B. Papp szerk.: Studia Botanica Hungarica 34. 2003 (Budapest, 2003)

Papp, Beáta; Erzberger, Peter: Data about the actual local populations of bryophyte species protected in Hungary

Studia bot. hung. 34. pp. 33^2, 2003 DATA ABOUT THE ACTUAL LOCAL POPULATIONS OF BRYOPHYTE SPECIES PROTECTED IN HUNGARY B. PAPP

1 and P. ERZBERGER

2 'Department of Botany, Hungarian Natural History Museum H-1476 Budapest, Pf. 222, Hungary; E-mail: pappbea@bot.nhmus.hu 2

Belziger Str. 37, D-J0823 Berlin, Germany; E-mail: En.berger.peter@berlin.de A total of 28 new and 37 confirmed, earlier Hungarian records of 17 species included in the Red Data Book of European Bryophytes and/or legally protected in Hungary are reported in this paper. Estimations of the local population size and observations on accompanying bryophytes are given, habitat conditions are characterised, and threats are discussed. Key words: confirmation of old occurrences, Hungary, new records, rare and threatened bryophytes INTRODUCTION This paper is the second in a series of publications concerning rare European bryophytes and locally rare species from Hungary. Similar records were published in PAPP et al. (2000). That paper dealt also with general aspects of the protection of bryophytes in Europe and Hungary and the methods of obtaining information about the actual distribution of rare species. Some of the problems connected with the monitoring of bryophyte populations and resulting in part from biological features of the endangered species {e.g. habitat requirements or life strategies) were discussed in PAPP et al. (2002). In 2000, the number of bryophyte species legally protected in Hungary was increased to 80, as further 60 bryophytes were added to the already protected 20 Sphagnum species. Most of the newly protected species (50 species, enumerated in the Appendix of PAPP et al. 2000) are included in the Red Data Book of European Bryophytes (RDB) (ECCB 1995), and the others are locally rare species (Calliergon giganteum, C. stramineum, Campylium elodes, Warnstorfia exannulata, Drepanocladus lycopodioides, D. revolvens incl. D. cossonii, D. sendtneri, Meesia triquetral Scorpidium scorpioides, Sphagnum cuspidatum) living in endangered mires and wet meadows. A list of the Hungarian legally protected bryophyte species is also given in PAPP et al. (2002). Intensive bryological investigations are going on as to the distribution of these rare species and changes of their populations, resulting in an estimate of their threat status according to the new IUCN categories. The investigations include revision of herbarium specimens, confirmation of old records, the attempt to find new localities in suitable habitats, and to estimate the size of local populations.