Conserving Bryodiversity at Global and National Level

INTRODUCTION
Why is bryophyte conservation needed?
The interest in conservation of bryophytes has increased significantly in the
last two decades .Today we recognie that bryophytes provide i!portant
ecosyste! services and we en"oy the e#istence of high bryodiversity for
ethical and aesthetical reasons.
$o!e bryophytes species do have a direct economical value% e.g. peat
!osses &Sphagnum' which cover large areas of northern he!isphere%
incl(ding northern )(rope% Canada and R(ssia. $everal species are val(able
d(e to their medicinal properties. $o!e have che!ical co!po(nds that are
active against certain cancer cell lines. Others have anti-bacterial, anti-
microbial, and anti-fungal activities. *ryophytes play an i!portant role in
natural ecosystem and are also essential for the s(stainability of h(!an
civiliation and society. The !ost obvio(s are the contrib(tion of bryophytes
to water recycling, biomass production and carbon fixing as well as
Carbon and Nitrogen cycling. They are also i!portant food items for
animals. In cold environ!ents where seed plants do not grow in ab(ndance%
bryophytes are the !ain staple food for reindeers% geese% d(c+s% sheep% !(s+
o#es % ,owever% bryophyte flora is contin(ally being i!poverished in !any
co(ntries today. - positive develop!ent% tho(gh% is that bryophyte species
are red listed also in !any co(ntries. The already p(blished national red lists
show that the rate of confir!ed e#tinction of bryophytes% in !ost cases%
ranges fro! ./01.
1
Conservation Measures
The level of protection afforded to areas containing bryophytes varies
considerably between continents and regions. 2or e#a!ple% whilst the
!a"ority of habitats rich in bryophyte species are protected in -(stralia% only
a very low percentage of the bryophyte habitats in The Netherlands and
Den!ar+ receive protection. In so!e parts of the world% local bryophyte
floras are conserved thro(gh the establish!ent of large national par+s and
nat(re reserves that are designed to protect large ani!als and flowering
plants. ,owever% bryophytes cannot always be e#pected to receive
protection beca(se an area which s(pports high vertebrate and flowering
plant diversity is established as a reserve3 the regions where bryophyte
diversity is highest do not always coincide with those of high vertebrate and
flowering plant diversity. 2or e#a!ple% the Ca!arg(e in 2rance and the
$erenget National 4ar+ in -frica do not s(pport very interesting bryophyte
floras.
mproving conservation measures
mpediments to conservation
I!pedi!ents affecting bryophytes in partic(lar% rather than organis!s in
general% fall (nder three headings.
!. "nrecognisability
On the part of the general p(blic% !ost !osses and liverworts are not
recognised as s(ch. There is% therefore% no discri!inating p(blic driving
force that can be specifically foc(sed on bryophyte conservation. On the part
of conservation wor+ers and s(pport scientists there is a lac+ of ta#ono!ic
e#pertise% a state slowly being changed by the provision of literat(re% t(ition
co(rses and heightened awareness3 b(t e#pertise is never li+ely to be
2
widespread% beca(se of the nat(re of the organis!s% their s!all sie and
often transient nat(re which i!pose li!its to recognisability co!parable to
those of !any invertebrates.
These are inherent proble!s that can probably never be solved b(t only% as
far as possible% circ(!vented3 for e#a!ple by the efficient (se of a s!all
n(!ber of specialists.
#. "n$nown ecology
The ecology of al!ost every species of bryophyte in -(stralia% and certainly
every rare or endangered species% is (n+nown and can only be con"ect(red%
at best% by a scr(tiny of the habitat. We +now nothing of their response to
fire% flood% dro(ght% or dist(rbance% nor to changes of light and h(!idity3
nothing of their longevity% reprod(ction% colonisation% powers of recovery
and spread. -s with al!ost all plants we do not +now why they die. 5ac+ of
+nowledge of basic responses !a+es their !anage!ent wildly haphaard. -
possible strategy to i!prove this position is proposed below.
%. &ubordinate role
With the probably sole e#ception of Sphagnum bogs and possibly also so!e
soil cr(sts% bryophytes occ(py a s(bordinate ecological role in their
co!!(nities. They can% therefore% be conserved only by conserving the
entire co!!(nity. *(t to p(t it in polarised ter!inology% it is obvio(sly
ad!inistratively and politically diffic(lt to conserve an otherwise worthless
co!!(nity for the sa+e of the worthwhile bryophytes within it. On the other
hand% if the !a"or botanical co!ponents of the co!!(nity are worth
conserving in their own right% it !ay be diffic(lt for the bryophytes not to be
given lower priority in any conservation plan.
3
In other words% bryophytes can only realistically be conserved by
conservation of the entire habitat% with a conco!itant awareness of their
significance as co!ponents of the conserved co!!(nity.
The conservation of endangered plants can be viewed as a five6step process7
8. Recording the distrib(tion of rare and declining ta#a.
.. -ssessing their pop(lation trends and e#tinction ris+s.
9. 4roposing conservation progra!!es.
0. )#ec(ting these progra!!es.
:. )val(ating the effectiveness of the progra!!es.
)leven species action plans have recently been prod(ced for bryophytes in
;reat *ritain &incl(ding one for Thamnobryum angustifolium'. In $weden% a
species action plan for Dichelyma capillaceum has also been recently
p(blished.
GL'B(L &)*()+*G, -'* .L(N) C'N&+*/()'N 0G&.C1
2ollowing the appearance of the *ryophyte Red Data *oo+ in .<<8
&Ch(rch et al., .<<8'% it beca!e clear that conservation of threatened
bryophytes wo(ld best be served by a !ore active syste! than co(ld be
achieved by a one6off boo+ p(blication. This has been atte!pted for vasc(lar
plants thro(gh the )hreatened .lant 2atabase .ro"ect% a co6operative
vent(re between the stat(tory nat(re conservation agencies% 4lant life and
the *otanical $ociety of the *ritish Isles. The idea was to create a =live>
database of records of threatened plants that co(ld be +ept (p6to6date% that
wo(ld contain infor!ation on the state of pop(lations of threatened species%
and that wo(ld service their conservation by infor!ing initiatives s(ch as the
U? *iodiversity -ction 4lan &*-4'. @(ch good wor+ was done d(ring the
co(rse of this pro"ect% and also !any val(able lessons learned. It was
4
considered that it was ti!e to do so!ething si!ilar for bryophytes% and
conseA(ently a three6year contract has been set (p with )nglish Nat(re%
$cottish Nat(ral ,eritage% the Co(ntryside Co(ncil for Wales% the Boint
Nat(re Conservation Co!!ittee% the *iological Records Centre &*RC' and
4lantlife to wor+ with the **$ to r(n a Threatened *ryophyte Database
0)B2B1.
(ims
It is intended to +eep (p6to6date% detailed records of target species% in order
to trac+ the condition of their pop(lations% and so infor! conservation
action. The ai!s of the pro"ect are7
to collate detailed records of target species &incl(ding pop(lation
infor!ation' on a database3
to incorporate records fro! recent and ongoing s(rvey wor+ &e.g.
arable bryophytes pro"ect% 4lant life conservation and s(rvey
progra!!es'3
to feed infor!ation to U? *-4 lead partners and conservation
agencies3
to infor! conservation progra!!es3
to provide infor!ation fro! conservation progra!!es to bryologists
and receive their reco!!endations and other inp(t3
to co6ordinate a networ+ of bryologists to cover the !ost threatened
species &=@oss @inders>' and other selected species &see below'3
to obtain infor!ation fro! bryophyte research affecting threatened
species &ta#ono!ic changes etc.' and get it into the conservation
co!!(nity A(ic+ly3
5
to constr(ct as co!prehensive a bibliography as possible for each
target species3
to (pdate the dot6distrib(tion !aps presented in the -tlas of the
bryophytes of *ritain and Ireland &,ill et al., 8CC8% 8CC.% 8CC0'3
however% the T*D* pro"ect only covers )ngland% $cotland and Wales
&not Ireland'.
The database will also be a (sef(l reso(rce for the prod(ction of bryophyte
floras and st(dies on pop(lation dyna!ics and ecology.
The target species for the database are essentially all those species identified
as being =of conservation concern>. These incl(de Red Data 5ist species
&i.e.Critically)ndangered CR% )ndangered )N% D(lnerable DU% )#tinct )E'%
Data Deficient species &DD'% species "(st !issing o(t on Red 5ist stat(s
&Near Threatened NT'% and species listed in legislation &$ched(le F of the
Wildlife and Co(ntryside -ct &WC-'% U? *-4 priority species% -nne# II of
the )U ,abitats Directive &,D' and -ppendi# I of the *ern Convention
&*C''. The raw !aterial for the T*D* is the database (sed to prod(ce
the Red Data *oo+.
$o!e e#a!ples of critically endangered species &CR' are7
Bryum mamillatum, Cephaloziella dentate
)ndangered species &)N'7
Atrichum angustatum, Ceratodon conicus, Hypnum revolutum, Tortulla
leucostoma
D(nerable species &DU' 7
Andreaea frigida, Anomodon longifolius ,Bryum calophyllum, Dumortiera
hirsuta, iccia bifurca
6
)#tinct species &)E'7
!rimmia anodon, "rthotrichum gymnostomum
In -pril .<<.% at si#th Conference of 4arties of Convention on *iological
Diversity &C*D' it was decided to halt biodiversity loss. It was planned to
achieve atleast one of the 8G targets by .<8<. The !ain targets are7
- significant red(ction of c(rrent rate of biodiversity loss at regional
and national levels.
To !a+e an assess!ent of conservation of all +nown plant species at
national% regional and international levels.
These targets are e#tre!ely challenging it was given that there are .<%<<<
bryophytes in the world. ,ence% IUCN incl(ded a f(ll set of data based on
IUCN Red 5ist Categories.
The three !ain proble!s the IUCN gro(p enco(ntered are7
?nowledge abo(t act(al distrib(tion of species.
The person +nowing bryophytes are few.
The f(nding is li!ited.
*ryophyte conservation needs national and international s(pport and the
acceptance that they cannot always be protected within the nat(re par+s.
C'N&+*/()'N (C)/)+&
Conservation activities can involve in situ and e# situ co!ponents. 4(t
si!ply% in situ conservation is the preservation of species within their nat(ral
7
habitats and e# situ conservation is the preservation of species o(tside of that
habitat.
in situ Conservation3
*+&)'*()'N +C'L'G,
When habitats have been destroyed to s(ch e#tent that they cannot recover
by the!selves restoration activities are necessary.
It is the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosyste! that has been
da!aged% degraded or destroyed.
H 2orests where globally threatened species still occ(r !(st be legally
protected.
H 4rotected areas sho(ld incl(de a b(ffer one.
H $ilvic(lt(re or partial ti!ber e#ploitation or both sho(ld be prohibited% or
be cond(cted (sing an approach that is sensitive to the environ!ent.
H 2orestry activities sho(ld be !ini!ised in areas of oldgrowth forest.
H The logging of old trees in woodland sho(ld occ(r at a !ore s(stainable
level than at present.
H 2elling sho(ld be prevented or severely li!ited in all sites where
endangered bryophytes occ(r.
H 4lanting and pollarding of trees co(ld be considered to provide s(itable
host trees for the f(t(re.
ex situ Conservation3
Ideally% e# situ conservation !eas(res sho(ld only be (nderta+en as a last
resort% when there is no possibility for in situ protection.
8
$ %# situ conservation !(st never be regarded as an e#c(se to destroy
nat(rally6occ(rring in situ pop(lations.
H $peci!en collection for e# situ activities !(st ta+e place with the f(ll
per!ission and involve!ent of all relevant govern!ent agencies of the
recipient and host co(ntry.
H The collection of individ(als for e# situ conservation !(st not endanger
the wild so(rce pop(lation. It is i!portant to (se the s!allest possible
a!o(nt of plant !aterial% and to never collect the last sa!ple of any
speci!en of any pop(lation.
The i!portance and (se of e# situ techniA(es in conservation has increased
over the past decade% with the establish!ent of large pro"ects s(ch as the
@illenni(! $eed *an+ in the U.?.
!. C'LL+C)'N '- M()+*(L
Collection of !aterial for the pro"ect is only (nderta+en by a(thorised
individ(als and after cons(ltation with the appropriate conservation agency
andIor biodiversity action plan lead partners. Three protocols have been
prod(ced and circ(lated for the collection of
a' desiccation tolerant !osses%
b' desiccation intolerant !osses and leafy liverworts and
c' thalloid liverworts and hornworts.
#. N)()'N N)' C"L)"*+
*ryophytes are grown in a#enic c(lt(re &witho(t f(ngal% algal and bacterial
conta!inants' in the e# situ collection. -ltho(gh artificial% a#enic c(lt(re
provides a !ore (nifor! and sec(re !ethod of !aintaining plants in a tiss(e
c(lt(re collection.

9
%. C*,'.*+&+*/()'N
The e# situ pro"ect ai!s to provide long6ter! basal storage of rare bryophyte
!aterial for (se in f(t(re conservation progra!!es. @aterial that is
contin(ally s(b6c(lt(red &as is necessary to !aintain a tiss(e c(lt(re
collection' is li+ely to beco!e adapted to growing in c(lt(re conditions over
ti!e and thereby lose genetic diversity. This is partic(larly proble!atic for
!aterial retained for conservation p(rposes where reintrod(ction is a
possible long6ter! ob"ective. Cryopreservation is the storage of living
!aterial at 68CG
O
C in liA(id nitrogen and has been (sed s(ccessf(lly for the
long6ter! storage of !any different plants.
N2(N &)*()+*G, -'* C'N&+*/()'N
India% a !egadiverse nation% is one of the richest nations in ter!s of
biological diversity. India owes this to its position in the tropical and
s(btropical latit(des.
India has a great diversity of nat(ral ecosyste!s ranging fro! the cold and
high ,i!alayan regions to the sea coasts3 fro! the wet north6eastern green
forests to the dry northwestern arid deserts3 with different types of forests%
wetlands% islands and the oceans. India consists of fertile river plains and
high platea(s and several !a"or rivers% incl(ding the ;anges% *rah!ap(tra
and Ind(s. The diverse physical feat(res and cli!atic sit(ations have for!ed
ecological habitats li+e forests% grasslands% wetlands% coastal and !arine
ecosyste!s and desert ecosyste!s% which harbo(r and s(stain i!!ense
biodiversity. The co(ntry is also one of the 8. pri!ary centers of origin of
c(ltivated plants and do!esticated ani!als.
10
The )arth $(!!it prod(ced a plan of action on a n(!ber of iss(es &-genda
.8' incl(ding conservation of biodiversity d(ring the .8st cent(ry.
Conservation and s(stainable (se of biological reso(rces based on local
+nowledge syste!s and practices is ingrained in Indian ethos. The co(ntry
has a n(!ber of alternative !edicines% li+e Ayurveda% &nani% Siddha and
,o!eopathic syste!s which are predo!inantly based on plant based raw
!aterials in !ost of their preparations and for!(lations. ,erbal preparations
for vario(s p(rposes incl(ding phar!ace(tical and cos!etic for! part of
traditional biodiversity (ses in India.
$everal strategies for conservation are7
!. L+G&L()'N
2or!al policies and progra!!es for conservation and s(stainable (tiliation
of biodiversity reso(rces date bac+ to several decades.
@a"or central acts relevant to biodiversity incl(de7
)nviron!ent 4rotection -ct% 8CFG
2orest -ct% 8C.J
2orest &Conservation' -ct% 8CF<
Wildlife &4rotection' -ct % 8CJ.
Wildlife &4rotection' -!end!ent -ct % 8CC8
11
#. in situ C'N&+*/()'N
Conserving the ani!als and plants in their nat(ral habitats is +nown as in
situ conservation. The established nat(ral habitats are7
National par+s and sanct(aries
*iosphere reserves
Nat(re reserves
Reserved and protected forests
4reservation plots
Reserved forests
-ppro#i!ately% 0.. 1 of the total geographical area of the co(ntry has been
re!ar+ed for e#tensive in situ conservation of habitats and ecosyste!s. -
protected area networ+ of F: national par+s and 00F wildlife sanct(aries has
been created.
%. ex situ C'N&+*/()'N
ex situ conservation of plants and ani!als preserve or protect the! away
fro! their nat(ral habitat. This co(ld be in oological par+s and botanical
gardens or thro(gh the forestry instit(tions and agric(lt(ral research centers.
- lot of effort is (nder way to collect and preserve the genetic !aterial of
crops% ani!al% bird and fish species. This wor+ is being done by instit(tions
s(ch as the National *(rea( of 4lant ;enetic Reso(rces% New Delhi% the
National *(rea( of -ni!al ;enetic Reso(rces% etc. Reintrod(ction of an
ani!al or plant into the habitat fro! where it has beco!e e#tinct is another
12
for! of e# situ conservation. $eed ban+s% botanical% hortic(lt(ral and
recreational gardens are i!portant centers for e# situ conservation. e# situ
conservation !eas(res co!ple!ent in situ conservation.
4. *+C'*2NG N2G+N'"& 5N'6L+2G+
The lives of local co!!(nities are closely interwoven with their
environ!ent% and are dependent (pon their i!!ediate reso(rces for !eeting
their needs. These co!!(nities have a vast +nowledge abo(t local flora and
fa(na which is very i!portant. @(ch of this +nowledge is orally passed on
fro! generation to generation. $(ch indigeno(s +nowledge needs to be
recorded and preserved before it is lost. $everal organiations have
recognied this and are wor+ing to record the +nowledge and preserve it for
posterity.
*ole of Communities in Biodiversity conservation
4rotecting the environ!ent is everyone>s responsibility. There is an
increased awareness a!ong the people towards the conservation of
ecologically sensitive areas. There are !any conservation !ove!ents and
initiative in India% which have saved the precio(s nat(ral reso(rces. Despite
all threats% diversity of the species and diversity within the species still
contin(e to s(rvive. Their contin(ed e#istence is d(e to far!ers and other
co!!(nities living within the forest. Their c(lt(ral practices and +nowledge
syste!s have helped n(rt(re biodiversity.
Nat(re worship is a tribal belief based on the pre!ise that all creations of
nat(re have to be protected. $(ch beliefs have helped preserve several virgin
forests in pristine for! called $acred ;roves &the forests of ;od and
;oddesses'. These patches of forest or parts of large forests have been left
13
(nto(ched by the local people and any interference with the! is banned. The
practice dates bac+ to abo(t 9<<< to :<<< *.C. Indian society co!prises of
several c(lt(res% each with its own set of traditional !ethods of conserving
nat(re and its creations.
Green ndia Mission
The National @ission for a ;reen India% recently anno(nced by the 4ri!e
@inister% is one of the eight National @issions (nder India>s National -ction
4lan on Cli!ate Change. Its !a"or foc(s is to increase cover and density of
India>s !edi(! density forests and degraded forests. This !ission will have
reperc(ssions for livelihoods of people and biodiversity.
KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
14