ABrA Introduction:

IUCN criteria will be applied using this information and red list categories will be ascribed to the studies species.

To define Important Bryophyte Areas in Spain

IBA (IPAs for bryophytes) will be tackled after the bibliographic, herbarium and field survey and the application of IUCN criteria to the selected species. The following parameters will be used:

-Number of taxa in from the Red List presents in the area

-Degree of risk for the taxa living in that area

-Fragmentation of the populations

-Habitat fragility and presence of populations at risk or declining

-Endemicity

-Presence of bryophytes of biogeographical interest

-Richness and diversity of species or communities

-Exceptional or highly representative floristic composition

The Atlas and Red Book of the Endangered Bryophytes of Spain is a project granted by the Ministry of Environment (General Directorate of Natural Environment and Forest Policy) and it is coordinated from the University of Valencia. It involves research teams from all over Spain and has the support of the Spanish Bryological Society (SEB), which reunites the Spanish bryologists together with a number of international researchers.

The objectives are the following:

To produce an updated checklist of Spanish bryophytes

This will mean merging the list from the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands with the one from the Canary Island and updating the resulting list with the newest taxonomical and chorological contributions.

For taxa that have not been subjected to a recent taxonomical revision, their status shall be defined following the actual scientific knowledge.

To produce an updated red list of Spanish bryophyte

Nowadays there are two red lists: one for the Iberian peninsula and Balearic Islands, and one for the Canary Islands. They will be merged in one and will be updated with the latest knowledge.

The merging will be done with caution, evaluating any possible conflict between continental territories and islands, not to leave species unprotected when they don’t qualify for the national categories of threat but are regionally endangered in isolated territories or islands.

The conducting field work for the study of the populations of the 74 selected species will aid to the establishment of the categories of threat following IUCN criteria.

To make an inventory of the Spanish bryophyte flora

The scientific board of the project has selected 74 species among those considered “Critically Endangered” (CR), “Endangered” (EN) and “Vulnerable” (VU) and some “Data Deficient” (DD). Bibliographic and herbarium data will be collected for each of them and their presence will be verified in every or most of the known localities in Spain. It will also be evaluated the actual extension of the populations, their ecology, demography and factors of risk. Prospections will be made in order to find new locations in suitable habitats for the species.