Regional Red List assessment of tree species in upper montane forests of the Tropical Andes

Tejedor Garavito, Natalia, Newton, Adrian C. and Oldfield, Sara (2015) Regional Red List assessment of tree species in upper montane forests of the Tropical Andes. Oryx, 49 (3), 397-409. (doi:10.1017/S0030605315000198).

Abstract

The Tropical Andes are characterized by a high level of endemism and plant species richness but are under pressure from human activities. We present the first regional conservation assessment of upper montane tree species in this region. We identified 3,750 tree species as occurring in this region, of which 917 were excluded because of a lack of data on their distribution. We identified a subset of 129 taxa that were restricted to higher elevations (> 1,500 m) but occurred in more than one country, thus excluding local endemics evaluated in previous national assessments. Distribution maps were created for each of these selected species, and extinction risk was assessed according to the IUCN Red List categories and criteria (version 3.1), drawing on expert knowledge elicited from a regional network of specialists. We assessed one species, Polylepis microphylla, as Critically Endangered, 47 species as Endangered and 28 as Vulnerable. Overall, 60% of the species evaluated were categorized as threatened, or 73% if national endemics are included. It is recommended that extinction risk assessments for tree species be used to inform the development of conservation strategies in the region, to avoid further loss of this important element of biodiversity.

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Contributors

Author: Natalia Tejedor Garavito

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