Work

Priority ranking for the conservation of all European bryophyte species

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Biological diversity declines rapidly and resources for conservation actions to halt the loss are limited. It requires setting appropriate conservation priorities. We developed an efficient and reproducible approach to identify European bryophytes species that warrant highest conservation attention, based on two independent criteria. We used Red List status in Europe and European population size relative to the global population, or global rarity, respectively, as criteria, thus applying a global perspective in defining conservation priorities for European bryophytes. We assigned a quantitative score for both criteria separately to each of the 553 threatened (i.e., Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable) and Near Threatened species and calculated a “Priority Score for conservation” as the sum of the two scores. Applying distinct thresholds to the Priority Scores resulted in 135 (24%) species of high, 126 (23%) of medium, and 292 (53%) of low priority for conservation. Conservation priorities presented here differ from a prioritisation solely based on Red List status. We provide occurrence data for each species with associated conservation priority attributes, and for additional non-threatened European endemics, per individual European country or territory, making the priority scheme readily applicable for national conservation decisions. Macaronesia, other areas with oceanic climates, and mountainous regions harbour many species of conservation concern. We recommend a process how to apply the Priority Scores in the scope of national legislation, policies and expertise. Our method will assist national agencies and conservationists to direct resources to conservation actions for bryophytes whose persistence in Europe is critical from a global viewpoint.

Source: Biological Conservation

DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111297

Authors: Irene Bisang, Norbert Schnyder, Christian Schröck, Nick Hodgetts, Neil Lockhart, Ariel Bergamini