ISSN 1393 – 6670 The conservation status of juniper formations in Ireland Irish Wildlife Manuals No. 63 Conservation status of Juniper formations in Ireland __________________________________________ The conservation status of juniper formations in Ireland Fiona Cooper1, Richard E. Stone2, Peter McEvoy3, Tim Wilkins4 & Neil Reid1. 1 Quercus, School of Biological Sciences, Queenʹs University Belfast, MBC, 97 Lisburn Road, BELFAST. BT9 7BL. Northern Ireland. http://www.quercus.ac.uk 2 Giorria Environmental Services, Ardacarha, Bohola, Co. Mayo. Republic of Ireland. www.giorria.com 3 Dept. of Environment, Food & Agriculture, Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St. Johns, Isle of Man, IM4 3AS. http://www.gov.daff 4 Plantlife International, 14 Rollestone Street, Salisbury. Wiltshire. SP1 1DX. England. http://www.plantlife.org.uk Citation: Cooper, F., Stone, R.E., McEvoy, P., Wilkins, T. & Reid, N. (2012) The conservation status of juniper formations in Ireland. Irish Wildlife Manuals, No. 63 National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dublin, Ireland. Cover photos: © Peter McEvoy Irish Wildlife Manuals Series Editor: N. Kingston & F. Marnell © National Parks and Wildlife Service 2012 ISSN 1393 – 6670 Conservation status of Juniper formations in Ireland __________________________________________ Contents Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................... 3 1.0 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 4 1.1 Sub‐specific identification .................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Species biology and ecology ................................................................................................................ 6 1.3 Genetic structuring ............................................................................................................................... 7 1.4 Associated vegetation .......................................................................................................................... 8 1.5 National Conservation Assessment ................................................................................................... 9 1.5.1 Current status ................................................................................................................................... 10 1.5.2 Monitoring ........................................................................................................................................ 11 1.6 Aims of the current study .................................................................................................................. 11 2.0 Methods ................................................................................................................................................... 14 2.1 National juniper survey ..................................................................................................................... 14 2.2 General site surveys ............................................................................................................................ 14 2.3 Relevé survey ...................................................................................................................................... 17 2.3.1 Vegetation Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 19 2.4 Conservation value ............................................................................................................................. 22 2.5 Conservation assessments ................................................................................................................. 22 2.6 National conservation assessment .................................................................................................... 23 3.0 Results ...................................................................................................................................................... 24 3.1 National juniper survey ..................................................................................................................... 24 3.2 General site surveys ............................................................................................................................ 25 3.3 Relevé survey ...................................................................................................................................... 35 3.3.1 Vegetation Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 37 3.4 Site conservation value ..................................................................................................................... 54 Conservation status of Juniper formations in Ireland __________________________________________ 3.5 Site conservation assessments .......................................................................................................... 62 3.6 National conservation assessment .................................................................................................... 69 4.0 Discussion ............................................................................................................................................... 78 4.1 National juniper survey ............................................................................................................... 78 4.2 Vegetation classifications ............................................................................................................. 83 4.3 Current conservation status ......................................................................................................... 84 4.4 Conclusions .................................................................................................................................... 85 4.5 Proposed monitoring protocol .......................................................................................................... 87 4.6 Recommendations ......................................................................................................................... 93 5.0 References .............................................................................................................................................. 95 Appendix I – Ethnobotany & folk lore .................................................................................................. 101 Appendix II – Population genetics ......................................................................................................... 113 Appendix III – Site species frquencies .................................................................................................. 135 Appendix IV – Seed viability experiment ............................................................................................. 140 Appendix V – Climate change impacts .................................................................................................. 141 Appendix VI – Template datasheets for habitat assessment ............................................................. 147 Appendix VII – Impact & threat datasheets .......................................................................................... 152 Appendix VIII – Site Assessments ......................................................................................................... 153 Conservation status of Juniper formations in Ireland __________________________________________ Executive Summary 1. This is the first study to make a quantitative assessment of the conservation status of the EU Annex I Habitat 5130 Juniper communis formations on heaths or calcareous grasslands throughout Ireland based on survey data. 2. A total of 125 locations were found to support juniper but many consisted of isolated small groups or individual shrubs. Following Plantlife (UK) criteria, a ‘formation’ was taken as any discrete cluster of ≥50 shrubs which was judged the minimum number likely to be capable of recruitment and long‐term persistence whilst avoiding inbreeding depression. A total of 51 formations were identified. 3. Formations occurred in a total of 36 x 10km2 squares with a favourable reference range judged to be 68 x 10km2 squares. Whilst this appeared to represent a substantial long‐term decline (‐74%) this may be spurious as the previously reported range was derived from single species records spanning the period 1800‐2005 (NPWS, 2008). Formations were found to cover a total of 47.3km2 within their range. Conversely, this represented a substantial long‐term increase (+436%) from that previously reported but again this change is likely to be spurious for similar reasons (NPWS, 2008). Thus, any change in distribution, range and the area covered by the habitat is entirely due to improved knowledge and more accurate data. Consequently, the results of this survey should be taken as a new baseline against which future change can be measured. 4. The total population within formations was estimated at approximately 20,036 individuals. Formations with notably large populations exist at Cruit Island and