The ISSN 1393 – 6670 Monitoring methods for Petalophyllum ralfsii (Wils.) Nees & Gottsche (Petalwort) in the Republic of Ireland Irish Wildlife Manuals No. 90 Monitoring methods for Petalophyllum ralfsii (Wils.) Nees & Gottsche (Petalwort) in the Republic of Ireland Christina Campbell1, Nick Hodgetts2 and Neil Lockhart3 1 [email protected]; 2 Cullin Views, 15 Earlish, Portree, Isle of Skye, IV51 9XL, Scotland, UK; 3 National Parks and Wildlife Service Citation: Campbell, C., Hodgetts, N. & Lockhart, N. (2015) Monitoring methods for Petalophyllum ralfsii (Wils.) Nees & Gottsche (Petalwort) in the Republic of Ireland. Irish Wildlife Manuals, No. 90. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Ireland. Keywords: EU Habitats Directive, Annex II, monitoring, conservation status, habitat, ecology, liverwort, bryophyte Cover photo: Petalophyllum ralfsii thalli, Truska, Co. Galway © C. Campbell The NPWS Project Officer for this report was: Dr Deirdre Lynn; [email protected] Irish Wildlife Manuals Series Editors: F. Marnell & R. Jeffrey © National Parks and Wildlife Service 2015 ISSN 1393 – 6670 Monitoring of Petalwort Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 Description of Petalophyllum ralfsii ............................................................................................................ 3 Conservation obligations ........................................................................................................................... 5 International distribution of Petalophyllum ralfsii.................................................................................... 6 Distribution of Petalophyllum ralfsii in the Republic of Ireland ............................................................. 8 Habitat of Petalophyllum ralfsii ................................................................................................................. 13 Introduction to monitoring of Petalophyllum ralfsii ................................................................................... 15 Introduction to Range Assessment for Petalophyllum ralfsii ................................................................ 16 Introduction to Population Assessment for Petalophyllum ralfsii ........................................................ 19 Introduction to Habitat for the Species Assessment for Petalophyllum ralfsii .................................... 21 Introduction to Future Prospects Assessment for Petalophyllum ralfsii .............................................. 22 Introduction to Overall Conservation Status Assessment for Petalophyllum ralfsii .......................... 24 Methodology for monitoring of Petalophyllum ralfsii ............................................................................... 25 Broad-scale monitoring of Petalophyllum ralfsii ..................................................................................... 25 Fine-scale monitoring of Petalophyllum ralfsii ........................................................................................ 26 Preparation for fine-scale monitoring visit ........................................................................................ 26 Locality Survey Card and Assessment sheets ................................................................................... 28 Extent of occurrence, area of occupancy and area covered by the population ............................ 28 1 x 1 m plots for Population Assessment and Habitat for the Species Assessment ..................... 28 Parameters to be recorded in 1 x 1 m plots........................................................................................ 29 Section A – Population Assessment ................................................................................................... 31 Section B – Habitat for the Species Assessment ................................................................................ 32 Section C - Assessment of Future Prospects ...................................................................................... 34 Monitoring of Petalwort Section D – Assessing Overall Conservation Condition at the individual localities ................... 37 Section E – Assessing Overall Conservation Status for Petalophyllum ralfsii in the Republic of Ireland .................................................................................................................................................... 37 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................................... 39 References ...................................................................................................................................................... 40 Appendix I – Locality Survey Card & Assessment sheets ...................................................................... 44 Appendix II – Individual locality details ................................................................................................... 49 Locality No. 1: Rosses Strand, Co. Donegal; Grid ref. C118428 .......................................................... 49 Locality No. 2: Rosepenna, Co. Donegal; Grid ref. C121372 ............................................................... 53 Locality No. 3: Tramore/Black Burrow/SW of Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal; Grid ref. B982360 ....... 57 Locality No. 4a: 02 Damph Beg (N. of Gweedore Bay/Bunlack Machair), Co. Donegal; Grid ref. B8295 ......................................................................................................................................................... 60 Locality No. 4b: Derrybeg, Co. Donegal; Grid ref. B799262 ................................................................ 63 Locality No. 4c: Keadew Point, Co. Donegal; Grid. ref. B733182 ....................................................... 65 Locality No. 5a: Dooey Point, Co. Donegal; Grid. ref. B757021 .......................................................... 68 Locality No. 5b: Sheskinmore, Co. Donegal; Grid. ref. G690953 ........................................................ 71 Locality No. 6: Bunduff Machair, Co. Sligo; Grid ref. G707563 .......................................................... 74 Locality No. 7: Garter Hill, Co. Mayo; Grid ref. F80_40_, etc. ............................................................ 78 Locality No. 8a: Doolough Machair, Co. Mayo; Grid ref. F736223 .................................................... 83 Locality No. 8b: Dooyork Machair, Co. Mayo; Grid ref. F737202 ...................................................... 86 Locality No. 9: North Inishkea, Co. Mayo; Grid ref. F567233 ............................................................. 88 Locality No. 10: Doogort Machair (‘Achill Island’/Lough Nambrack/ Caraun Point), Co. Mayo; Grid ref. F702095 ..................................................................................................................................... 91 Locality No. 11: Keel Machair, Co. Mayo; Grid ref. F64_04_ .............................................................. 94 Locality No. 12: Dooaghtry (Lackakeely/Killadoon)), Co. Mayo; Grid ref. L750690 etc. ................ 97 Locality No. 13: Omey Island Machair, Co. Galway; Grid ref. L56_55_ .......................................... 102 Locality No. 14a: Mannin More, Co. Galway; Grid ref. L607460 ..................................................... 105 Monitoring of Petalwort Locality No 14b: Truska Machair, Co. Galway; Grid ref. L585458 ................................................... 108 Locality No. 14c: Doon Hill/ W. of Aillebrack, Co. Galway; Grid ref. L58_42_ .............................. 113 Locality No. 15: Murvey Machair, Co. Galway; Grid ref. L661391 .................................................. 115 Locality No. 16: Fanore, Co. Clare; Grid ref. M138086 ....................................................................... 118 Locality No. 17a: SW of Lough Naparka, Co. Kerry; Grid ref. Q616168 ........................................ 122 Locality No. 17b: Magherabeg, Co. Kerry; Grid ref. Q612158 .......................................................... 125 Locality 17c: Kilshannig, Co. Kerry; Grid ref. Q620172 ..................................................................... 129 Locality No. 18a: Inch Spit, Co. Kerry; Grid ref. V67_97_ ................................................................. 131 Locality No. 18b: Rosbehy; Grid ref. V64759163 ................................................................................. 134 Locality 19: West of Inny Ferry, Co. Kerry; Grid ref. V474682 ......................................................... 136 Locality No. 20: North Bull, Co. Dublin; Grid ref. O247378 etc. ....................................................... 139 Locality No. 21: Barley Cove, Co. Cork; Grid ref. V7706025950 etc. ............................................... 143 Appendix III – GPS points and associated data for maps ..................................................................... 145 Monitoring of Petalwort Monitoring