Which plants matter? A comparison of academic and community assessments of plant value and conservation status in the Moroccan High Atlas

As interest in including local communities and their knowledge in biodiversity conservation increases, challenges to do so become clear. One of them is to harmonize local and academic assessments of conservation status. Here, we document the culturally valuable flora of two Amazigh communities in the Moroccan High Atlas Mountains and contrast local conservation observations with IUCN and other red-listing assessments. Our study reveals two levels of mismatch. Unsurprisingly, the species of interest of these two knowledge systems differ considerably. Moreover, species "availability and populations" trends of change and the conservation evaluations often diverge between local and academic assessments. Locally valuable species are rarely threatened, but a focus on locally prioritized species is essential to ensure the active participation of local communities in conservation initiatives. Given the salient role of IUCN Red Lists in guiding conservation action, a better understanding of the differences in plant value and conservation assessments between the two knowledge systems can help harmonize biodiversity conservation and community wellbeing goals.The research has been funded by the MAVA Foundation and the UK Darwin InitiativeAbstractIntroductionMaterials and methods Study area Data collection, plant identification, and data analysesResults Brief ethnobotanical description of the High Atlas locally valuable biodiversity Ethnobotanical knowledge and plant conservation assessmentsDiscussionConclusionReferencesPeer reviewe

Conservation assessments and Red Listing of the endemic Moroccan flora (monocotyledons)

Morocco constitutes an important centre of plant diversity and speciation in the Mediterranean Basin. However, numerous species are threatened by issues ranging from human activities to global climatic change. In this study, we present the conservation assessments and Red Listing of the endemic Moroccan monocotyledons according to International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and categories. For each species, we include basic taxonomic information, local names and synonyms, uses, a distribution map, extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, population size and trend, a description of habitats and ecological requirements, and a discussion of the threats affecting the species and habitats. We assessed the threatened status of the endemic Moroccan monocotyledons at the species level (59 species) using the IUCN Red List criteria and categories (Version 3.1). This study shows the high extinction risk to the Moroccan monocotyledon flora, with 95% of threatened species (20% Critically Endangered, 50% Endangered, 25% Vulnerable) and only 5% not threatened (2% Near Threatened and 3% Least Concern). The flora is thus of conservation concern, which is poorly recognized, both nationally and internationally. The study presents the first part and so far the only national IUCN Red Data List for a large group of Moroccan plants, and thus provides an overview of the threatened Moroccan flora. This IUCN Red List is an important first step towards the recognition of the danger to Moroccan biodiversity hotspots, conservation of threatened species and the raising of public awareness at national and international levels

Testing a global standard for quantifying species recovery and assessing conservation impact

Recognizing the imperative to evaluate species recovery and conservation impact, in 2012 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) called for development of a “Green List of Species” (now the IUCN Green Status of Species). A draft Green Status framework for assessing species’ progress toward recovery, published in 2018, proposed 2 separate but interlinked components: a standardized method (i.e., measurement against benchmarks of species’ viability, functionality, and preimpact distribution) to determine current species recovery status (herein species recovery score) and application of that method to estimate past and potential future impacts of conservation based on 4 metrics (conservation legacy, conservation dependence, conservation gain, and recovery potential). We tested the framework with 181 species representing diverse taxa, life histories, biomes, and IUCN Red List categories (extinction risk). Based on the observed distribution of species’ recovery scores, we propose the following species recovery categories: fully recovered, slightly depleted, moderately depleted, largely depleted, critically depleted, extinct in the wild, and indeterminate. Fifty-nine percent of tested species were considered largely or critically depleted. Although there was a negative relationship between extinction risk and species recovery score, variation was considerable. Some species in lower risk categories were assessed as farther from recovery than those at higher risk. This emphasizes that species recovery is conceptually different from extinction risk and reinforces the utility of the IUCN Green Status of Species to more fully understand species conservation status. Although extinction risk did not predict conservation legacy, conservation dependence, or conservation gain, it was positively correlated with recovery potential. Only 1.7% of tested species were categorized as zero across all 4 of these conservation impact metrics, indicating that conservation has, or will, play a role in improving or maintaining species status for the vast majority of these species. Based on our results, we devised an updated assessment framework that introduces the option of using a dynamic baseline to assess future impacts of conservation over the short term to avoid misleading results which were generated in a small number of cases, and redefines short term as 10 years to better align with conservation planning. These changes are reflected in the IUCN Green Status of Species Standard

Testing a global standard for quantifying species recovery and assessing conservation impact.

Recognizing the imperative to evaluate species recovery and conservation impact, in 2012 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) called for development of a "Green List of Species" (now the IUCN Green Status of Species). A draft Green Status framework for assessing species' progress toward recovery, published in 2018, proposed 2 separate but interlinked components: a standardized method (i.e., measurement against benchmarks of species' viability, functionality, and preimpact distribution) to determine current species recovery status (herein species recovery score) and application of that method to estimate past and potential future impacts of conservation based on 4 metrics (conservation legacy, conservation dependence, conservation gain, and recovery potential). We tested the framework with 181 species representing diverse taxa, life histories, biomes, and IUCN Red List categories (extinction risk). Based on the observed distribution of species' recovery scores, we propose the following species recovery categories: fully recovered, slightly depleted, moderately depleted, largely depleted, critically depleted, extinct in the wild, and indeterminate. Fifty-nine percent of tested species were considered largely or critically depleted. Although there was a negative relationship between extinction risk and species recovery score, variation was considerable. Some species in lower risk categories were assessed as farther from recovery than those at higher risk. This emphasizes that species recovery is conceptually different from extinction risk and reinforces the utility of the IUCN Green Status of Species to more fully understand species conservation status. Although extinction risk did not predict conservation legacy, conservation dependence, or conservation gain, it was positively correlated with recovery potential. Only 1.7% of tested species were categorized as zero across all 4 of these conservation impact metrics, indicating that conservation has, or will, play a role in improving or maintaining species status for the vast majority of these species. Based on our results, we devised an updated assessment framework that introduces the option of using a dynamic baseline to assess future impacts of conservation over the short term to avoid misleading results which were generated in a small number of cases, and redefines short term as 10 years to better align with conservation planning. These changes are reflected in the IUCN Green Status of Species Standard

The Moroccan flora biodiversity, conservation & climate change effects

The integrated approach of combining floristic studies, IUCN conservation assessments, threat evaluation and Ecological Niche Modelling embraced in this research shows the importance and the value of the threatened Moroccan flora within the Mediterranean basin hotspot. Morocco is characterized by a high vascular plant diversity with approximately 3193 species and subspecies of which 22% are endemic. The new checklist of the endemic Moroccan flora following the new classification of APG III is elaborated in this research. It contains 879 species and subspecies in 55 families and 287 genera with comments on their geographical distribution and ecoregions. The conservation assessments and red listing of the Moroccan flora, according to IUCN criteria and categories, reveals a high extinction risk and thus the flora is of conservation concern, which is poorly recognized at present, both nationally and internationally. This research presents the initial part of the Moroccan Red Book as an important first step towards the recognition of the dangers to Moroccan biodiversity hotspots, the conservation of threatened species and the raising of public awareness at both national and international levels. The Ecological Niche Modelling approach identifies the current and future areas of high biodiversity richness, confirms that climate change is affecting the Moroccan flora and recognises the areas where species are most at risk, and refugia where the threatened species could be transferred and conserved. Current natural plant distribution ranges and their associated habitats will either reduce, or disappear in some cases, or shift to new refugia. This latter highlights the places to be prioritised in terms of optimising biodiversity conservation efforts: the Atlas Mountains (High Atlas, Anti Atlas and Middle Atlas), Rif Mountains and coastal areas (North Atlantic and the Middle Atlantic of Morocco). The approach adopted here of combining floristic studies, IUCN Red listing, Ecological Niche Modelling and threat evaluations provides powerful tools for conservation assessments, highlights species richness in specific floristic hotspots and estimates the predicted actual or potential species geographic range. This research has combined these new techniques to set the conservation priorities for the Moroccan flora and to inform stakeholders and policy makers. This is key to identifying and ameliorating the effects of the threats endangering the Moroccan plant diversity mainly habitat loss and degradation, direct and indirect human disturbance, changes in vegetation dynamics and climate change. A set of conservation action priorities are elaborated and include; species and habitat protection, ecological monitoring and research, communication and education

International Entrepreneurship in Swedish well established companies : A qualitative study of selected companies in Jonkoping County

        Abstract   Research is focusing on the process through which companies internationalize, which is often based on their size, operations, internal capabilities and competencies. Present global economic conditions enforced by the strong competitiveness factor stimulate every company to act in a different way. More and more well established companies encounter with an increasing need to reinforce and redefine its strategic direction. To address these issues companies are inevitably forced to act in a more agile entrepreneurial way. Therefore, entrepreneurial orientation postures were selected among other theoretical alternatives to identify the relationships and effects entrepreneurship can bring to the process of internationalization.   The research was based on the data generated from three well established companies in Jonkoping County. These companies are bright representatives of the manufacturing sector in the region. Besides, they are characterized as market leaders in their preferred segments forming a trend in the industry they serve and keeping a strong competitive edge. Following the path of data collection, a process of individual internationalization was mapped retrospectively, with a focus on identifying entrepreneurial orientation leading this process.   The findings indicate interesting aspects that are applicable to all three firms. We have concluded that nascent decision to internationalize was driven by the external factors which to a great extent accountable for major strategic renewal. Consequently, change in the strategy and processes related to its implementation foster entrepreneurial injections and considerably speed up international commitment. Furthermore, we have identified that theoretical background considerably differ from the practical matters performed in these companies