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Sorbus maderensis

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family
PLANTAE TRACHEOPHYTA MAGNOLIOPSIDA ROSALES ROSACEAE

Scientific Name: Sorbus maderensis
Species Authority: Dode

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria: Critically Endangered D ver 3.1
Year Published: 2011
Assessor/s: Carvalho, J.A.
Reviewer/s: Fernandes, F. & Bilz, M.
Contributor/s:
Justification:
Sorbus maderensis is endemic to Madeira where it is found at two localities with an extent of occurrence of 194 km². The main threats to the species are infrastructure development, predation by rats, trampling, fires, collection, droughts and temperature extremes. A fire took place in summer 2010 in the Central Mountain Massif which could have destroyed several of the individuals of which only less than 50 were known in the first place. The species is therefore classed as Critically Endangered.
History:
1998 – Critically Endangered (Oldfield et al. 1998)
1998 – Critically Endangered
1997 – Endangered (Walter and Gillett 1998)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description: This plant is endemic to Madeira where it is found at two localities at an altitude from 1,500 to 1,750 m asl (Fernandes et al. in: Martín et al. 2008). Its extent of occurrence is 194 km² (Commission of the European Communities 2009).
Countries:
Native:
Portugal (Madeira)
Range Map: Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population: The population was stable but counts less than 50 mature individuals (Fernandes et al. in: Martín et al. 2008). The main range of this species is at high altitudes in the Central Mountain Massif which was subject to a major fire rage in summer 2010 which could have badly affected this species.
Population Trend: Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology: Sorbus maderensis is a small tree that grows in high altitude heathland (Fernandes et al. in: Martín et al. 2008). It forms part of the Habitats Directive listed habitat 4050 "Endemic Macaronesian heaths" (Commission of the European Communities 2009).
Systems: Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s): Infrastructure development has been described as a main threat together with predation by rats, trampling, fires and collection. This plant is also susceptible to natural factors such as droughts and temperature extremes (Fernandes et al. in: Martín et al. 2008). A fire might have destroyed several individuals in summer 2010, fieldwork to understand the extent of damage is underway.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions: Sorbus maderensis is listed on Annex IV of the Habitats Directive.
Conservation actions that are urgently needed include species recovery and reintroduction programmes, control of the threats such as predation by rats, and raising public awareness. Further studies on its biology and ecology, population dynamics, taxonomy, habitat trends and conservation action impacts should be carried out (Fernandes et al. in: Martín et al. 2008).
Citation: Carvalho, J.A. 2011. Sorbus maderensis. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 May 2013.
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