Monitoring and Condition Assessment of Populations of Vertigo geyeri, Vertigo angustior and Vertigo moulinsiana in Ireland Irish Wildlife Manuals No. 55 Monitoring and Condition Assessment of Populations of Vertigo geyeri, Vertigo angustior and Vertigo moulinsiana in Ireland Moorkens, E.A. & Killeen, I.J. Citation: Moorkens, E.A. & Killeen, I.J. (2011) Monitoring and Condition Assessment of Populations of Vertigo geyeri, Vertigo angustior and Vertigo moulinsiana in Ireland. Irish Wildlife Manuals, No. 55. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht, Dublin, Ireland. Cover photos: © Evelyn Moorkens The NPWS Project Officer for this report was: Dr Deirdre Lynn; [email protected] Irish Wildlife Manuals Series Editors: N. Kingston & F. Marnell © National Parks and Wildlife Service 2011 ISSN 1393 – 6670 Vertigo monitoring ________________ Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Glossary ............................................................................................................................................................ 3 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 Assessment of Conservation Status .......................................................................................................... 5 Assessment of Parameters in Vertigo Populations ................................................................................ 6 Report structure .......................................................................................................................................... 7 Vertigo geyeri – Background and Methodology ........................................................................................... 9 Background to the species ......................................................................................................................... 9 Survey methodology ................................................................................................................................ 10 Condition Assessment Analysis ............................................................................................................. 17 Management Prescriptions and recommendations .............................................................................. 19 Vertigo geyeri recommendations in context ............................................................................................ 19 Vertigo angustior – Background and Methodology ................................................................................... 20 Background to the species ....................................................................................................................... 20 Survey methodology ................................................................................................................................ 21 Condition Assessment Analysis ............................................................................................................. 29 Management Prescriptions and recommendations .............................................................................. 30 Vertigo angustior recommendations in context ...................................................................................... 30 Vertigo moulinsiana ‐ Background and Methodology ............................................................................... 32 Background to the species ....................................................................................................................... 32 Survey methodology ................................................................................................................................ 33 Condition Assessment Analysis ............................................................................................................. 41 Management Prescriptions and recommendations .............................................................................. 42 Vertigo moulinsiana recommendations in context .................................................................................. 42 Results ............................................................................................................................................................ 44 Vertigo geyeri results .................................................................................................................................. 44 Vertigo angustior results ............................................................................................................................ 47 Vertigo moulinsiana results ........................................................................................................................ 50 Vertigo monitoring ________________ National Conservation Status Assessment Results .................................................................................. 53 Vertigo geyeri .............................................................................................................................................. 53 Vertigo angustior ......................................................................................................................................... 57 Vertigo moulinsiana .................................................................................................................................... 61 Discussion ...................................................................................................................................................... 65 Similarities and differences between sites ............................................................................................. 65 Sites with very poor populations or spurious records ........................................................................ 66 Loss of sites ................................................................................................................................................ 67 Conservation status inside and outside of cSACs. ............................................................................... 67 Management of sites ................................................................................................................................. 69 Assessment of methodology ................................................................................................................... 70 National Conservation Assessment ....................................................................................................... 72 Conclusions and Recommendations .......................................................................................................... 73 The future for Vertigo sites in Ireland ..................................................................................................... 73 Recommendations for future Vertigo monitoring ................................................................................. 74 Bibliography & Relevant Literature ........................................................................................................... 77 Appendix A: Example of Vertigo geyeri Site Report ................................................................................. 82 Appendix B Example of Vertigo angustior Site Report ............................................................................. 97 Appendix C: Example of Vertigo moulinsiana Site Report ...................................................................... 109 Appendix D: Vertigo geyeri condition assessment summary ................................................................. 119 Appendix E: Vertigo geyeri condition assessment – habitat summary ................................................. 120 Appendix F: Vertigo geyeri condition assessment – management summary ....................................... 121 Appendix G: Vertigo angustior condition assessment summary ........................................................... 125 Appendix H: Vertigo angustior condition assessment – habitat summary .......................................... 126 Appendix I: Vertigo angustior condition assessment – management summary .................................. 127 Appendix J: Vertigo moulinsiana condition assessment summary ........................................................ 131 Appendix K: Vertigo moulinsiana condition assessment – habitat summary ...................................... 132 Appendix L: Vertigo moulinsiana condition assessment – management summary ............................ 133 2 Vertigo monitoring ________________ Executive Summary Three species of whorl snail that are known from the Republic of Ireland, Vertigo geyeri, V. angustior and V. moulinsiana are listed under Annex II of the Habitats and Species Directive [92/43/EEC]. The Directive requires surveillance of all species listed to determine whether Favourable Conservation Status has been achieved. A total of 22 Vertigo geyeri sites, 21 Vertigo angustior sites and 20 Vertigo moulinsiana sites were surveyed between 2008 and 2010. Each site was surveyed according to a standardised monitoring protocol. This protocol included assessment of area of occupancy and