Securing Biodiversity in Breckland - European Commission

difference is partly attributable to a more comprehensive treatment of habitats that were notconsidered fully in the Natural Area Profile, but also reflects the BBA’s more exhaustive compilationof records from national regional and previously uncollated sources. The largest taxonomic groupsof RDB species were Diptera (165 species), Coleoptera (151 species) and flowering plants (146species). There were also significant numbers of moths and Hymenoptera (Table 14).1,317 Nationally Rare, Scarce and Notable (A & B) species have been recorded. In contrast to BAPspecies, 65% of the Nationally Rare, Scarce and Notable (A & B) species were Diptera andColeoptera. Hymenoptera, mosses and spiders comprised a further 13% of species (Figure 12).More than 160 species are restricted or have major strongholds in BrecklandThese comprise: 21 species that are entirely restricted to the Breckland region. 8 species that are largely restricted to the Breckland region. 43 species whose primary stronghold is in the Breckland region. 90 species whose secondary stronghold is in Breckland region.A further 27 species are only found inland in Breckland and are otherwise restricted to thecoast.Subsequently in this report, we refer to Breckland Specialists to mean the full 189 species thatare either restricted, have a primary or secondary stronghold, or are coastal rarely occurringelsewhere inland.189 species were identified as Breckland specialists, of which 162 are inland species concentratedto some extent in Breckland and 27 are coastal species. This is many more than were previouslyrecognised. For example, Rothera (1998) noted 25 vascular plants and invertebrates that heconsidered to be Breckland specialist. This Audit has greatly expanded on this number by carefullyconsidering all taxonomic groups and incorporating the expertise of large numbers of taxonomists.Furthermore this study has examined species from all habitats to consider whether they may beregional endemics, in addition to those classically considered “Breckland habitats”, such as heavilyrabbit-grazed grass-heath, waysides, meres and pingos. Thus, we are able to recognise 29 speciesentirely or largely restricted to Breckland and a further 43 that have their primary stronghold in theregion. The future for these 72 species in the UK will depend crucially on conservation action takenin Breckland.83