Sonia Herrando Moraira

1 st Aim: Collection as a risk factor

Abusive collection arises as one of the major threats to Catalan flora with medical interest. Some of them are

threatened, declining or endemic, and require some protection or conservation (Sáez et al., 2010).

The objectives of this study aim to learn about endemic and threatened medicinal species of Catalonia:

Viability population analyses (PVA) emerged as key tool for management and conservation of protected species (Akçakaya et al.,

2004; Morris & Doak, 2002). PVA provide data for sustainable harvesting of species with medical interest.

The objective is:

1 Evaluate to what extent collection activities threat to plant species with medical interest.

Obtain two lists of species (endemic and threatened) to prioritize conservation measurements.

22

33

Determine which physiographic regions of Catalonia have most of these species.

INTRODUCTION and objectives

Ramonda myconi

- Catalonia subendemic from Catalonia

- Collected locally for medicinal use

- Data from Picó & Riba (2002)

- Population data analyzed in Cerdanya

Prunus lusitanica

- Threatened (Vulnerable)

- Not currently collected, but with medicinal potential

- Data from Calleja (2012) and pers. com.

- Population data analyzed in Arbúcies (Girona)

Study the potential demographic effects of harvesting in two populations of two species:

Material and methods

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4 th Aim : Study the potential demographic effects of harvesting in Ramonda myconi

1 st Aim: performing a pondered analysis of the main threats to these species.

3 rd Aim: using 8 criteria (with different relevance levels) to prioritize species conservation.

1. Taxon rarity in Catalonia

2. Taxon presence in Catalonia/Spain

3. Biogeographic interest

4. Habitat fragility

5. IUCN Category

6. Legal protection

7. Risk factor

8. Plant part used

2 nd Aim: sum of the number of species present in each physiographic region.

References

Endemic

medicinal plants

Threatened

medicinal plants

Criteria:

Priority taxa:

- High

- Medium

- Moderate

Priority taxa:

- High

- Medium

- Moderate

Interesting

conservation

plants

4

K45

Seedlings Juveniles Adults 1 Adults 2 Adults 3

S11 S22 S33 S44 S55

G21 G32 G43 G54

F15

F14

F13

K12 K23 K34

K35K24

K25

G53

Seedlings Juveniles Adults

S2 S1

G2 G3

F1

R1

New

Clone

Clonal

Bank

S3

F2a

F1a

G4

G5

Se

xu

al

rep

rod

uct

ion

Ase

xu

al

rep

rod

uct

ion

4 th Aim: Lefkovitch matrix (Lefkovitch, 1965) has been used, specifically a

discrete stochastic matrix model with combined features of the logistic

model.

Parameters which increase with the collection

Parameters which decrease with the collection

Figure 1. Life-cycle graph of Ramonda myconi (1.a) and Prunus lusitanica (1.b). Circles refer to different plant stages and arrows show the transitions among stages which are

also indicated by letters with subscripts. The transitions are: fecundity expressed as the mean number of seedlings produced per stage (Fi), growth to larger categories (Gi),

survival in the same category (Si) and retrogression categories (Ki). Red arrows indicate the parameters negatively affected by harvesting, and green ones show a positve effect.

endemic and Threatened medicinal plants

in North-Eastern Iberian Peninsula:

Final Grade Project. June 2013. Sonia Herrando Moraira

Fig. 1.a Fig. 1.b

Potencial effects of harvesting in two populations

of Ramonda myconi and Prunus lusitanicaand Prioritization for species conservation

1 Aim: Collection as a risk factor

conclusions• Quantitative assessments of species in a specific geographical area are a useful tool to prioritize and focus efforts.

• In Catalonia, the use of endemic or threatened plants as medicinal is very low.

• Matrix modeling without enough data might be inappropriate for PVA analysis under harvesting pressures. However,

modeling may yields theoretical basis to apply to collected species. This would be very useful and could be used to

promote sustainable collection of wild species.

4 th Aim : Study the potential demographic effects of harvesting in Ramonda myconi

2 nd Aim: Prioritary physiographic areas for conservation

Figure 2. Pie chart showing the risk factors and the percentage (%) of the endemic (2.a) and threatened (2.b) medicinal plants.

LIMITATIONS

References:.

Cc

Cn

Cs

S

OAe

Aw

R

Pc

Pe

PpcPpe

Cc

Cn

Cs

S

OAe

Aw

R

Pc

Pe

PpcPpe

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

1

2

3

4

5

Figure 3. Representation of physiographic areas in Catalonia and their richness of endemic (3.a) and threatened (3.b) medicinal species.

Endemic medicinal species richness Threatened medicinal species richness

The the eastern Pre-Pyrenees (Ppe) home most of the endemic medicinal species (Figure 3.a), since endemicity is

generally associated with the mountainous component. The presence of five threatened medicinal species in the

regions of central Pyrenees (Pc) and in the “Territori Catalanídic Sud” (Cs) stand out (Figure 3.b). As a general

pattern, endangered species richness is higher in coastal areas where habitat destruction is fairly common.

Habitat destruction stands out

as the major threat for both

groups of species (Figure 2).

Collection arises as the second

risk factor for endemic species.

However, it does not affect

endangered species since its

exploitation is not profitable.

0,85

0,9

0,95

1

1,05

1,1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

10

0

Po

pu

lati

on

gro

wth

ra

te (

λ)

Collection intensity (%)

Population growth

rate (λ)

Upper standard

deviation

Lower standard

deviation

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Av

era

ge

nu

mb

er

of

ind

ivid

ua

ls

Collection intensity (%)

Seedlings New Clon Clonal Bank

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

10

0

Av

era

ge

nu

mb

er

of

ind

ivid

ua

ls

Collection intensity (%)

Juveniles Adults

46%

24%

10%

6%

6%6%

2%

60%28%

9%

3%

4 th Aim : Study the potential demographic effects of harvesting in Prunus lusitanica

The categories “Juveniles”, “Adults” and “Seedlings” decrease significantly the average number of individuals as

increased harvesting intensity, but as shown in Figure 5, the "New clon" and "Clonal Bank" increase. Collection, and

other external factors, promote sprouting. Moreover, the potential harvesting of Prunus lusitanica, resulting in a

genetic impoverishment of the population. Prunus lusitanica can ensure its persistence through asexual reproduction.

Figure 4. Fluctuations of the finite rate of population growth (λ) according

to the collecting intensity of Ramonda myconi in percentage (%). The λ is

the average of 100 years, of 100 random replications of the model.

• More precise methods and data are needed to calculate k.

• Relationships between environmental factors or anthropogenic factors, mortality or population growth should be studied.

• Harvesting could affect more stages than those detected (“Adults 3" in Ramonda myconi, and "Adults" in Prunus lusitanica).

• Once collection/harvesting is taking place, demographic parameters might be different and change in time (for example,

probabilities to pass from "Adult 3" to the others stages).

• Changes (in %) of the demographic parameters affected by the collection may not be directly proportional

to the intensity of harvesting activities.

• More demographic data of these species are needed to test or calibrate the validity of the model.

The negative impact on λ would appear under

higher collecting intensities, at 70% (Figure 4).

Two factor might explain this result: i) The design

of the conceptual model, which considers only

one collected class ("Adults 3”); ii) The longevity

of Ramonda myconi. Adults may live for decades

(Pico & Riba, 2002), so model projections should

go beyond 100 years to evaluate the effects of

harvesting on population dynamics.

Figure 5. Fluctuations in the average number of individuals of Prunus lusitanica of each age classes according to the collecting intensity (%). The

number of individuals is the average of 100 years, of 100 random replications of the model.

This study was greatly realized by data by Llorenç Sáez, Juan Antonio Calleja and Miquel Riba.

Fig. 2.a Fig. 2.b

Fig. 3.a Fig. 3.b

Fig. 5.aFig. 5.b

Akçakaya, H.R., Brugman, M., Kindvall, O., Wood, C.C., Sjögrenglueve, P., Hatfield, J.S., & MacCarthy, M.A.E. (2004). Species Conservation and Managment: Case Studies. Oxford University Press, Nova York.

Calleja Alarcón, J.A. (2012). Tamaños poblacionales y regeneración de Prunus lusitanica L. en el noreste de la Península Ibérica. Orsis, 21 - 35.

Morris, W.F. & Doak, D.F. (2002). Quantitative Conservation Biology. Theory and Practice of Population Viability Analysis. Sinauer, Sunderland, Massachusetts.Picó, F.X. & Riba, M. (2002). Regional-scale demography of Ramonda myconi: Remnant population dynamics in a preglacial relict species. Plant Ecology, 161, 1-13.

Sáez, L., Aymerich, P., & Blanché, C. (2010). Llibre Vermell de les plantes vasculars endèmiques i amenaçades de Catalunya. Argania edito, Barcelona.

Acknowledgements