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Acacia anegadensis
– Critically Endangered
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
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PLANTAE
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Phylum:
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TRACHEOPHYTA
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Class:
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MAGNOLIOPSIDA
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Order:
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FABALES
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Family:
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LEGUMINOSAE
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Scientific Name:
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Acacia anegadensis
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Species Authority:
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Britton
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Common Name/s:
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Taxonomic Notes:
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Synonym = Fishlockia anegadensis (Britton) Britton & Rose.
The generic status of this taxon is unclear, it having been included in Fishlockia, Acacia and more recently as Vachellia anegadensis (Britton) Seigler & Ebinger. Future molecular systematic research is planned to resolve this problem.
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Assessment Information
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Red List Category & Criteria:
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CR B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v) ver 3.1 (2001)
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Year Assessed:
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2003
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Assessor/s:
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Clubbe, C. & Pollard, B. (RBG, Kew), Smith-Abbott, J., Walker, R. & Woodfield, N. (BVI National Parks Trust)
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Evaluator/s:
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Maunder, M. & Strahm, W. (SSC Plant Conservation Committee)
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Justification:
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Anegada endemic. Area of the island is 38 km², of which approximately one third is water in the form of salt ponds. Therefore extent of occurrence for Acacia anegadensis is approximately 25 km². Fieldwork has determined that Acacia anegadensis is found across the island with a preference for limestone habitats and less common on sand dunes. Its area of occupancy has been estimated as < 10 km². Because of the small size of the island and the known distribution of this species we have treated this as 1 location. The island of Anegada is under extreme pressure for residential and tourism development. This has already resulted in documented habitat fragmentation and loss leading to a decline in the quality of the habitat for this species. All the available information indicates that this will accelerate in the next few years. This will result in a continued decline in the quality of the habitat and a reduction in the number of mature individuals.
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Geographic Range
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Range Description:
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Anegada, British Virgin Islands. Extent of occurrence: 25 km², Area of occupancy: <10 km². Ex situ population: One mature, reproducing individual in the display collection of the JR O’Neal Botanic Garden on Tortola, BVI. 22 seedlings are in cultivation at the JR O’Neal Botanic Garden Nursery.
Population size is unknown, but field observations indicate it to be locally common on limestone and scarce on sand dunes. Treated as one location with no distinct subpopulations.
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Countries:
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Native:
Virgin Islands, British
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Population
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Population Trend:
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Habitat and Ecology
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Habitat and Ecology:
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Definite preference to limestone substrate – field data show a frequency >50% on limestone and <5% on sand dunes (based on 104 x 20 m² plots). Field observations indicate poor recruitment – relatively few seedlings or saplings observed.
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System:
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Terrestrial
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List of Habitats:
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| 1.5 | Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Dry |
| 3.5 | Shrubland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry |
| 13.3 | Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal Sand Dunes |
| 14.4 | Artificial/Terrestrial - Rural Gardens |
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Threats
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Threats:
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Anegada is under severe development pressure resulting in both loss of habitat to residential and tourism infrastructure, and further fragmentation due to upgrading and construction of new roads. Loose livestock (cattle, goats, donkeys) roam the island and impact at the habitat (trampling) and species level (grazing). Invasive species may be a problem with increasing habitat fragmentation. The Settlement (Anegada’s only town) has lots of known invasives, three of which have been observed moving into natural habitats – Casuarina equisetifolia (also found along several western dunes), Cryptostegia madagascariensis and Bryophyllum pinnatum. Fire may be a problem in the future – increasing use of fire to clear land. Highest point of Anegada is approx. 10 m above sea level. Most of the preferred habitat is <3 m above sea level and so global climate change will reduce quality and area of habitat available to A. anegadensis. Natural disasters are a current and on-going threat e.g., hurricanes, coastal inundation and earthquakes. Formally cut for timber and the resin used as a boat sealant. No current utilization known.
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List of Threats:
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| 1.4.1 | Habitat Loss/Degradation - Infrastructure development - Industry (past) |
| 1.4.2 | Habitat Loss/Degradation - Infrastructure development - Human settlement (present, future) |
| 1.4.3 | Habitat Loss/Degradation - Infrastructure development - Tourism/recreation (present, future) |
| 1.4.4 | Habitat Loss/Degradation - Infrastructure development Transport (land/air) (present, future) |
| 1.4.8 | Habitat Loss/Degradation - Infrastructure development - Power lines (future) |
| 1.5 | Habitat Loss/Degradation - Invasive alien species (future) |
| 1.7 | Habitat Loss/Degradation - Fires (future) |
| 1.8 | Habitat Loss/Degradation - Other causes (future) |
| 2.1 | Invasive alien species (directly affecting the species) - Competitors (future) |
| 2.4 | Invasive alien species (directly affecting the species) - Pathogens/parasites (future) |
| 3.4.1 | Harvesting (hunting/gathering) - Materials - Subsistence use/local trade (past) |
| 3.4.2 | Harvesting (hunting/gathering) - Materials - Sub-national/national trade (past) |
| 3.4.3 | Harvesting (hunting/gathering) - Materials - Regional/international trade (past) |
| 6.1.1 | Pollution (affecting habitat and/or species) - Atmospheric pollution - Global warming/oceanic warming (future) |
| 6.3.2 | Pollution (affecting habitat and/or species) - Water pollution - Domestic (present, future) |
| 6.3.6 | Pollution (affecting habitat and/or species) - Water pollution - Oil slicks (future) |
| 7.2 | Natural disasters - Storms/flooding (future) |
| 9.2 | Intrinsic factors - Poor recruitment/reproduction/regeneration (present, future) |
| 9.9 | Intrinsic factors - Restricted range (present, future) |
| 10.1 | Human disturbance - Recreation/tourism (future) |
| 10.5 | Human disturbance - Fire (future) |
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Conservation Actions
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Conservation Actions:
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A small proportion of the preferred habitat (limestone) lies within a Ramsar site (declared 1999) and national legislation is currently being prepared to declare this a Protected Area. One mature, reproducing individual in cultivation in the JR O’Neal Botanic Garden on Tortola, BVI. 22 seedlings in cultivation in the botanic garden nursery (collected in Anegada in 2000). Protected Wildlife legislation is currently being revised and consideration is being given to including named endemic/ threatened species of flora and fauna within this Schedule.
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List of Conservation Actions:
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| 1.1.1 | Policy-based actions - Management plans - Development (in place) |
| 1.1.2 | Policy-based actions - Management plans - Implementation (needed) |
| 1.2.1.2 | Policy-based actions - Legislation - Development - National level (in place) |
| 1.2.2.2 | Policy-based actions - Legislation - Implementation - National level (in place) |
| 1.3.2 | Policy-based actions - Community management - Resource stewardship (needed) |
| 2.2 | Communication and Education - Awareness (needed) |
| 2.3 | Communication and Education - Capacity-building/Training (in place) |
| 3.1 | Research actions - Taxonomy (needed) |
| 3.2 | Research actions - Population numbers and range (needed) |
| 3.3 | Research actions - Biology and Ecology (needed) |
| 3.4 | Research actions - Habitat status (in place) |
| 3.5 | Research actions - Threats (in place) |
| 3.8 | Research actions - Conservation measures (in place, needed) |
| 3.9 | Research actions - Trends/Monitoring (in place) |
| 4.4.1 | Habitat and site-based actions - Protected areas - Identification of new protected areas (in place) |
| 4.4.2 | Habitat and site-based actions - Protected areas - Establishment (needed) |
| 4.4.3 | Habitat and site-based actions - Protected areas - Management (needed) |
| 4.5 | Habitat and site-based actions - Community-based initiatives (needed) |
| 5.7.1 | Species-based actions - Ex situ conservation actions - Captive breeding/Artificial propagation (in place) |
| 5.7.2 | Species-based actions - Ex situ conservation actions - Genome resource bank (needed) |
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Bibliography
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Bibliography:
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Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. and Collaborators 1996. Flora of Saint John, US Virgin Islands. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden 78: 1-581. Britton, N.L. 1916 The Vegetation of Anegada. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden 6: 565-580. Britton, N.L. and Wilson, P. 1923-1926. Botany of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Scientific Survey of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands. New York Academy of Science, New York. Dressler, W. (ed.) 2000. A Parks and Protected Area System Plan for the British Virgin Islands. BVI National Parks Trust and Eastern Caribbean Natural Area Management Program. 181pp. D’Arcy, W.G. 1971 The Island of Anegada and its Flora. Atoll Research bulletin 139: 1-21. D’Arcy, W.G. 1973 Anegada Island: Vegetation and Flora. Contribution Number 5 from Fairleigh Dickinson University West Indies Laboratory, St Croix, USVI. 39pp. Global Tree Specialist Group. For more information, see the Specialist Group website Little, E.L. and Woodbury, R.O. 1980. Rare and Endemic Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. USDA Forest Service Conservation Research report No. 27, 20pp. Proctor, D. and Fleming, V. (eds) 1999. Biodiversity: the UK Overseas Territories. Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough. Schomburgk, R.H. 1832. Remarks on Anegada. Journal of the Royal Geographical Society II: 152-170. Smith-Abbott, J., Walker, R. and Clubbe, C. 2002. Integrating National Parks, Education and Community Development (British Virgin Islands). Final Report to the UK Darwin Initiative for the Survival of Species. 30pp.
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