Scotland's Wildlife â an assessment of biodiversity in 20

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3.1 Scotland’s wildlife Species Scotland and its surrounding seas may support up to 89,000 native species: 50,000 in terrestrial and freshwater environments and 39,000 in the surrounding seas. Half are single-celled organisms; a quarter are plants and fungi; and a quarter are animals (predominantly arthropods and other invertebrates). Endemic species Scotland contains 31 endemic species (i.e. species that are unique to Scotland). These include Scottish beard-moss, Bryoerythrophyllum caledonicum; Halecania rhypodiza, a lichen known only from the Ben Lawers range and Caenlochan in Angus; mountain scurvygrass, Cochlearia micacea; Scottish primrose, Primula scotica; Ceratophyllus fionnus, a flea found only on Manx shearwaters (Puffinus puffinus) breeding on Rum; and Scottish crossbill, Loxia scotica. This list includes ten lichens, eleven vascular plants, five mosses, four insects and one bird for which Scotland is responsible for the future of the entire global population. Stronghold species Scotland holds the majority of the world population of several species. These include great skua, Stercorarius skua; gannet, Morus bassanus; Manx shearwater, Puffinus puffinus, grey seal, Halichoerus grypus; hay-scented buckler fern, Dryopteris aemula); and wintering populations of migratory pink-footed geese, Anser brachyrhynchus. Scotland is also the main stronghold of an important commercial marine species, the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus. At a smaller geographical scale, there are also species with wider distributions whose UK or European range or population is concentrated in Scotland. For example, amongst vascular plants, several species restricted to western Europe achieve unusual dominance in Scottish vegetation (e.g. bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scriptus, western gorse, Ulex gallii and heather, Calluna vulgaris. The British range or population of more than 30 annually breeding or wintering bird species is mainly in Scotland. They include seabirds (e.g. great skua), raptors (e.g. golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos; rails and gamebirds (e.g. corncrake, Crex crex and capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus); waders and wildfowl (e.g. greenshank, Tringa nebularia) and songbirds (e.g. crested tit, Lophophanes cristatus). Genetics Genetic variation comprises the variation within an individual population and the variation between different populations of the same species. This variation influences the range of environmental conditions in which an organism can survive and its ability to evolve and adapt to changing environmental conditions. Populations at the edge of their range may show local adaptation. For example, native populations of Scots pine show greater growth in height than continental European populations when grown under Scottish conditions. A similar effect has been demonstrated between different native populations from the east and west. This, 14
together with the adaptation of native wildlife, demonstrates the importance of using local genetic material when undertaking restoration or re-introduction. Fragmented landscapes and isolation on islands provoke adaptation through natural selection. In the Shetland Islands, adaptation in populations of field mice, Apodemus sylvaticus, has resulted in increased body size and change in body colour. Similarly, Scotland is home to four forms of the wren, Troglodytes troglodytes, and one each of song thrush, Turdus philomelos, crested tit, starling, Sturnus vulgaris and linnet, Carduelis cannabina that are considered sufficiently distinctive to be regarded as subspecies. Scotland’s river systems represent one of the largest and most diverse of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, resources in Europe: nearly 400 salmon rivers support many hundreds of populations, each with its own genetic distinctiveness. Scotland is a stronghold for Arctic char, Salvelinus alpinus, with perhaps 200 separate loch populations. Following post-glacial isolation, they have become genetically distinct between, and even within, lochs. Within the species, many different morphs (or varieties) are seen. These morphs have different diets, and fit into the ecosystem at different points. They vary in colour and exhibit different size characteristics and bone structure, depending on their diet. Improved molecular techniques can provide information on dispersal and population genetic structure which, together with knowledge of reproductive biology and demography, can contribute to the development of appropriate strategies for conservation. Ecosystem approach The ‘ecosystem approach’ has been defined as a strategy for the integrated management of land, water and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way, and which recognises that people with their cultural and varied social needs are an integral part of ecosystems. A ‘healthy ecosystem’ is one where all parts work well individually and together. A related term, ‘ecosystem resilience’, is the ability of an ecological system to absorb disturbances while retaining the same basic structure and ways of functioning, the capacity for self-organisation, and the capacity to adapt to stress and change. The ability to recover after natural disturbances or impacts from human activities is only possible for impacts below a certain level or threshold, referred to as ‘environmental limits’. In cases where there is a risk of irreversibly exceeding these thresholds and damaging ecosystem resilience, a ‘precautionary approach’ should be taken to avoid this risk. Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment identified four categories: - Supporting services: The functions that are necessary for the production of all other ecosystem services including soil formation, photosynthesis, primary production, nutrient cycling and water cycling. - Provisioning services: The products obtained from ecosystems, including food, fibre, fuel, genetic resources, biochemicals, natural medicines, pharmaceuticals, ornamental resources and fresh water. 15
Page 1 and 2: Scottish Natural Heritage Scotland
Page 4 and 5: Table of Contents Table of Contents
Page 6 and 7: Foreword Roseanna Cunningham, MSP M
Page 8 and 9: 1 Introduction Biodiversity is the
Page 10 and 11: 2 Executive summary Biodiversity is
Page 13 and 14: 2.2 Scotland’s biodiversity indic
Page 15 and 16: Fluctuating 1. Marine fishing place
Page 17 and 18: A summary of condition assessments
Page 19 and 20: 3 The biodiversity of Scotland
Page 21: Collectively, Sites of Special Scie
Page 25 and 26: conservation bodies, agri-environme
Page 27 and 28: 4 Climate change
Page 29 and 30: 4.2 Coastal and marine In the seas
Page 31 and 32: Section B
Page 33 and 34: 5 Coastal and marine ecosystems
Page 35 and 36: of Scotland and the north-west of I
Page 37 and 38: Condition of notified features in p
Page 39 and 40: The overall appraisal of coastal an
Page 41 and 42: 5.4 Wildlife indicators Environment
Page 43 and 44: identifying a short list of ‘mari
Page 45 and 46: 6 Lowland and farmland ecosystems 6
Page 47 and 48: Figure 6.3 Change in extent of neut
Page 49 and 50: lowland dry acid grassland; lowland
Page 51 and 52: 6.4 Wildlife indicators Butterfly t
Page 53 and 54: 7 Freshwater and wetland ecosystems
Page 55 and 56: 7.2 Habitat condition According to
Page 57 and 58: The development of river basin mana
Page 59 and 60: Condition of notified features in p
Page 61 and 62: cristatus; white-clawed freshwater
Page 63 and 64: 7.5 Action for biodiversity The fiv
Page 65 and 66: 8 Woodland ecosystems 8.1 Habitat e
Page 67 and 68: 8.2 Habitat condition Based on 464
Page 69 and 70: Table 8.2 Trends in woodland priori
Page 71 and 72: Table 8.4 Action Implementation 201
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9 Upland ecosystems The extent and
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Dwarf shrub heath Dwarf shrub heath
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Figure 9.5 Change in the extent of
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Four habitats assessed in 2005 were
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Table 9.3 Action Implementation 201
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10 Scotland overview The landmass o
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10.2 Habitat condition By recording
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The proportion of habitats which we
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Table 10.4 Trends in priority speci
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11 Assessing the 2010 target
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inland and groundwater pollution; m
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decline: between 2000 and 2050 biod
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11.1 Scotland’s contribution to t
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As well as being an integral part o
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5. The majority (84%) of 867 non-na
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Table 11.1 Natural Heritage Indicat
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Overall, 73% of notified habitats,
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Conservation status of priority (st
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Annex 1 - 2010 Indicator Framework
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1 Focal Area 2 Global - CBD 5 Cover
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1 Focal Area 2 Global - CBD 3 Europ
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1 Focal Area 6 Status of resource t
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Annex 2 Scotland's 2010 Biodiversit
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TARGET Summary of progress Progress
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Objective No. Target Action No. Act
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Annex 3b Marine and Coastal Ecosyst
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Annex 3c Farmland and Lowland Ecosy
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Annex 3d Freshwater and Wetland Eco
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Annex 3e Woodland Ecosystems Group
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Annex 3f Upland Ecosystems Group Ob
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Scotland's Wildlife â an assessment of biodiversity in 20

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Scotland's Wildlife â an assessment of biodiversity in 20