The Red List of threatened lichens of Switzerland

Pseudevernia furfuracea

Cladonia macilenta Photos: Ch. Scheidegger (WSL)

The Red List 2002 of threatened and rare epiphytic and terricolous lichens in Switzerland was drawn up according to the IUCN criteria 2001 and the guidelines for their application to regional/national lists. Additional criteria were developed for applying the guidelines to lichens. With these the IUCN 's rather openly formulated decision paths can be made more concrete and explicit.

The Red List contains 295 (37%) of the 786 lichen species studied in Switzerland (520 epiphytic and 266 terricolous). The proportion of threatened epiphytic species was 44% (230 species) and that of terricolous lichens was 24% (65 species). A further 107 species (13%) are listed as Near Threatened (NT) and 312 species are considered to be least concern. 38 (22 epiphytic and 16 terricolous species) are Regionally Extinct (RE), i.e.no longer found in Switzerland. 45 (35 epiphytic and 10 terricolous species)are seen as Critically Endangered (CR), 96 (87 epiphytic and 9 terricolous species) as Endangered (EN) and 116 (86 epiphytic and 30 terricolous species) as Vulnerable (VU).

Red List species can be found in all habitats, but the proportion of threatened species is highest in the following habitats:

For epiphytic species:

• Light and fairly natural forests and old-growth stands, especially in stands not subject to large-scale disturbances in earlier tree generations (ecological continuity)
  
• Light oak coppice, oaks in forests or on the edge of forests
  
• Old grove-like forest stands, pasture-woodlands (pâturage-boisés), traditional chestnut orchards (Selva)
  
• Sparsely wooded,standing thickets
  
• Avenue trees, free-standing single trees
  
• Traditional hedgerows and bushes
  
• Tall-growing fruit trees not treated with pesticides and fertilisers
  
• Walnut trees, especially in warm, humid locations

For terricolous species:

• Calcareous, poor lawns with gaps containing fine earth
  
• Dry lawns on acidic soils
  
• Alluvial terraces and gravel banks with loose vegetation
  
• Patches of alpine grass
  
• Dwarf shrub groves
  
• hummocks and edges of raised peat bogs

The Red List 2002 is the first official Red List for this group of organisms.

Contact

• Christoph Scheidegger
  

• Silvia Stofer