Population Status and Habitat Assessment of the Strictly Protected Artemisia pancicii in the Deliblato Sands (Serbia)

20 Jun 2017 Deliblato Sands, Serbia, Europe Plants

Anka Tutulugdzija

Artemisia pancicii is one of the rarest native plants in Europe, registered in seven isolated localities that are restricted in Czech Republic, Austria and Serbia. It is regarded as Critically Endangered according to the Serbian national Red List and found only at Special Nature Reserve Deliblato Sands in Northern Serbia. This project aims to provide data on Serbian A. pancicii population size and viability, its morphological and reproductive characteristics, habitat condition and potential treats.

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The project will be organized over a 12 month period. Fieldwork, and laboratory work will be based on intensive collecting data and analytical methods that will provide baseline knowledge and instructions for future conservation actions on the A. pancicii population. Dissemination will include promotions in order to make the relevant project results accessible to wider community and share the project findings with eminent organisations.

The aims of this project are:

1. To define population status, an area of its occupancy, patchiness and fragmentation of A. pancicii on the territory of Deliblato Sands (Vojvodina, Serbia);

2. To determine reproduction mode (vegetative and/or generative reproduction), define the factors that stimulate or suppress generative and viability of pollen grains and achenes;

3. To assess environmental parameters and habitat condition;

4. To evaluate phenotypic variation across the study area based on linear morphometric and geometric morphometric approach;

5. To sample plant material for DNA analyses (non-invasive approach) for further study;

6. Awareness-raising on endangered flora in Serbia and Deliblato Sands and importance of their protection.

The results will be helpful to define key threats to the population, develop monitoring and management plan organize, bringing effective conservation actions, since limited geographical distribution of A. pancicii populations and its persistence in small populations makes this species dependent on protective conservation.

All data obtained through project activities will be used to propose a feasible conservation strategy taking into consideration the Deliblato Sands population patterns found.

This project will underline the importance of endangered plant species in Serbia, raise public awareness of the significance to protect flora and Special Nature Reserve Deliblato Sands, and hopefully attract new enthusiasts.

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