Rare plant translocation between mineral islands in Biebrza Valley (northeastern Poland): effectiveness and recipient site selection

Translocation gains importance as a conservation approach of choice for imperiled plant species whose habitat is rapidly disappearing. To be successful, translocation must be done into a location that has optimal conditions for the species, but determining these conditions can be difficult for species with poorly known historic distribution. Unfortunately, most endangered plant species, including those requiring immediate action, have poorly documented historic ranges. In this study, we show, using the threatened rhizomatous Iris atrofusca, that the determination of suitable locations should be done experimentally over multiple locations, and the evidence for the success of translocation comes not just from the establishment of the planted individuals or their reproduction, but, more importantly, from the appearance, establishment and reproduction of recruits. Although 12 years after introduction, 2 of the 22 populations went extinct and the number of survived plants was below 10% in 12 populations, 4 established recruits were detected outside the planted areas in that year and another 48 individuals 2 years later. We conclude that locations in the immediate vicinity of recruits should be used for actual translocation. We also report, after analyzing the effect of four environmental variables on I. atrofusca performance across experimental microsites, the most favorable set of topographic and soil parameters for this species, namely deep soil having few rock fragments and minor slope steepness. Microsites with these parameters should be the preferred locations for I. atrofusca introduction. Overall, our study demonstrates the importance of (1) experiments preceding actual translocation and (2) long-term monitoring for translocation projects.

Section: Study Species and Translocation Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Translocation success in Iris atrofusca: importance of replicating sites and long‐term monitoring

Volis

Blecher

2021

“…Several studies and reviews have shown that species with highly restricted ranges are disproportionately at risk of extinction (Mace et al ; Pimm et al ), particularly if there are other threats such as habitat loss (Schemske et al ; Brooks et al ; Mace et al ; Brummitt et al ). Restoration of rare species populations is considered to be an appropriate response to counter such threats, but requires a careful, evidence‐based, and information‐driven approach (Brzosko et al ). The approximately 300 km 2 range of the narrow vulnerable endemic leaf succulent species Juttadinteria albata (L. Bolus) L. Bolus (Mesembryanthemaceae) is centered on the Sendelingsdrif Diamond Mine on the Namibian bank of the lower Orange River (Loots ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given the risks of failure associated with restoration in general and with arid land restoration specifically (Aronson et al ), it is important to approach such an initiative with caution. As is the case with reintroduction of plant species anywhere (Dalrymple et al ; Brzosko et al ), particularly for species with highly restricted ranges, the optimization of habitat conditions after mining is likely to be key to success. Previous unpublished studies defined both the geographic range of J. albata (Burke ) and general landscape categories in the study area (Fortuin ), but the species' specific habitat preferences and relationships with key environmental variables were unknown.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Field surveys and revegetation experiments show that simulation of topographical habitat features could improve the chances of successful restoration for the threatened succulent Juttadinteria albata

Nauyoma

Wassenaar

Mfune

et al. 2019

Species with highly restricted ranges are disproportionately at risk of extinction, particularly where habitat loss occurs as a result of mining. Postmining restoration of rare species populations is considered as an appropriate response to counter such threats, but requires a careful, evidence-based, and information-driven approach. The economically important diamond mining at Sendelingsdrif in the southern Namib Desert occurs in the highly diverse Succulent Karoo Biome and threatens a significant part of the population of the narrow endemic succulent plant species Juttadinteria albata. To decrease the inherent risks of restoring such a rare species, we studied the habitat features of premining J. albata populations and experimentally tested whether some features could assist future reintroductions in postmining substrates. Plots where J. albata occurred were mostly south-to west-facing and had among others higher rock cover and steeper slopes than plots where J. albata plants were absent. A revegetation experiment, with J. albata cuttings that were established on postmining substrate mounds, revealed that plants on steeper slopes, facing south to west, grew faster than plants on other slopes and aspects. Slope and aspect are therefore important habitat properties to recreate when restoring J. albata populations. These, and other preferred habitat properties such as higher levels of organic C, should now be tested in larger-scale field trials. Validation of habitat requirements of J. albata through the revegetation experiment has decreased the risks at least partially and provides additional empirical evidence of the importance of establishing reference conditions to enhance ecological restoration. Implications for Practice• Field surveys of habitat preferences and subsequent experimental results suggest that Juttadinteria albata should be transplanted (or seeded) onto south-southwest or west-facing steep (>20 ∘ ) slopes during ecological restoration. • Other features that proved to explain variation in species occurrence in nature, such as rock cover and organic carbon levels, could theoretically further improve chances of successful establishment. This should be tested at appropriate scales to better understand the mechanisms involved. • Our study has reinforced the general principle of establishing reference conditions in advance, and testing the application of these in a systematic experiment to facilitate effective ecological restoration.

“…Restoration of endangered orchids through transplantation is becoming increasingly common in biological conservation (Godefroid et al 2011;Brzosko et al 2018). However, assessments of restoration success are rare despite their usefulness in species conservation (Brzosko et al 2018). Restoration is successful if a reproductive, self-sustaining population forms (Gale 2007;Reiter et al 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To achieve this, the location selected for restoration must exhibit the ecological properties required by a given target species (Akeroyd & Wyse Jackson ; Jusaitis ; Seddon et al ). Few studies have directly investigated the environmental conditions prior to site selection, and existing research on this topic typically includes only a limited number of factors (Reiter et al ; Brzosko et al ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamics and viability analysis of transplanted and natural lady's slipper (Cypripedium japonicum) populations under habitat management in South Korea

Cho

Kim

Koo

et al. 2018

To assess the effectiveness of conservation‐based transplantation of the endangered orchid (Cypripedium japonicum), we compared the morphology, physiology, stem‐count change, and population viability of natural versus transplanted populations undergoing habitat management (repeated removal of competing understory vegetation) between 2009 and 2015 in South Korea. The restored site had lower transmitted light and soil humidity than the natural site. The natural and transplanted populations differed in leaf morphology and total chlorophyll content (natural: 1.00 ± 0.04, restored: 0.53 ± 0.06). No recruitment occurred during the monitoring period. Population viability tended to decrease in the restored population (λG = 0.97, μ = −0.05, σ2 = 0.036) and increase in the natural population (λG = 1.07, μ = 0.03, σ2 = 0.075). The repeated removal of competing understory vegetation had different effects on leaf traits, abundance, and reproductive properties of the endangered orchids in both populations. Notably, habitat management increased the stem count and flowering rate in natural C. japonicum but did not increase the fruit‐setting rate. Thus, despite repeated habitat management efforts (removal of competing understory vegetation), we conclude that the population viability of transplanted populations of the endangered orchid C. japonicum had poor long‐term viability compared with naturally occurring populations, a difference that is mainly attributed to inappropriate transplant‐site selection.