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Monitoring of the Annex V Clubmoss Group (Lycopodium Spp.) in Ireland 2015‐2018

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Monitoring of the Annex V Clubmoss Group (Lycopodium Spp.) in Ireland 2015‐2018 ISSN 1393 – 6670 N ATIONAL P ARKS AND W ILDLIFE S ERVICE MONITORING OF THE ANNEX V CLUBMOSS GROUP (LYCOPODIUM SPP.) IN IRELAND 2015–2018 Fionnuala H. O’Neill, Maria P. Long and Rory L. Hodd I RISH W ILDLIFE M ANUALS 117 National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) commissions a range of reports from external contractors to provide scientific evidence and advice to assist it in its duties. The Irish Wildlife Manuals series serves as a record of work carried out or commissioned by NPWS, and is one means by which it disseminates scientific information. Others include scientific publications in peer reviewed journals. The views and recommendations presented in this report are not necessarily those of NPWS and should, therefore, not be attributed to NPWS. Front cover, small photographs from top row: Coastal heath, Howth Head, Co. Dublin, Maurice Eakin; Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris, Eddie Dunne, NPWS Image Library; Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia, Brian Nelson; Puffin Fratercula arctica, Mike Brown, NPWS Image Library; Long Range and Upper Lake, Killarney National Park, NPWS Image Library; Limestone pavement, Bricklieve Mountains, Co. Sligo, Andy Bleasdale; Meadow Saffron Colchicum autumnale, Lorcan Scott; Barn Owl Tyto alba, Mike Brown, NPWS Image Library; A deep water fly trap anemone Phelliactis sp., Yvonne Leahy; Violet Crystalwort Riccia huebeneriana, Robert Thompson Main photograph: Diphasiastrum alpinum, Maumturk Mountains, Orla Daly Monitoring of the Annex V Clubmoss group (Lycopodium spp.) in Ireland 2015‐2018 Fionnuala H. O’Neill, Maria P. Long and Rory L. Hodd BEC Consultants Ltd., 43 Herbert Lane, Dublin 2, D02 TE86 Keywords: Clubmoss, lycopod, EU Habitats Directive, monitoring, Annex V, Article 17, ecology, conservation status Site codes: 000093, 000297, 000330, 000365, 000375, 001179, 002008, 002034, 002047, 002122 Citation: O’Neill, F.H., Long, M.P. & Hodd, R.L. (2020) Monitoring of the Annex V Clubmoss group (Lycopodium spp.) in Ireland 2015‐2018. Irish Wildlife Manuals, No. 117. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Culture Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Ireland. The NPWS Project Officer for this report was: Deirdre Lynn; [email protected] This IWM was edited by Mike Wyse Jackson and Deirdre Lynn ISSN 1393 – 6670 An tSeirbhís Páirceanna Náisiúnta agus Fiadhúlra 2020 National Parks and Wildlife Service 2020 An Roinn Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta, 90 Sráid an Rí Thuaidh, Margadh na Feirme, Baile Átha Cliath 7, D07N7CV Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, 90 North King Street, Smithfield, Dublin 7, D07 N7CV Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................................. i Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................................................ ii 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 The Rare Plants Monitoring Survey 2015‐18 ..................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Assessment of Annex II and Annex V species .................................................................................................. 1 1.3 Scope of this report ............................................................................................................................................... 2 1.3.1 Scope and format of this report ...................................................................................................................... 2 1.3.2 Conventions used throughout this report .................................................................................................... 4 1.4 The target species .................................................................................................................................................. 4 1.5 Clubmoss surveys in Ireland ............................................................................................................................... 4 2 Diphasiastrum alpinum ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Species description ............................................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Review of survey methodology and assessment criteria ................................................................................. 6 2.2.1 Definition of a colony ...................................................................................................................................... 6 2.2.2 Review of Population assessment criteria ...................................................................................................... 7 2.2.3 Review of Habitat for the species assessment criteria ..................................................................................... 8 2.3 Methodology ....................................................................................................................................................... 10 2.3.1 Site selection ................................................................................................................................................... 10 2.3.2 Survey preparation ........................................................................................................................................ 11 2.3.3 Site surveys ..................................................................................................................................................... 11 2.3.4 Assessments .................................................................................................................................................... 13 2.4 Results .................................................................................................................................................................. 16 2.4.1 Population assessment .................................................................................................................................... 16 2.4.2 Habitat for the species assessment .................................................................................................................. 18 2.4.3 Future prospects assessment ........................................................................................................................... 18 2.4.4 Conservation status assessment for individual sites ................................................................................. 20 2.4.5 Overall conservation status assessment for Rare Plants Monitoring Survey sites ................................ 21 2.5 Discussion ............................................................................................................................................................ 21 3 Huperzia selago ................................................................................................................................................................ 25 3.1 Species description ............................................................................................................................................. 25 3.2 Review of survey methodology and assessment criteria ............................................................................... 26 3.2.1 Definition of a colony .................................................................................................................................... 26 3.2.2 Review of Population assessment criteria .................................................................................................... 26 3.2.3 Review of Habitat for the species assessment criteria ................................................................................... 28 3.3 Methodology ....................................................................................................................................................... 29 3.3.1 Site selection ................................................................................................................................................... 29 3.3.2 Survey preparation ........................................................................................................................................ 31 3.3.3 Site surveys ..................................................................................................................................................... 31 3.3.4 Assessments .................................................................................................................................................... 32 3.4 Results .................................................................................................................................................................. 33 3.4.1 Population assessment .................................................................................................................................... 33 3.4.2 Habitat for the species assessment .................................................................................................................. 35 3.4.3 Future prospects assessment ..........................................................................................................................
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