Management Of Rare Species Research Articles

Advances in mining restoration

This special issue is a compilation of studies arising from the activities of the 5‐year Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Mine Site Restoration. Research conducted by the Centre involved disciplines often overlooked or under‐resourced in the mining industry including restoration genetics, seed technology and enablement, rare species management, and restoration ecophysiology. These studies then formed the context for development of an additional focus on mining closure policy development. The programs highlight the critical importance of ensuring that the seed supply chain, plant growth media, and restoration technologies are fit‐for‐purpose, that native fauna are considered in the life‐of‐mine and, how collectively, investment in these types of programs can inform effective mine closure planning. Though Australian‐based, the principles and outcomes of the research are applicable to international mining activities operating in natural or seminatural ecosystems or regions of high biodiversity.

Predicting resilience of ecosystem functioning from co-varying species' responses to environmental change.

Understanding how environmental change affects ecosystem function delivery is of primary importance for fundamental and applied ecology. Current approaches focus on single environmental driver effects on communities, mediated by individual response traits. Data limitations present constraints in scaling up this approach to predict the impacts of multivariate environmental change on ecosystem functioning.We present a more holistic approach to determine ecosystem function resilience, using long‐term monitoring data to analyze the aggregate impact of multiple historic environmental drivers on species' population dynamics. By assessing covariation in population dynamics between pairs of species, we identify which species respond most synchronously to environmental change and allocate species into “response guilds.” We then use “production functions” combining trait data to estimate the relative roles of species to ecosystem functions. We quantify the correlation between response guilds and production functions, assessing the resilience of ecosystem functioning to environmental change, with asynchronous dynamics of species in the same functional guild expected to lead to more stable ecosystem functioning.Testing this method using data for butterflies collected over four decades in the United Kingdom, we find three ecosystem functions (resource provisioning, wildflower pollination, and aesthetic cultural value) appear relatively robust, with functionally important species dispersed across response guilds, suggesting more stable ecosystem functioning. Additionally, by relating genetic distances to response guilds we assess the heritability of responses to environmental change. Our results suggest it may be feasible to infer population responses of butterflies to environmental change based on phylogeny—a useful insight for conservation management of rare species with limited population monitoring data.Our approach holds promise for overcoming the impasse in predicting the responses of ecosystem functions to environmental change. Quantifying co‐varying species' responses to multivariate environmental change should enable us to significantly advance our predictions of ecosystem function resilience and enable proactive ecosystem management.

Population genetics, speciation, and hybridization in Dicerandra (Lamiaceae), a North American Coastal Plain endemic, and implications for conservation

Understanding patterns of speciation and subsequent gene flow can clarify the evolutionary origins and history of species endemic to a specific geographic region and reveal genetic patterns important for conservation and management of rare species. We chose Dicerandra from the North American Coastal Plain biodiversity hotspot as a model to explore these concepts because of its endemism and the threatened status of most of its species. Using microsatellite-based population-level analyses of 32 populations from four of the annual species (D. linearifolia var. linearifolia, D. linearifolia var. robustior, D. fumella, D. odoratissima, and D. radfordiana), we addressed questions of genetic diversity, population structure, and hybridization. Strong support was found for the species-level recognition of the recently described D. fumella from the Florida panhandle. Dicerandra linearifolia var. linearifolia showed some regional cohesion of populations, but there was no consistent geographic pattern to the clustering of populations. Dicerandra radfordiana showed consistent clustering with proximate populations of D. odoratissima. Given that D. radfordiana is found at the southeastern extreme of the range of D. odoratissima, these populations may represent the early stages of speciation by isolation. While there are morphological and bioclimatic niche distinctions between D. odoratissima and D. radfordiana, there is no molecular support for a distinct D. radfordiana. Overall, there is modest genetic diversity found at the population level for all Dicerandra annuals. Microsatellite data support previously proposed hypotheses of hybridization between D. linearifolia var. linearifolia and D. odoratissima, but do not support such hypotheses for D. fumella and D. linearifolia var. robustior.

Using environmental DNA methods to improve winter surveys for rare carnivores: DNA from snow and improved noninvasive techniques

The management of rare species is a conservation priority worldwide, but this task is made difficult by detection errors in population surveys. Both false positive (misidentification) and false negative (missed detection) errors are prevalent in surveys for rare species and can affect resulting inferences about their population status or distribution. Environmental DNA (eDNA)—DNA shed from an organism in its environment—coupled with quantitative PCR (qPCR) analyses, has become a reliable and extremely sensitive mean for identifying rare species in aquatic systems. Due to the demonstrated effectiveness of these methods, we tested their efficacy in surveys for rare species in terrestrial settings to reduce detection errors for three rare forest carnivores of conservation concern: Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), fisher (Pekania pennanti), and wolverine (Gulo gulo). We specifically investigated our ability to reliably: 1) identify species directly from snow samples collected within tracks; 2) identify species by collecting snow in locations where an animal had been photographed; and 3) identify species from hair samples collected during the summer after being deployed throughout the winter (i.e., overwinter surveys). Our findings indicated that qPCR assays can effectively detect DNA of all three species, including from snow-track surveys, snow collected at camera stations, and overwinter samples that failed to amplify with conventional PCR techniques. All results indicate that the sources of targeted DNA collection provided adequate quantities of DNA for robust species detection. We suggest that using qPCR methods to detect DNA has the potential to revolutionize winter surveys for rare species in terrestrial settings by reducing or eliminating misidentifications and missed detections.

Making the most of sparse data to estimate density of a rare and threatened species: a case study with the fosa, a little‐studied Malagasy carnivore

AbstractSparse detections in camera trap surveys commonly hinder density estimation for threatened species. By combining detections across multiple surveys, or using informative priors in Bayesian model fitting, researchers can improve parameter estimation from sparse capture–recapture data. Using a spatial mark–resight model that incorporates site‐level heterogeneity in the spatial scale parameter via a hierarchical process and prior information, we estimated the density of a threatened carnivore (fosa, Cryptoprocta ferox) from multiple sparse datasets collected during extensive camera trapping surveys in northeastern Madagascar (2008–2015). Our objectives were to estimate density for six sites, examine the response of fosa density and movement to habitat degradation, monitor annual density trends across 7 years at two sites, and estimate fosa abundance in the Makira–Masoala protected area complex. We obtained a mean of 16.1 (se = 0.52; range = 2–49) fosa detections and three observers identified a mean of 3.62 (se = 0.09; range = 1–8) marked individuals per survey. Fosa daily baseline encounter rate was very low (λ0 = 0.004; 0.003–0.006) and density/movement estimates were similar across forest types. Density estimates at resurveyed sites suggested annual variability in density, with estimates trending lower during the final surveys [e.g. D = 0.39 (0.14–1.11) versus 0.08 (0.05–0.31) individuals per km2]. We estimated fosa abundance across the Makira–Masoala region to be 1061 (95% HPDI: 596–1780) adult individuals. On the basis of our estimate and the size of the region, we believe Makira–Masoala harbors a significant portion of the global fosa population. The conservation and management of rare species is commonly limited due to lack of population estimates. By combining detections across surveys, we overcame estimation issues and obtained valuable information on a threatened carnivore, allowing us to better assess its status and prioritize conservation actions. We advocate for practical use of sparse datasets for such data‐deficient species.

Altered sex‐specific mortality and female mating success: ecological effects and evolutionary responses

AbstractTheory predicts that males and females should often join the mating pool at different times (sexual dimorphism in timing of emergence [SDT]) as the degree of SDT affects female mating success. We utilize an analytical model to explore (1) how important SDT is for female mating success, (2) how mating success might change if either sex's mortality (abruptly) increases, and (3) to what degree evolutionary responses in SDT may be able to mitigate the consequences of such mortality increase. Increasing male pre‐mating mortality has a non‐linear effect on the fraction of females mated: The effect is initially weak, but at some critical level a further increase in male mortality has a stronger effect than a similar increase in female mortality. Such a change is expected to impose selection for reduced SDT. Increasing mortality during the mating season has always a stronger effect on female mating success if the mortality affects the sex that emerges first. This bias results from the fact that enhancing mortality of the earlier emerging sex reduces female–male encounter rates. However, an evolutionary response in SDT may effectively mitigate such consequences. Further, if considered independently for females and males, the predicted evolutionary response in SDT could be quite dissimilar. The difference between female and male evolutionary response in SDT leads to marked differences in the fraction of fertilized females under certain conditions. Our model may provide general guidelines for improving harvesting of populations, conservation management of rare species under altered environmental conditions, or maintaining long‐term efficiency of pest‐control measures.

Soil microbial communities influence seedling growth of a rare conifer independent of plant-soil feedback.

Plant-soil feedback, the reciprocal relationship between a plant and its associated microbial communities, has been proposed to be an important driver of plant populations and community dynamics. While rarely considered, understanding how plant-soil feedback contributes to plant rarity may have implications for conservation and management of rare species. Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis) is a critically endangered species, of which fewer than 100 trees are known to exist in the wild. Seedling survival within the first year after germination and subsequent recruitment of Wollemi pine is limited in the wild. We used a plant-soil feedback approach to investigate the functional effect of species-specific differences previously observed in the microbial communities underneath adult Wollemi pine and a neighboring species, coachwood (Ceratopetalum apetalum), and also whether additional variation in microbial communities in the wild could impact seedling growth. There was no evidence for seedling growth being affected by tree species associated with soil inocula, suggesting that plant-soil feedbacks are not limiting recruitment in the natural population. However, there was evidence of fungal, but not bacterial, community variation impacting seedling growth independently of plant-soil feedbacks. Chemical (pH) and physical (porosity) soil characteristics were identified as potential drivers of the functional outcomes of these fungal communities. The empirical approach described here may provide opportunities to identify the importance of soil microbes to conservation efforts targeting other rare plant species and is also relevant to understanding the importance of soil microbes and plant-soil feedbacks for plant community dynamics more broadly.

Disentangling fragmentation effects on herbivory in understory plants of longleaf pine savanna.

Habitat fragmentation affects species and their interactions through intertwined mechanisms that include changes to fragment area, shape, connectivity and distance to edge. Disentangling these pathways is a fundamental challenge of landscape ecology and will help identify ecological processes important for management of rare species or restoration of fragmented habitats. In a landscape experiment that manipulated connectivity, fragment shape, and distance to edge while holding fragment area constant, we examined how fragmentation impacts herbivory and growth of nine plant species in longleaf pine savanna. Probability of herbivory in open habitat was strongly dependent on proximity to forest edge for every species, increasing with distance to edge in six species (primarily grasses and annual forbs) and decreasing in three species (perennial forbs and a shrub). In the two species of perennial forbs, these edge effects were dependent on fragment shape; herbivory strongly decreased with distance to edge in fragments of two shapes, but not in a third shape. For most species, however, probability of herbivory was unrelated to connectivity or fragment shape. Growth was generally determined more strongly by leaf herbivory than by distance to edge, fragment shape, or connectivity. Taken together, these results demonstrate consistently strong edge effects on herbivory, one of the most important biotic factors determining plant growth and demography. Our results contrast with the generally inconsistent results of observational studies, likely because our experimental approach enabled us to tease apart landscape processes that are typically confounded.

Germination Ecology and Seed Dispersal of a Critically Endangered Plant: A Case Study of Pomaderris vacciniifolia (Round-Leaf Pomaderris).

Change in ecosystem disturbance regimes from human land-use poses a worldwide problem for management of rare species. Two important types of disturbance influencing the persistence of species in Australian ecosystems are habitat fragmentation and fire. In this study, seed dispersal and the germination ecology of Pomaderris vacciniifolia—a critically endangered, rare endemic Australian shrub—were examined to identify likely influences of fire and fragmentation on the decline of populations. The response of seed germination to simulated effects of wildfire and canopy openings was investigated, as was the unaided dispersal capability of seeds from parent plants. A significant increase in germination rate was observed following 100°C heat treatment to seeds, while smoke and light exposure had little influence. Seed imbibition was strongly influenced by heat treatment. The findings indicate a likely positive post-fire germination response, with implications for recruitment success determined by moisture availability following fire. Unaided seed dispersal was limited, which partly explains the apparent decline of populations. Understanding disturbance requirements for threatened species, and subsequent management of landscapes for disturbance, will aid conservation of rare species throughout the world.

Novel habitat use supports population maintenance in a reconfigured landscape

AbstractGiven the limited scope of unaltered, protected areas in most regions, understanding the contributions to imperiled species conservation by landscapes in which habitat elements have been reconfigured is critical. Commercial forestry has been a driver of altered structure and composition of forests and of distribution and character of aquatic systems. In eastern North America, extensive historical wetland drainage reconfigured hydrologic environments from low‐gradient wet flats and isolated wetlands to connected networks of linear ditches. Landscapes where both uplands and aquatic environments differ from historic conditions may affect most ecological aspects of semi‐aquatic species, including reptiles. Our objective was to determine if habitat selection and use decisions by spotted turtles (Clemmys guttata), a rare semi‐aquatic species, supported population maintenance in a reconfigured forest landscape in eastern North Carolina, USA. We captured 280 individuals and radiomarked 31 adults to examine habitat selection at multiple spatial scales with paired logistic regression, movements and home ranges with location data and utilization distributions (UDs), survival with a known‐fate model, and abundance with N‐mixture modeling. Across local and landscape scales, turtles selected features associated with ditches despite abundant, more natural aquatic depressions across the study area. Habitat metrics describing understory closure and substrate characteristics were important at local scales, and closed canopy forest and habitat heterogeneity was positively associated with activity areas at landscape‐scale spatial grains. Both movements and home ranges were centered on ditches, and turtles exploited ditches to access mates, nest sites, or uplands for estivation. In this highly reconfigured landscape, this species appeared to have sufficient behavioral plasticity to acquire key resources contributing to high survival and an abundant population. Isolation from road traffic and collection, both which negatively affect turtles elsewhere, was facilitated by limited public access. Our results suggest that conservation and management of rare species should not rely solely on habitat information gained from studies in more pristine areas because such results may not demonstrate the range in variation in behavior that might allow persistence in novel environments, absent key threats.

Recovery of gene diversity using long-term cryopreserved spermatozoa and artificial insemination in the endangered black-footed ferret

One of the most significant challenges in the recovery of threatened species is the ability to maintain genetic diversity, avoid inbreeding and sustain population health and reproduction. Assisted reproductive techniques, including artificial insemination (AI), have been touted for decades as approaches that could contribute to the demographic and genetic management of rare species. Here, we report the first successful integration of AI with frozen semen into a formal recovery program and the positive impact on genetic diversity for the critically endangered black-footed ferret Mustela nigripes. Techniques developed in the taxonomically related domestic ferret Mustela putorius furo and Siberian polecat Mustela eversmannii were applied over time to selected black-footed ferrets, including semen banking from six of the last 18 survivors. After evaluation, processing and storage in liquid nitrogen (−196°C/−321°F), for as long as 20 years, sperm samples were thawed and transabdominally inseminated into the uterine horns of female conspecifics. Eight black-footed ferret offspring were produced using thawed sperm samples (including after two decades of cryopreservation) with inseminates containing as few as 3.4 × 106 motile spermatozoa. The incorporation of these offspring and/or their descendants into the ex situ breeding program prevented heterozygosity loss in the population and actually enhanced gene diversity (GD) significantly by 0.2% and lowered measures of inbreeding by 5.8%. This study demonstrates the utility and genetic diversity benefits of applying AI with cryopreserved spermatozoa 20 generations removed from the contemporary population for a wild animal revival program.

Informing management of rare species with an approach combining scenario modeling and spatially explicit risk assessment

Wildlife managers are tasked with identifying and managing stressors that threaten persistence of populations. We demonstrate an approach to land‐use planning that combines scenario modeling and ecological risk assessment to map and quantify risk to population persistence for three rare prairie species in Washington State, USA. Following corroboration of model output, we found that of the management scenarios considered, only a scenario with year‐round restrictions on use of off‐road vehicles, digging, and camping enforced in all potential habitat reduces risk to the species. Decreased risk is focused primarily in two patches of prairie habitat in our study area, indicating stringent restrictions need not be applied broadly. However, one area is not easily accessed by two of the three species considered, suggesting reintroductions to suitable but inaccessible habitat may play an important role in management of these species. Our analyses suggest changes in land use and management that might improve habitat for rare species, with options for minimizing monetary and social costs. Because the proposed approach relies on hypothetical management scenarios and uses a model flexible in data requirements to provide spatially explicit output, it can be used to inform adaptive management of rare species in diverse land‐planning processes and will be especially useful when management decisions must be made under time or cost constraints.

Population viability analysis and the effects of light availability and litter on populations of Cirsium pitcheri, a rare, monocarpic perennial of Great Lakes shorelines

An understanding of plant population dynamics in response to natural and anthropogenic influences is critical for rare species management. We present a long-term study and population viability analysis of a federally threatened monocarpic, Cirsium pitcheri, endemic to the Great Lakes, in northern Michigan. Population growth rates of C. pitcheri were highly variable; only four of the 14year-pairs studied during the 19yr study period indicated a growing population (λ>1). Elasticity analysis showed population growth was sensitive to seedling recruitment. We manipulated light and litter levels in the growth chamber to simulate natural succession or invasive plants and to determine their effects on seedlings and ultimately, population performance. The absence of shading and litter increased seedling emergence from 8% to 42%, but no simulated population had less than a 5% risk of extinction over a 25-year period. These populations are, strictly speaking, non-viable. Population viability and conservation of this species are linked to recruitment, including seedling success. Control of plant and animal invasive species and addition of greenhouse transplants to increase recruitment may help reverse population declines.

Characterisation of candidate nuclear genes for species delineation in the genus Cherax

Understanding the evolutionary history and phylogenetic relationships between rare and common species is necessary for the effective management of rare species. The genus Cherax, a group of freshwater crayfish species, is of interest in this regard as a number of species are rare or have restricted distributions while other species are common and widespread. Here we describe the characterisation of three novel nuclear genes of the haemocyanin superfamily for phylogenetic reconstruction of the genus. All novel markers developed in this study amplified consistently in species from three divergent clades of the genus Cherax. The level of polymorphism found in these markers was consistently higher than that found in other nuclear genes previously used in invertebrate systematics, such as NaK ATP-ase. In combination, these markers will be useful to delineate phylogenetic relationships between rare and common Cherax species.

A two‐phase sampling design for increasing detections of rare species in occupancy surveys

Summary1. Occupancy estimation is a commonly used tool in ecological studies owing to the ease at which data can be collected and the large spatial extent that can be covered. One major obstacle to using an occupancy‐based approach is the complications associated with designing and implementing an efficient survey. These logistical challenges become magnified when working with rare species when effort can be wasted in areas with none or very few individuals.2. Here, we develop a two‐phase sampling approach that mitigates these problems by using a design that places more effort in areas with higher predicted probability of occurrence. We compare our new sampling design to traditional single‐season occupancy estimation under a range of conditions and population characteristics. We develop an intuitive measure of predictive error to compare the two approaches and use simulations to assess the relative accuracy of each approach.3. Our two‐phase approach exhibited lower predictive error rates compared to the traditional single‐season approach in highly spatially correlated environments. The difference was greatest when detection probability was high (0·75) regardless of the habitat or sample size. When the true occupancy rate was below 0·4 (0·05–0·4), we found that allocating 25% of the sample to the first phase resulted in the lowest error rates.4. In the majority of scenarios, the two‐phase approach showed lower error rates compared to the traditional single‐season approach suggesting our new approach is fairly robust to a broad range of conditions and design factors and merits use under a wide variety of settings.5. Synthesis and applications. Conservation and management of rare species are a challenging task facing natural resource managers. It is critical for studies involving rare species to efficiently allocate effort and resources as they are usually of a finite nature. We believe our approach provides a framework for optimal allocation of effort while maximizing the information content of the data in an attempt to provide the highest conservation value per unit of effort.

Integrated risk analysis for rare marine species impacted by fishing: sustainability assessment and population trend modelling

Abstract Zhou, S., Milton, D. A., and Fry, G. C. 2012. Integrated risk analysis for rare marine species impacted by fishing: sustainability assessment and population trend modelling. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 69: 271–280. Risk assessment and conservation management of rare species are challenging due to a lack of data. We developed an integrated risk assessment approach to assess human impact on population sustainability of rare species. The approach involved two components: a quantitative sustainability assessment coupled with modelling trends in relative abundance. Both components took nil catches into account through zero-inflated statistical distributions that simultaneously modelled the zero and non-zero catches separately in submodels. The sustainability assessment used detection–non-detection data for population estimation and linked sustainability to easily collected life-history traits. This component provides an assessment of population sustainability at one point in time. The trend modelling applied zero-inflated negative binomial models to temporal trends in density and dispersion of species. It provided a complement to the static sustainability assessment. We applied this integrated approach to assess the risk to 14 species of rare, protected sea snakes incidentally caught in the Australian Northern Prawn Fishery. This approach can be applicable for risk assessment of many species with limited abundance data, a large number of absences and some presence–absence information only.

Interpretation of a cross-cultural usability evaluation: A case study based on a hypermedia system for rare species management in Namibia

We present the results of a usability evaluation of a locally developed hypermedia information system aiming at conservation biologists and wildlife managers in Namibia. Developer and end user come from different ethnic backgrounds, as is common to software development in Namibia and many developing countries. To overcome both the cultural and the authoritarian gap between usability evaluator and user, the evaluation was held as a workshop with usability evaluators who shared the target users’ ethnic and social backgrounds. Different data collection methods were used and results as well as specific incidences recorded. Results suggest that it is difficult for Namibian computer users to evaluate functionality independently from content. Users displayed evidence of a passive search strategy and an expectation that structure is provided rather than self generated. The comparison of data collection methods suggests that questionnaires are inappropriate in Namibia because they do not elicit a truthful response from participants who tend to provide answers they think are “expected”. The paper concludes that usability goals and methods have to be determined and defined within the target users’ cultural context.

“Sight-unseen” detection of rare aquatic species using environmental DNA

Effective management of rare species, including endangered native species and recently introduced nonindigenous species, requires the detection of populations at low density. For endangered species, detecting the localized distribution makes it possible to identify and protect critical habitat to enhance survival or reproductive success. Similarly, early detection of an incipient invasion by a harmful species increases the feasibility of rapid responses to eradicate the species or contain its spread. Here we demonstrate the efficacy of environmental DNA (eDNA) as a detection tool in freshwater environments. Specifically, we delimit the invasion fronts of two species of Asian carps in Chicago, Illinois, USA area canals and waterways. Quantitative comparisons with traditional fisheries surveillance tools illustrate the greater sensitivity of eDNA and reveal that the risk of invasion to the Laurentian Great Lakes is imminent.

Achieving Conservation Goals in Managed Forests of the Southeastern Coastal Plain

Managed forests are a primary land use within the Coastal Plain of the southern United States. These forests are generally managed under standards, guidelines, or regulations to conserve ecosystem functions and services. Economic value of commercial forests provides incentives for landowners to maintain forests rather than convert them to other uses that have substantially reduced environmental benefits. In this review, we describe the historical context of commercial forest management in the southern United States Coastal Plain, describe how working forests are managed today, and examine relationships between commercial forest management and maintenance of functional aquatic and wetland systems and conservation of biological diversity. Significant challenges for the region include increasing human population and urbanization and concomitant changes in forest area and structure, invasive species, and increased interest in forest biomass as an energy feedstock. Research needs include better information about management of rare species and communities and quantification of relationships between ecosystem attributes and forest management, including biomass production and harvest. Incentives and better information may help commercial forest managers in the Coastal Plain more efficiently contribute to landscape-scale conservation goals.

The conservation status of an endemic species of northern Sardinia: Centaurea horrida Badarò (Asteraceae)

When assessing the conservation status of narrow endemic plants, life history traits must be taken into account, since endemics combine small population ranges and sizes, and long persistence with limited reproductive and dispersal ability. In this paper, we present the global assessment of the conservation status of a narrow endemic plant from the Sardinian‐Corsican biogeographic province, by applying IUCN criteria and categories, together with an evaluation of some reproductive traits. Centaurea horrida Badarò (Asteraceae) is an endemic species of northern Sardinia (Italy). It is protected by the Bern Convention (Appendix I) and listed as priority species by the “Habitat” Directive (92/43/EEC, Annex II). The species appears in the 1997 IUCN Red List as “Vulnerable” (VU). With the aim of evaluating the risk of extinction and of providing management tools for the network of protected areas in which this species is present, some reproductive traits have been evaluated, and the distribution, size and structure of its population have been measured according to IUCN 2006 Guidelines. Centaurea horrida is not able to self‐pollinate and its effective seed dispersal ability is limited. Its extent of occurrence is 172.43 km2 and its area of occupancy is 108 km2. Population size has been estimated at 11,719 adult individuals. Significant differences in adult densities among sites have been highlighted. The structure of the population is dominated by adult individuals (on average 68%), while the proportion of seedlings is only 7% on average. Its habitat underwent an extinction rate of 18% in 50 years. On the basis of the data gathered, the status to be assigned to C. horrida is that of “Endangered” (EN). This first attempt to evaluate the conservation status of a narrow endemic plant from the Sardinian‐Corsican biogeographic province allowed us to conclude that the management of rare species must be site‐specific and that there is urgent need to acquire detailed data on endangered species, especially within biodiversity hotspots, and to continuously update Annex II of the EU Habitat Directive and the IUCN Red List.