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Classifying Threatened Species of India Using IUCN Criteria


Affiliations
1 Department of Botany, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong 793 022, India
2 Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur 515 003, India
3 Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions, Bengaluru 560 064, India
 

Assigning threat status to a species is essential for prioritization of species under any conservation programme, and therefore, a pre-requisite for species conservation. In India, due to inadequate data, threat status has not been assigned to several plant species, although their population sizes are quite small and they are considered important from conservation point of view. Besides, there is a need for reassessment of threat status assigned by various agencies using updated data on population size, number of mature individuals, area of occupancy, and geographic extent of occurrence. This is crucial as the natural habitats as well as populations of such species are being affected by anthropogenic activities, exotic species invasion, and climate change. In the present study, we assessed the threat status of 59 selected plant species following the IUCN criteria (ver. 3.1). The species were selected after consultation with various experts throughout the country. Field surveys were carried out in various ecoregions of India to locate the species. Population size and number of mature individuals were enumerated following quadrat/plot-based sampling. The exogenous and endogenous factors leading to decline in population and rarity were identified based on field observations as well as laboratorybased seed viability and germination tests. Based on these studies, 20 species were classified under critically endangered category, 21 under endangered, 11 under vulnerable, five under near threatened, and one species each under data deficient and least concern category. Threat assessment for 41 species was done based on number of locations and geographical range of occurrence, while for 18 species it was done based on restricted population and number of mature individuals. Over-exploitation and habitat degradation or loss were the dominant exogenous factors leading to decline in natural populations of the selected species. The major endogenous factors that lead to population decline and species rarity were low seed viability and germination, long dormancy period, less seedling recruitment, low population size, habitat specificity and narrow niche leading to restricted distribution.

Keywords

Area of Occupancy, Extent of Occurrence, IUCN Classification, Population Size, Threatened Plants.
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  • Classifying Threatened Species of India Using IUCN Criteria

Abstract Views: 510  |  PDF Views: 127

Authors

S. K. Barik
Department of Botany, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong 793 022, India
B. R. P. Rao
Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur 515 003, India
K. Haridasan
Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions, Bengaluru 560 064, India
D. Adhikari
Department of Botany, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong 793 022, India
P. P. Singh
Department of Botany, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong 793 022, India
R. Tiwary
Department of Botany, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong 793 022, India

Abstract


Assigning threat status to a species is essential for prioritization of species under any conservation programme, and therefore, a pre-requisite for species conservation. In India, due to inadequate data, threat status has not been assigned to several plant species, although their population sizes are quite small and they are considered important from conservation point of view. Besides, there is a need for reassessment of threat status assigned by various agencies using updated data on population size, number of mature individuals, area of occupancy, and geographic extent of occurrence. This is crucial as the natural habitats as well as populations of such species are being affected by anthropogenic activities, exotic species invasion, and climate change. In the present study, we assessed the threat status of 59 selected plant species following the IUCN criteria (ver. 3.1). The species were selected after consultation with various experts throughout the country. Field surveys were carried out in various ecoregions of India to locate the species. Population size and number of mature individuals were enumerated following quadrat/plot-based sampling. The exogenous and endogenous factors leading to decline in population and rarity were identified based on field observations as well as laboratorybased seed viability and germination tests. Based on these studies, 20 species were classified under critically endangered category, 21 under endangered, 11 under vulnerable, five under near threatened, and one species each under data deficient and least concern category. Threat assessment for 41 species was done based on number of locations and geographical range of occurrence, while for 18 species it was done based on restricted population and number of mature individuals. Over-exploitation and habitat degradation or loss were the dominant exogenous factors leading to decline in natural populations of the selected species. The major endogenous factors that lead to population decline and species rarity were low seed viability and germination, long dormancy period, less seedling recruitment, low population size, habitat specificity and narrow niche leading to restricted distribution.

Keywords


Area of Occupancy, Extent of Occurrence, IUCN Classification, Population Size, Threatened Plants.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv114%2Fi03%2F588-595