Evaluation of Conservation status of the Egyptian endemic plants along the Mediterranean coastal strip region

Abstract

The IUCN Red List, which provides data on distribution, ecology and habitats, population size, economic uses, threats and conservation actions, is a critical indicator of the status of the world's biodiversity and will assist in informing a necessary conservation decision. The Mediterranean region is characterized by a heavy endemism of plant diversity, where the majority of its species are narrow endemic species. The current investigation aims at evaluating the conservation status, degree of extinction of Mediterranean endemic plants in Egypt and their changes over the recent climate changes. Twenty Field trips were conducted from February 2017 to March 2023, investigating different regions in the coastal Mediterranean strip in Egypt. In addition, all the previous studies performed in the investigated area, scientific literature, and different herbaria have been taken into consideration. Coordinates, main habitats and threats for 15 Mediterranean endemic taxa were conducted during visits to evaluate their level of conservation depending on IUCN categories. The current investigation indicated that nine taxa were found to be threatened (7 endangered, 2 critically endangered). In addition, four taxa were believed to be extinct, while two species were recorded as Data Deficient. Climate changes (drought and excessive temperature) and human impacts (urbanization and tourism) are the most effective threats on the taxa in this region. The present investigation is the pioneer study for completely evaluation of these taxa according to IUCN criteria.