Plant Sociology, Vol. 54, No. 2, Suppl. 1, December 2017, pp. 77-83 DOI 10.7338/pls2017542S1/07 The species-specific monitoring protocols for plant species of Community interest in Italy S. Ercole1, G. Fenu2, V. Giacanelli1, M.S. Pinna2, T. Abeli3, M. Aleffi4, F. Bartolucci5, D. Cogoni2, F. Conti5, A. Croce6, G. Domina7, B. Foggi8, T. Forte9, D. Gargano10, M. Gennai8, C. Montagnani11, G. Oriolo12, S. Orsenigo13, S. Ravera14, G. Rossi3, A. Santangelo15, C. Siniscalco9, A. Stinca16, E. Sulis2, A. Troia17, M. Vena10, P. Genovesi1, G. Bacchetta2 1Department for the Monitoring and Protection of the Environment and for Biodiversity Conservation, Italian Na- tional Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), via Vitaliano Brancati 60, I-00144 Roma, Italy. 2Centre for the Conservation of Biodiversity (CCB), Department of Environment and Life Science (DISVA), Univer- sity of Cagliari, v.le Sant'Ignazio da Laconi 11-13, I-09123 Cagliari, Italy. 3Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, via S. Epifanio 14, I-27100 Pavia, Italy. 4School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, Plant Diversity & Ecosystems Management Unit, Bryology Labo- ratory & Herbarium, Camerino University, via Pontoni 5, I-62032 Camerino (MC), Italy. 5Floristic Research Center of the Apennines, University of Camerino - Gran Sasso-Laga National Park, San Colom- bo, I-67021 Barisciano (AQ), Italy. 6via Chiesa, 44, frazione Tuoro, I-81057 Teano (CE), Italy. 7Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF), University of Palermo, viale delle Scienze, bldg. 5, I-90128 Palermo, Italy. 8Department of Biology, University of Firenze, via La Pira 4, I-50121 Firenze, Italy. 9Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, viale P.A. Mattioli 25, I-10125 Torino, Italy. 10Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, via P. Bucci, I-87030 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy. 11Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca Piazza della Scienza 1, I-20126 Milano, Italy. 12via Cecconi 26, I-33100 Udine, Italy. 13Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences – Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of Mi- lano, via Celoria 2, I-20122 Milano, Italy. 14Italian Lichen Society (SLI) c/o Regional Museum of Natural Sciences, via G. Giolitti 36, I-00123, Torino, Italy. 15Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, via Foria 223, I-80139 Napoli, Italy. 16Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campa- nia Luigi Vanvitelli, via Vivaldi 43, I-81100 Caserta, Italy. 17Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), section of Bo- tany and Plant Ecology, University of Palermo, via Archirafi 38, I-90123 Palermo, Italy. Abstract The results of a project for the identification of species-specific monitoring protocols for the Italian plant species protected under the Habitats Direc- tive (Annexes II/IV/V) are presented. The project led to the development of 118 monitoring factsheets, providing an operational guidance for 107 vascular taxa, 10 bryophytes and 1 lichen taxon. Each factsheet includes information on the species (distribution, biology, ecology, conservation status, threats, etc.) and the description of field methodologies for the detection of the two main reporting parameters,i.e. population size and habitat quality. Practical information to plan field activities are also given. Protocols were designed to address the requirements of the European reporting system with the aim to standardize future monitoring activities, optimize efforts at national scale and overcome some current problems related to data heterogeneity and discrepancies from the EC standards. More than 60 botanists collaborated to identify the best practices and to design an operational field survey format through several stages of discussion and sharing. The protocols, developed by ISPRA and Scientific Societies and shared with the Italian institutions responsible for the Directive application, were published in a dedicated National handbook. The work provides a first uniform technical basis for future national monitoring plans. Key words: conservation, EC-Habitats Directive, field methodologies, plant species monitoring, population size. Corresponding author: Stefania Ercole. Department for the Monitoring and Protection of the Environment and for Bio- diversity Conservation, Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), via V. Brancati 60, I-00144, Roma, Italy; e-mail: [email protected] 78 S. Ercole et al. Introduction the absence of a standardized monitoring and data col- lection program at a national level, both for vascular The reference framework of the project presented in and non vascular flora (Ravera et al., 2016; Fenu et this paper is the Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the al., 2017). conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and To overcome several of these deficiencies and to im- flora, known as the Habitats Directive (HD hereafter), prove monitoring systems for HD in Italy, an ad hoc and its implementation in Italy. The HD and the Natura project was set up in 2015, aimed to standardize fu- 2000 network with more than 27,000 sites, covering ture monitoring activities and to optimize efforts at about 18% of the terrestrial surface of the EU (EC, national scale. A network of institutions (Italian Min- 2015a; EEA, 2015), represent the core strategy of na- istry for the Environment, Regions and Autonomous ture conservation and the most important tools aiming Provinces) and scientific societies with the coordina- at protecting biodiversity in Europe (e.g. Balmford et tion of the Italian National Institute for Environmental al., 2003; Maiorano et al., 2007). In order to evalu- Protection and Research (ISPRA) has been organized ate the effects of the conservation policies and the ef- with the main goal to identify nationwide shared moni- fectiveness of HD, the European Commission (EC) toring protocols for habitats and species listed in the requires the assessment of the conservation status of annexes of the HD. species and habitats at national and biogeographical In particular, for plant species of Community inter- level. Monitoring habitats and species listed in the An- est all activities were carried out through a scientific nexes of the HD is a key step in the HD implementa- collaboration between ISPRA and SBI (Italian Botani- tion, but also a mandatory action for Member States, cal Society) with a further contribution of SLI (Italian arising from Article 11. Moreover, according to Article Lichen Society), and led to the identification of spe- 17, Member States are required to report every 6 years cies-specific monitoring protocols for all plant species on the main results of this survey. HD monitoring and listed in the HD. Protocols were designed to address reporting are not restricted to Natura 2000 sites, there- the requirements of the European reporting system. fore data need to be collected both in and outside the Standardized data collection methods should lead to network (Evans & Arvela, 2011). achieve comparable results and to overcome some Reporting under Article 17 follows a standard meth- current problems related to data heterogeneity and odology and uses a format proposed by the EC and discrepancies from the EC standards and should al- approved by Member States after discussion and con- low greater repeatability and comparability over time. sultation. The use of common standards and formats At the end of the project (October 2016) all protocols is necessary to harmonize the content of the National have been collected in a dedicated National handbook reports developed by Member States, and to allow (Ercole et al., 2016). the aggregation of data at European level (DG Envi- ronment, 2017). On the basis of the National reports Main goals and organization of the project for indeed, the EC in collaboration with EEA (European plant species Environment Agency) produces composite reports and makes them accessible to other EU institutions and to The main aim of the project was to define nationwide the public (EC, 2015b). These composite reports pro- shared monitoring protocols for Italian plant species vide an overview of the status of the European biodi- of Community interest, consistent to the HD report- versity and represent a component for evaluating EU ing requests and based on the best current scientific policy, in particular for measuring progress towards knowledge. The protocols were strongly focused on the 2020 targets set under the Biodiversity Strategy species-specific methodologies to measure/estimate (EEA, 2015; EC, 2015b). the species population size and status. In the third Italian National Report, covering the Species monitoring is the regular observation and re- period 2007-2012, the status of the species and habi- cording of changes in status and trend of a taxon in a tats of Community interest was assessed using avail- certain territory and time interval. Beyond a purely sci- able knowledge and expert judgment (Genovesi et entific interest, the primary purpose of monitoring is to al., 2014). The Italian Report reveals an increase in collect information useful in developing conservation the quality of data and assessments compared to the policy, to examine the outcomes of management ac- past, but despite these significant advances, there are tions and guide management decisions