Dianthus diutinus – Hungary Conservation status IUCN Global: Endangered IUCN EU: Endangered HU: U1 (+) Protection status HD: Annex II and IV Population (2007-12) EU27 / HU: 40,000 – 90,000 individuals MS with genuine HU improvement Other MS - Photo: Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0/Bérces Sándor Summary: Endemic to the Pannonian biogeographical region, Dianthus diutinus inhabits open patchworks of grassland and scattered stands of forests, and is nowadays only found in the area between the Danube and Tisza rivers in central Hungary. The majority of its habitat has been afforested and fragmented with large-scale pine tree plantations, and degraded due to the spread of invasive alien species. As a result, the population size of Dianthus diutinus had shrunk by 2007 to approximately 20,000 individuals, consisting of 10 small and isolated subpopulations. As part of a LIFE project, LIFE HUNDIDI carried out from 2006 to 2011, the population size and the quality of the habitat of Dianthus diutinus was successfully improved. The population reached 97,738 individuals at the end of the LIFE project in 2011, but is likely to have declined now, due to natural factors, to approximately 78,000 individuals. In addition, the area of interconnected and unbroken habitat for the species has increased to 455 ha. These achievements were driven by the timely and smooth combination of extensive restoration of the habitat of the species (including thinning of non-indigenous forests and removal of invasive species) and research-based ex situ propagation and reintroduction, supported by various enabling factors (intense cooperation with stakeholders, changes in forestry regulations, and successful awareness raising activities). Future action will need to produce a better understanding of the species’ population dynamics and fluctuations, in order to secure lasting results. Background Status and EU occurrence Dianthus diutinus1 is a middle-sized, perennial pink species of flowering plant. It is now virtually entirely restricted to the EU, where it only occurs in the interfluve area between the Danube and Tisza rivers in central Hungary (Pannonian biogeographical region). Outside the EU, Dianthus diutinus was historically found in Serbia in six localities but is now only present at one locality with a relict population of less than 1,000 mature individuals (Király & Stevanović, 2011). Dianthus diutinus is strictly protected under Hungarian law and is a priority species of Community interest at EU level. It is also listed as an endangered plant species in the IUCN global Red List (Király & Stevanović, 2011) and the European and EU Red Lists (Bilz et al, 2011). According to Hungary's Habitats Directive Article 17 reports, the species had an unfavourable-bad conservation status in the 2001-2006 reporting period, although with an increasing trend; and by 2007-2012 it status had shown a genuine improvement to unfavourable-inadequate, with a positive trend (Annex 1). Ecological requirements The species’ natural habitat is an open patchwork of grassland and scattered stands of forests, with the plants mostly found in the grassland areas. These are characteristic, but shrinking habitats of the Kiskunság Sand Ridge area in central Hungary. The arboreal vegetation of the species’ natural habitat include the White Poplar (Populus alba), Common Juniper (Juniperus communis), and Common Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna). Characteristic perennial grass species of 1 Natura 2000 species code 4074 1 this habitat are the Pannonian endemic Hungarian Fescue (Festuca vaginata) and the protected Sand Feathergrass (Stipa borysthenica). The sunlit slopes of the dunes are home to the Dwarf Shrub Rock Rose (Fumana procumbens) and the protected Alkanet (Alkanna tinctoria). This habitat is also home to the strictly protected Ephedra (Ephedra distachya). Pressures and threats According to the reports produced under the LIFE HUNDIDI project and published research, the main threats to the species result from habitat loss and fragmentation, which have occurred due to afforestation and forestry activity, and habitat degradation. As a result of the large-scale afforestation activities that were carried out in the second half of the 20th century, the area of shifting sand dunes that used to be characteristic of the region has declined greatly. Remnants of the former sand vegetation (including Dianthus diutinus) have survived only in patches on the slopes of the sand dunes in between the pine plantations. Habitat loss and fragmentation resulted in a declining population size and an increasing isolation of subpopulations, which reduced genetic diversity. As highlighted in the LIFE HUNDIDI project’s website, in 2008, 70% of the total population of Dianthus diutinus could be found in alien forest plantations (pine trees): between the tree lines, at the side of forestry roads and in small grassland patches (maximum 1 ha) between forested areas. Along with habitat fragmentation, habitat degradation has occurred. The spread of invasive alien species poses the greatest threat, with the rapid expansion of Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), Black Locust (Robinia pseudo-acacia), Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) and Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) (KNP, undated). In addition to these main threats, Article 17 reporting and the Species Action Plan (Vidéki & Máté, 2005) highlight other pressures affecting the species. These include sheep grazing and damage by herbivores (including game species), human disturbances (walking and trampling, motorcycles), illegal sand extraction and fire management. While military activity used to take place in the area and thus to adversely impact the species, this is not the case anymore (Vidéki & Máté, 2005). Drivers of improvements: actors, actions and their implementation approaches Organisers, partners, supporters and other stakeholders From 2006 to 2011, a dedicated LIFE project, HUNDIDI - Conservation of the Pannon endemic Dianthus diutinus (LIFE06 NAT/H/000104), was carried out to stabilize the populations of Dianthus diutinus at three of its most important sites: Bodoglár, Bócsa and Csévharaszt. The project was coordinated by the Kiskunság National Park Directorate (KNPD)(main beneficiary), with the following partners: the Duna-Ipoly National Park Directorate; the University of Szeged; and the local Government of Kiskunmajsa. Of the three project sites, two were also protected at a national level besides being part of the Natura 2000 network, while the third one, Bodoglár gained local protection before the start of the project, as a result of the intensive communication and cooperation established in the course of the compilation of the LIFE project proposal by KNPD and Local Government of Kiskunmajsa. This provided a firm base for the partnership necessary for the successful implementation and sustainability of the project. The participatory approach, through good cooperation both with forestry authorities and local government contributed to successful implementation and popularity of the project (LIFE Final Technical Report). When LIFE HUNDIDI ended in 2011, activities continued to be carried out as part of the After-LIFE Conservation Plan. Contributions / relevance of strategic plans An important element of the conservation of Dianthus diutinus has been the development of conservation plans, which reviewed the evidence of the threats to the species and identified a comprehensive set of conservation measures. This included first a Species Action Plan, which was released in 2005 (available only in Hungarian). As part of LIFE HUNDIDI, management plans and ten-years forest management plans were then prepared and approved by the Hungarian ministry of rural development for the three Natura 2000 sites covered by the project: Harkakötöny-Bodoglári homokbuckák (SCI HUKN20035), 713 ha; Bócsa-Bugaci homokpuszta (SCI HUKN20024), 11,633 ha; and Csévharaszti homokvidék (HUD120012), 362 ha). 2 Measures taken and their effectiveness The measures that were taken by Hungary to restore and conserve the species are listed below. Frequency of application of highly important conservation measures for Dianthus diutinus for 2007-2012 Code Measure Type Ranking Inside / outside Broad evaluation N2k 2.1 Maintaining grasslands and other Contractual; one High Inside Enhance Long-term open habitats off 3.0 Other forestry-related measures Legal; one off High Both Enhance Long-term 3.2 Adapt forest management Administrative; High Both Long-term recurrent 7.0 Measures related to hunting, taking Recurrent Medium Outside Long-term and fishing and species management 7.4 Specific single species or species Contractual; High Inside Enhance Long-term group management measures recurrent Source: Hungary Article 17 report available at https://bd.eionet.europa.eu/activities/Reporting/Article_17/Reports_2013 The main objective of LIFE HUNDIDI was to stabilise 85% of the known stands of Dianthus diutinus, in order to reverse the continuous decrease of the population caused by habitat diminution and isolation of the subpopulations. The project aimed at securing an unbroken habitat network, connecting and strengthening the fragmented sub-populations and informing the public about the importance of the Dianthus diutinus and its habitats. A first set of key measures under LIFE HUNDIDI concerned the restoration of degraded and fragmented habitats (Bankovics & Mile, 2012), which consisted of thinning/clearing alien tree plantations of Black Pine, Black Locust and Tree of Heaven, and eliminating Common Milkweed