BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN ICELAND - Convention on Biological ...

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particularly through a better system of protected areas, the protectionof endangered species, habitat types and ecosystems, andsubsequently, the necessary management plans for threatened speciesand protected areas. Criteria and indicators for this work are beinginvestigated and developed by the Icelandic Institute of NaturalHistory and the Nature Conservation Agency.In recent years, genetic resources in Iceland have attractedconsiderable interest from researchers and bioprospectors, especiallythe thermophilic bacteria that inhabit numerous hot springs ingeothermal areas.With regard to flora, over-harvesting has caused serious losses,while the impact of soil erosion and habitat destruction due to variouscauses threaten biodiversity. Currently 11-25% of native plants havebeen red-listed. Introduction and uncontrolled use of alien speciesClassification of red-listed birds and plants according to the IcelandicInstitute of Natural History.Birds Plants Lichens Mosses AlgaeExtinct 1Extinct in the wild 2 1 1Critically endangered 6 10 11 5 13Endangered 5 9 17 12Vulnerable 15 18 10 27 28Lower risk 3 10 14Data deficient 20 16Number of species total 76 485 580 585 238Number of species evaluated 76 485 270 450 238Number of species red-listed 32 52 67 74 42% red-listed 42 11 25 16 18poses a moderate but increasing threat to both flora and fauna. Thisapplies, in particular, to freshwater fishing and, to a less extent, tosome imported tree species and the seeding of land with lupins tocombat erosion. All imports of alien species are now prohibited bylaw, but exemptions for import and cultivation can be granted by theMinistry for the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture.Imports and use of alien species require the approval of a committeeof specialists recently established by the Ministry for the Environment.This committee is responsible for setting up a list of alien plant specieswhose importation to Iceland is prohibited, and a second list of alienplant species that may be cultivated and distributed. All imports mustbe registered by the Icelandic Institute of Natural History.ImplementationThe Ministry for the Environment is responsible for theconservation and protection of nature. Agencies of the Ministryworking in this field are the Nature Conservation Agency, theIcelandic Institute of Natural History, the Wildlife Management Unit,32
and the Lake Mývatn Research Station. The Soil Conservation Serviceand the State Forest Service under the Ministry of Agriculture alsohave responsibilities in this field. Ministry of Fisheries and the MarineResearch Institute, under the ministry, are also responsible for natureconservation in the marine environment.33
Page 3 and 4: BIOLOGICAL <strong
Page 5: TABLE OF CONTENTS:GENERAL OVERVIEW.
Page 8 and 9: Figure 1. Estimated vegetation cove
Page 10 and 11: significant change in land-use duri
Page 12 and 13: CASE STUDYVEGETATION SUCCESSION <st
Page 14 and 15: moss species are Racomitrium langui
Page 16 and 17: 1940, when it began to increase aga
Page 18 and 19: 16life. The raven (Corvus corax), t
Page 20 and 21: fauna. The fish species have differ
Page 22 and 23: 20represented, such as Protozoa (on
Page 24 and 25: 22The primary threat to terrestrial
Page 26 and 27: 24Icelandic Central Highlands conta
Page 28 and 29: The Ministry of Agriculture is resp
Page 30 and 31: 28the basis for implementing the <s
Page 32 and 33: 30strategic plan on Sustainable Dev
Page 36 and 37: CASE STUDYINITIATI
Page 38 and 39: 36the most unique geological and bi
Page 40 and 41: CASE STUDYBENTHIC IN</stron
Page 42 and 43: in decline. The catch that year dro
Page 44 and 45: a sustainable way subject to the sa
Page 46 and 47: 44CASE STUDYNATIVE BIRCH WOODS <str
Page 48 and 49: 46established in 1979. Icelandic co
Page 50 and 51: 48diversity. Agencies of the Minist
Page 52 and 53: y governmental institutions and non
Page 54 and 55: Conservation Agency, the Icelandic
Page 56 and 57: Figure 11. Hafrahvammagljúfur, one

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