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An IUCN Action Plan is aimed at all those who work in the field of, or have an interest in, nature conservation and wish to take steps to conserve
bryophytes. It is also aimed at governmental and non-governmental organisations,
politicians, and the general public.
An Action Plan for Bryophyte Conservation will be published shortly by IUCN (The World Conservation Union).
The book focuses mainly on the importance of bryophytes, and the threats to
them, describes specific key habitats, and includes regional overviews of
Australasia, Asia, Africa, South and North America and Europe. It also discusses the biology of bryophytes in connection with nature
conservation, and the distribution of threatened species. The publication includes 22
photos, 6 maps and 6 drawings.
A number of broad initiatives are suggested:
· Inventories in the tropics to determine bryophyte richness in different regions and habitat
types, and which species are threatened.
· Establishing protected areas or national systems of protected areas.
· Comparing bryophyte floras of undisturbed and disturbed habitats, to determine the impact of
disturbance, and to identify those species unable to survive in disturbed areas.
· Studying the taxonomy and distribution of individual species, to determine how species can be
identified, to determine their ranges, and to help identify those that are narrowly
endemic.
· Training locals to become taxonomists. Because of the speed at which natural environments are disappearing
world-wide, this initiative is extremely urgent and should be implemented
immediately.
Examples of priority projects for bryophyte conservation and a list of the most endangered bryophyte species throughout the world can be found in the appendices of this Action Plan.
Reference: Hallingbäck, T. and Hodgetts, N. (compilers). 2000. Mosses,
Liverworts, and Hornworts. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan for
Bryophytes. IUCN/SSC Bryophyte Specialist Group. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.
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