regions of Ukraine. Of the five rare species and one subspecies of dendroautochthonous, only two species in Ukraine are being grown outside their natural habitats. All studied plant taxa are represented in different ways in the nature reserve fund of Ukraine in situ and ex situ. Analysis of the regional representativeness of their distribution showed uneven conservation of taxa in physical – geographical plains and mountainous countries. The network of territories and objects of conservation covers 15 protected areas in the Steppe zone, 13 in the Forest-steppe zone, 14 in the zone of deciduous forests, 13 in the zone of mixed forests. In the Crimean mountains and the Ukrainian Carpathians, the studied plant taxa are not protected. Phytocenotic diversity (three species) was identified, which is listed in the Bern Convention and the Green Book of Ukraine. Spiraea hypericifolia L. forms and participates in the creation of 10 associations and therefore has the widest phytocenotic amplitude. Spiraea litvinovii Dobrocz. creates a separate formation of shrub steppes, which includes six associations. At the co-dominant level, Spiraea media Franz Schmidt is a part of only one forest association. These dendroassociations are protected in five nature reserves, two national nature parks, one regional landscape park, six nature reserves and one natural monument. In the future, the development of systematic research on the conservation regimes of populations and phytocenoses of rare dendrodiversity is seen.

New Record of Macrofungi for the Mycobiota of the Cieszyn Municipality (Polish Western Carpathians) Including New Species to Poland

In this paper, we present the results of mycological research carried out between 2015 and 2018 in the Cieszyn township, in the Silesian Foothills (Outer Western Carpathians). The list of 417 species of macrofungi from the Cieszyn area reported in our previous study, has been expanded further by the addition of 37 taxa found in the current study. Among these, the following deserve special attention: fungi that are new to Poland’s mycobiota (six species: <em>Bryoscyphus dicrani</em>, <em>Discina martinii</em>, <em>Elaphomyces aculeatus</em>, <em>Tuber brumale</em>, <em>T. foetidum</em>, and <em>Russula cerea</em>), taxa subject to legal protection (four species: <em>Disciotis venosa</em>, <em>Grifola frondosa</em>, <em>Mitrophora semilibera</em>, and <em>Sparassis brevipes</em>), as well as fungi that are rare in Poland, included in national or regional red lists, and in the registers of rare and endangered species (24 species including <em>Amanita echinocephala</em>, <em>Arrhenia retiruga</em>, <em>A. spathulata</em>, <em>Catinella olivacea</em>, <em>Elaphomyces maculatus</em>, <em>Hygrophorus discoxanthus</em>, <em>Ophiocordyceps entomorrhiza</em>, <em>Pluteus diettrichii</em>, <em>Tuber aestivum</em>, and <em>T. fulgens</em>). This paper presents the distribution and location of 32 species of fungi along with a short description and illustration of the macro- and micromorphological features of select species and their habitats.

Conservation of terrestrial invertebrates: a review of IUCN and regional Red Lists for Myriapoda

Red Listing of Threatened species is recognized as the most objective approach for evaluating extinction risk of living organisms which can be applied at global or national scales. Invertebrates account for nearly 97% of all animals on the planet but are insufficiently represented in the IUCN Red Lists at both scales. To analyze the occurrence of species present in regional Red Lists, accounts of 48 different countries and regions all over the world were consulted and all data about myriapods (Myriapoda) ever assessed in Red Lists at any level assembled. Myriapod species assessments were found in eleven regional Red Lists; however, no overlap between the species included in the global IUCN Red List and the regional ones was established. This means that myriapod species considered threatened at regional level may not be eligible for international funding specific for protection of native threatened species (more than US$ 25 million were available in the last decade) as most financial instruments tend to support only threatened species included in the IUCN Red List. As the lack of financial resources may limit protection for species in risk of extinction, it is urgent to increase the possibilities of getting financial support for implementation of measures for their protection. A Red List of all Myriapoda species recorded in Red Lists at national or local (596) and global (210) scales totaling 806 species is presented. This list shows for the first time an overview of the current conservation status of Myriapoda species. Here, the urgent need of establishing a Myriapoda Specialist Group in the Species Survival Commission of IUCN is also stressed.

Rare and protection needed species of petrophytic steppes of the Southern and Middle Urals

The paper reveals a rare component of stony steppes of the South and Central Ural Mountains of the rare and needing protection species to their different types. The authors establish that 154 rare and needing protection species, relicts and endemics grow on the stony steppes of the region. That makes 20,8% of all coenoflora. Among them 18 species are included in the Red List of the Russian Federation, 98 species are included in the regional Red Lists. The authors also revealed 34 endemic species relating, mainly to group of rocky and steppes endemics. The relic flora contains 42 species. The most part of them (25 species) belongs to the Holocene, the group of the pleystocene relicts is presented by 13 species. The analysis of coenoflora allowed to reveal features of rare species dividing into the communities that characterize different types of habitats. The greatest share of rare species is noted in communities of the South forest-steppe zone on calcareous substrates (more than 30% - 81 species). The obtained data confirm a high nature protection importance of the petrophytic steppes of the Southern and Central Urals and can form a basis for the complex strategy of protection of these communities.

Fifty shades of red: Lost or threatened bryophytes in Africa

Background: A Red List of threatened bryophytes is lacking for Africa. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) Bryophyte Specialist Group has recently launched the ‘Top 10 Initiative’ to identify the 10 species on each continent that are at highest risk of extinction.Objectives: The main aim of this paper was to highlight some of the lost or strongly threatened bryophyte species in sub-Saharan Africa and the East African islands and to draw up a Top 10 list for Africa.Method: Lost or threatened species have been identified with the help of experts on the bryoflora of Africa, global and regional Red Lists and taxonomic literature. Each species on this candidate list is discussed at the hand of its taxonomy, distribution, habitat, threat and current global or regional Red List status as far as previously assessed.Results: Fifty bryophyte species, representing 40 genera and 23 families, have been identified as Top 10 candidates. Of these, 29 are endemic to Africa and 21 are restricted to the East African islands. The majority of the candidate species occur in one of eight ‘biodiversity hotspots’ with most species (19) in the Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands hotspot.Conclusion: This is the first list of lost or threatened bryophytes for Africa and the first Top 10 list of the IUCN Bryophyte Specialist Group. It represents an important step towards regional and global Red List assessment of bryophytes, thus meeting the targets of the Updated Global Strategy for Plant Conservation 2011–2020 and priorities of The Shenzhen Declaration on Plant Sciences.

Reef fishes of the Anchieta Island State Park, Southwestern Atlantic, Brazil

This paper presents a checklist of the reef fish fauna of the Anchieta Island State Park, a no-take zone in which no extractive activities are allowed, in Ubatuba, Southeastern Brazil. Data was obtained between 2011 and 2013, mainly through underwater observations with snorkelling and SCUBA, and secondarily using scientific fishing (trawling). Published and unpublished data were also verified and compiled. A total of 103 reef fish species, distributed in 78 genus and 50 families was recorded. Haemulidae was the richest family (n=7 species), followed by Epinephelidae (n=6), Pomacentridae, Carangidae and Tetraodontidae (n= 4 each). Haemulon was also the most speciose genera (n=5), followed by Stegastes, Acanthurus and Mycteroperca (n=3 each). Sixty-nine species (67%) are included in global and regional Red Lists. Twenty-five species (24.2%) are within the categories Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), Vulnerable (VU) and Near-Threathened (NT). The network of Marine Protected Areas in Southeastern Brazil is still incipient, and the considerable number of threatened species in the Anchieta Island State Park clearly indicates the importance of the study area for the conservation of coastal and reef fishes.

Regionalne czerwone listy porostów zagrożonych [Red lists of threatened lichens at regional levels]

The authors discuss 10 regional red lists of threatened lichens and certain other fungi of the Gdańsk Pomerania (286 species; 53.9% of the local biota), the Tucholskie Forest (151; 39,7%), North-Eastern Poland (310; 52.0%), the Białowieża Old-growth Forest (135; 33,7%), the Pilicka Old-growth Forest (140; 51.8%), the Kozienicka Old-growth Forest (144; 61.8%), the Świętokrzyskie Mts. (313; ca 66.0%), the Gorce Mts. (367; ca 67.0%), Opole Silesia and Upper Silesia (536; ca 72,9%) and the Sudety Mts. (504; ca 60.0%). Biotas of regions located in central and southern Poland are more transformed than those of the northern and north-eastern regions, The Białowieża Old-growth Forest has maintained the highest biodiversity.

Boundary Work, Hybrid Practices, and Portable Representations: An Analysis of Global and National Coproductions of Red Lists

For many countries, the IUCN Red List of threatened species is a central instrument in their work to counteract loss of biodiversity. This article analyzes the development of the Red List categories and criteria, how these categories and criteria are used in the construction of global, national, and regional red lists, and how the red lists are employed in policy work. A central finding of the article is that this mix of actors implies many different forms of boundary work. This article also finds that the Red List functions as a portable representation, that is, a context-independent instrument to represent nature. A third finding is that the Red List functions as a link between experts and policy makers. Thus, the Red List is best understood as a boundary object and hybrid practice where the credibility of scientific assessment and a specific policy is mutually strengthened.

Mammals of Serra do Cipó National Park, southeastern Brazil

The mammals of the Cerrado (Brazilian Savanna Biome) are still poorly known; only a few localities have been properly surveyed and studied. Hereby, we present a survey of the mammals of Serra do Cipó National Park, a protected area of Cerrado in Minas Gerais State, southeastern Brazil. A total of 55 species from eight orders were listed, which have been captured, observed or recorded in the literature. Some mammals are endemic or listed as threatened either by IUCN’s red list or by the national and regional red lists. Serra do Cipó National Park is an important site for scientific research and conservation of Minas Gerais’ biodiversity, though there is little information on mammal diversity and distribution in the park. We hope our study can help us fill this gap and improve the effectiveness of this national park in protecting Cerrado mammals and other vertebrates.