Arabis kennedyae

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
PLANTAE	TRACHEOPHYTA	MAGNOLIOPSIDA	CAPPARALES	CRUCIFERAE

Scientific Name:

Arabis kennedyae

Species Authority:

Meikle

Common Name/s:

English

–

Troodos Rockcress

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Critically Endangered B1ab(iii)c(iv)+2ab(iii)c(iv);C2a(i) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2006

Assessor/s:

Kadis, C. & Christodoulou, C.S.

Reviewer/s:

Strahm, W. & de Montmollin, B. (Mediterranean Island Plants Red List Authority)

Justification:
The area and quality of the habitat of this species is in decline, the number of plants fluctuate widely in number, and the remaining tiny population is very fragmented. Together the three known subpopulations only encompass about 100 individuals and cover an area of less than 2 km².

History:

1997

–

Endangered (Walter and Gillett 1998)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This plant grows from 900-1,350 m altitude on the island of Cyprus on the Tripylos Mountain in the Troodos range.
Countries:	Native: Cyprus
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The three known subpopulations only encompass about 100 individuals.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This annual or biennial herb colonizes rocky slopes. The species is found in semi-shaded, rocky streamside areas dominated by Golden Oak (Quercus alnifolia) and Calabrian Pine (Pinus brutia). It probably depends on the weather conditions whether this plant lives one or two years. In wetter years the plant can survive the summer drought period. The seeds are dispersed either by wind or by floating along water currents. Since this species is annual or sometimes biennial, the number of individuals fluctuates widely from year to year depending on environmental and climatic conditions. These fluctuations make population monitoring difficult.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

This annual or biennial herb colonizes rocky slopes. The species is found in semi-shaded, rocky streamside areas dominated by Golden Oak (Quercus alnifolia) and Calabrian Pine (Pinus brutia).

It probably depends on the weather conditions whether this plant lives one or two years. In wetter years the plant can survive the summer drought period. The seeds are dispersed either by wind or by floating along water currents. Since this species is annual or sometimes biennial, the number of individuals fluctuates widely from year to year depending on environmental and climatic conditions. These fluctuations make population monitoring difficult.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	One of the subpopulations is subject to human pressures resulting in habitat destruction. A picnic site is located near this site and military exercises often take place within and around this area. A. kennedyae is potentially threatened by road construction or widening. Forest fires are also a threat. Contrary to other annual species in this habitat, its seeds are neither hard-shelled nor heat resistant, so fire could negatively affect the soil seedbank.

Major Threat(s):

One of the subpopulations is subject to human pressures resulting in habitat destruction. A picnic site is located near this site and military exercises often take place within and around this area.

A. kennedyae is potentially threatened by road construction or widening. Forest fires are also a threat. Contrary to other annual species in this habitat, its seeds are neither hard-shelled nor heat resistant, so fire could negatively affect the soil seedbank.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Actions in Place Legally: This species is protected by the Bern Convention where it is listed in Appendix I. Based on the results of a Life Third Countries Project, Arabis kennedyae has also been included as a priority species in Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive. Moreover, it is included in the Red Data Book for the threatened plants of Cyprus, to be published by the Government of Cyprus in 2005. In situ: The entire population of this species occurs in Troodos National Forest Park and Pafos State Forest, which have been proposed by the Life Third Countries project as Sites of Community Interest (SCI) and Special Protection Areas (SPA) in the Natura 2000 Network. Any future construction projects or military exercises will have to consider the presence of this species. Tripylos Mountain, where one subpopulation occurs, is already a Nature Reserve where species protection laws are enforced. Ex situ: Seeds were collected from cultivated plants at the University of Athens in 1994. They are stored in the seed bank of the Department of Botany at the University of Athens. Actions Needed Although the entire population occurs within the Troodos National Forest Park, only one subpopulation grows in a Nature Reserve. The areas where the two other subpopulations occur need to be declared as Nature Reserves by the Cyprus Council of Ministers. According to Cyprus Forest Law, flora and fauna is totally protected within a Nature Reserve. Complementing the current legal protection of this species by Forest Law would help because A. kennedyae would then be prioritized in forest management plans.

Conservation Actions:

Actions in Place
Legally: This species is protected by the Bern Convention where it is listed in Appendix I. Based on the results of a Life Third Countries Project, Arabis kennedyae has also been included as a priority species in Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive. Moreover, it is included in the Red Data Book for the threatened plants of Cyprus, to be published by the Government of Cyprus in 2005.

In situ: The entire population of this species occurs in Troodos National Forest Park and Pafos State Forest, which have been proposed by the Life Third Countries project as Sites of Community Interest (SCI) and Special Protection Areas (SPA) in the Natura 2000 Network. Any future construction projects or military exercises will have to consider the presence of this species. Tripylos Mountain, where one subpopulation occurs, is already a Nature Reserve where species protection laws are enforced.

Ex situ: Seeds were collected from cultivated plants at the University of Athens in 1994. They are stored in the seed bank of the Department of Botany at the University of Athens.

Actions Needed
Although the entire population occurs within the Troodos National Forest Park, only one subpopulation grows in a Nature Reserve. The areas where the two other subpopulations occur need to be declared as Nature Reserves by the Cyprus Council of Ministers. According to Cyprus Forest Law, flora and fauna is totally protected within a Nature Reserve. Complementing the current legal protection of this species by Forest Law would help because A. kennedyae would then be prioritized in forest management plans.

Citation:	Kadis, C. & Christodoulou, C.S. 2006. Arabis kennedyae. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 May 2012.
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