THREATENED SPECIES, A REEVALUATION OF THE STATUS OF 8 ENDEMIC PLANTS OF THE GALAPAGOS

Although still in relatively good condition, the Galapagos Archipelago suffers from increasing human pressures. Apart from direct actions li ke hunting and logging, endemic plants and animals are threatened by i ntroduced species, and in many cases the present status of the populat ions is not known. The conservation status of eight plant species cons idered endangered was studied from literature and field surveys and th e main threats were determined. Each of the eight species is endemic t o only one island but in some cases is also present on nearby islets. Of these eight species, one is considered extinct, one critically enda ngered, and the others suffer various levels of threat. As in all isla nd systems of the world, the main threats are introduced organisms, bo th plants and animals. The extinct species probably disappeared owing to invasion by Lantana camara, one of the most aggressively invasive p lants of the islands, and the most endangered species is threatened by goats. The remaining species seem to be regenerating well and we can expect positive results from protection efforts. Today, only one of th e eight species benefits from a direct protection action.