Results of a monitoring survey and assessment of the conservation status of Hamatocaulis vernicosus in Ireland 2023

Abstract

Executive Summary: A survey was undertaken in 2023 to monitor selected populations of the moss Hamatocaulis vernicosus (Shining Sickle-moss) in the Republic of Ireland. This species is listed on Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive which, as well as requiring member states to designate protected areas for the species, also obliges them to monitor populations and report on their status on a six-yearly cycle. H. vernicosus grows in intermediate fens, transition mires and flushes and is currently known to occur at 19 sites in Ireland. Eleven of these sites have been monitored during previous monitoring surveys, with the remaining eight sites discovered since the last survey concluded in 2018. Four of these sites were visited during this round of monitoring, but the remaining four sites were discovered too late to include in this survey. In addition to the four sites included for survey for the first time, five sites that were previously assessed as being in unfavourable condition were revisited. The remaining six sites were not revisited, as they were assessed as being in favourable condition by the previous monitoring survey. The populations were surveyed according to the established methodology used in previous monitoring surveys and the conservation status of each population was assessed under the parameters of Population, Habitat for the species and Future prospects to derive an overall assessment of each population. A National Conservation Assessment (NCA) of H. vernicosus across the Republic of Ireland was also undertaken, to contribute to Ireland’s reporting obligations under Article 17 of the EU Habitats Directive. This national assessment is based on the Range, Population, Habitat for the species and Future prospects of the species across the Republic of Ireland.