Assessing the conservation status of tree species declining in productive landscapes: the case of Eucalyptus argophloia
R. J. Fensham
A B C , B. Laffineur A B and M. McVeigh B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Queensland Herbarium, Mt Coot-tha Road, Toowong, Qld 4066, Australia.
B Department of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: rod.fensham@qld.gov.au
Australian Journal of Botany 68(2) 119-126 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT20016
Submitted: 11 February 2020 Accepted: 29 March 2020 Published: 7 May 2020
Abstract
Eucalyptus argophloia is a species with a small geographic range occurring in a productive landscape with a subhumid climate. The past distribution of the species was assessed from remnant vegetation and standing paddock trees. The species grows in three specific vegetation types within its geographic range, and based on densities in remnant vegetation and reduction of habitat, it is estimated that the population has been reduced by 94.2%. There is very little regeneration of the species including on ungrazed roadsides, and further decline of the species is expected. The species can be categorised under IUCN Red Listing criteria as Critically Endangered. The present study provides a method for using habitat association, population decline and stand structure for conservation assessment of threatened tree species in productive landscapes.
Additional keywords: rare plants, Red Listing, threatened species.
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