29/01/2021 09:37

New Paper: Goats eat emblematic but Critically Endangered species that was only described in 2007

Population decline in the Critically Endangered Musschia isambertoi (Campanulaceae) endemic to Desertas Islands (Madeira Archipelago) calls for urgent conservation management

Abstract:

Macaronesian islands display a high degree of plant endemicity and correspond to some of the most threatened biodiversity hotspots due to several human driven impacts such as habitat loss, invasive species, overexploitation or climate change. The conservation status of the largest of the two known population of Musschia isambertoi M. Seq., R. Jardim, Magda Silva and L. Carvalho (Campanulaceae) was assessed recently. Field work was done in June 2018 in “Porto das Moças” Deserta Grande (Madeira Archipelago, Portugal), the locus typicus, where in 2006 close to 30 plants were detected with a high variation of age/size between individuals comprising both fully flowering and non-flowering adult plants as well as seedlings, and thus corresponding to a healthy population. This study assesses population size, age and plant size, and genetic, as well as floristic diversity. The total area of the site corresponds to approximately 1500 square meters. Ten individuals were detected, all corresponding to young seedlings not exceeding 15 cm high, and exhibiting approximately the same size and numbers of leaves (4–8). No adult plants or remains of adult plants were seen. Ecological data and direct herbivory evidence suggest that perennial plants are subjected to elimination during the short summer by the feral goat population. Molecular data based on ISSR markers show that the nine sampled individuals (out of ten individuals found) are genetically identical, possibly resulting from one parental plant. Results clearly suggest that Musschia isambertoi is very close to extinction. Urgent conservation measures are imperative and should include the immediate fencing of the population followed by the elimination of feral goats from Deserta Grande. The elimination of feral goats was initiated in 1996 (LIFE95 NAT/P/000125, 383,467.00 €) but stopped due to inappropriate conservation policies of the former Services of the Natural Park of Madeira.

Keywords: Campanulaceae; Conservation; Goats; Invasive species; Islands

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2021.125955

 

—————

Back


Contact

Grupo de Botânica da Madeira


News

29/03/2024 09:17

New paper: The conservation impact of botanical drones: Documenting and collecting rare plants from vertical cliffs and other hard-to-reach areas

    Reference: Nyberg, B., Bairos, C., Brimhall, M., Deans, S.M., Hanser, S., Heintzman, S., Hillmann Kitalong, A., Menezes de Sequeira, M., Nobert, N., Rønsted, N., Soaladaob, N., Wood, K.R., & Williams, A.M. 2024. The conservation impact of botanical drones: Documenting and...

Read more

—————

22/07/2023 16:45

New paper: Contribution to the flora of the Selvagens archipelago (Portugal) (I)

Abstract: Plant specimens obtained by the authors from several expeditions to the Selvagens Islands (2004-2021), complemented by the study of herbarium specimens, led to the identification of several new species records for the Selvagens archipelago, namely the taxa currently considered as Canary...

Read more

—————

19/05/2023 16:13

Madeira: an Atlantic garden of rarities | 25th and 26th May 2023, University of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal

Read more

—————

04/03/2023 15:26

New Paper: 1,3 Ma Flower and seed fossils Erica from Madeira Island

  Description and systematic affinity of flower and seed fossils of Erica sect. Chlorocodon (Ericaceae) from the early Pleistocene of Madeira Island, Portugal   Góis-Marques, C.A., de Nascimento, L., Fernández-Palacios, J.M., Madeira, J., & Menezes de Sequeira, M. in press....

Read more

—————

28/01/2023 16:14

New Paper: Taxonomic and nomenclatural notes on Andryala glandulosa subsp. cheiranthifolia (Cichorieae, Asteraceae) from Madeira Island, Portugal

New paper by Mª Zita Ferreira (GBM), Inés Álvarez Fernández (RJBM) & Miguel Menezes de Sequeira (GBM). Andryala subglabrata (DC) M.Z.Ferreira, Alv.Fern. & M.Seq., stat. & comb. nov. & Andryala glandulosa L. Abstract: Currently two subspecies of Andryala glandulosa...

Read more

—————

08/11/2022 17:44

Celebrating Richard Thomas Lowe’s 220th birthday

O Grupo de Botânica da Madeira (Faculdade de Ciências da Vida, Universidade da Madeira) organizará de 2 a 4 de Dezembro 2022 um evento comemorativo dos 220 anos do nascimento de Richard Thomas Lowe. Este simpósio inicia-se com uma visita à Holy Trinity Church, no Funchal, e termina no dia 4 com a...

Read more

—————

29/01/2021 09:37

New Paper: Goats eat emblematic but Critically Endangered species that was only described in 2007

Population decline in the Critically Endangered Musschia isambertoi (Campanulaceae) endemic to Desertas Islands (Madeira Archipelago) calls for urgent conservation management Abstract: Macaronesian islands display a high degree of plant endemicity and correspond to some of the most threatened...

Read more

—————

01/02/2020 13:08

New paper in TAXON describes the oldest known carrot and the first evidence of Insular Woodiness

Tracing insular woodiness in giant Daucus (s.l.) fruit fossils from the Early Pleistocene of Madeira Island (Portugal) Link: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/tax.12175 Abstract: Plants on oceanic islands can evolve insular syndromes such as secondary woodiness, a generalized trend...

Read more

—————

17/11/2019 17:37

New Paper dealing with charcoalified wood from Faial Island

  New paper is out: Góis-Marques, C.A., Rubiales, J., de Nascimento, L., Menezes de Sequeira, M., Fernández-Palacios, J.M., Madeira, J., 2020. Oceanic Island forests buried by Holocene (Meghalayan) explosive eruptions: palaeobiodiversity in pre-anthropic volcanic charcoal from Faial...

Read more

—————

20/09/2019 14:46

New paper: Nomenclature and Typification of Names in the Ibero–North African Andryala arenaria (Asteraceae) and Taxonomic Implications

A new paper was published by our group, by Zita Ferreira, Inés Álvarez and Miguel Menezes de Sequeira, available here: novon.mobot.org/index.php/novon/article/view/297 Title: Nomenclature and Typification of Names in the Ibero–North African Andryala arenaria (Asteraceae) and Taxonomic...

Read more

—————