Rough agalinis (Agalinis aspera) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 11

Technical Summary

Agalinis aspera

Rough agalinis – gérardie rude

Range of Occurrence in Canada:

southern Manitoba

Extent and Area Information

Extent of occurrence (EO) (km²)

The area of a polygon connecting Brandon, St. Laurent and Grosse Isle was measured, excluding the area which is lake. 3725 km²

Specify trend in EO :

unknown

Are there extreme fluctuations in EO?

unknown

Area of occupancy (AO) (km²)

Length and width of sites was measured in the field by pacing or using the GPS unit. <5 km²

Specify trend in AO :

unknown

Are there extreme fluctuations in AO?

unknown

Number of known or inferred current locations :

11

Specify trend in # :

unknown

Are there extreme fluctuations in number of locations?

no

Specify trend in area, extent or quality of habitat :

inferred decline

Population Information

Generation time (average age of parents in the population) :

Annual species

Number of mature individuals

< 250

Total population trend:

decline

% decline over the last/next 10 years or 3 generations.

unknown

Are there extreme fluctuations in number of mature individuals?

Possibly but unknown

Is the total population severely fragmented?

yes

Specify trend in number of populations :

uncertain if any recent losses

Are there extreme fluctuations in number of populations?

no

List populations with number of mature individuals in each:

Threats

Habitat impact due to mowing, prairie burning, and overgrazing. Alteration of roadsides has already eliminated 1 population.

Rescue Effect

Status of outside population(s)?

USA: mainly not ranked or under review in adjoining states

Is immigration known or possible?

Unlikely; nearest US population is 200 km to the south in North Dakota

Would immigrants be adapted to survive in Canada?

Yes

Is there sufficient habitat for immigrants in Canada?

Limited, yes

Is rescue from outside populations likely?

No

Quantitative Analysis

not available

Current Status

COSEWIC: Endangered (2006)

Status and Reasons for Designation

Status: Endangered

Alpha-numeric code:  B1ab(ii, iii, iv, v) + 2ab(ii, iii, iv, v); C2a(i)

Reasons for Designation: An herbaceous annual having a restricted geographical range and occupying small prairie remnants mainly along roadsides in southern Manitoba. The few small populations are at risk from such impacts as late season mowing, burning, overgrazing and road expansion.

Applicability of Criteria

Criterion A: (Declining Total Population): n/a No data available

Criterion B: (Small Distribution, and Decline or Fluctuation): Met Endangered under B1 ab(ii, iii, iv, v) + 2ab(ii, iii, iv, v) based on extent of occurrence and area of occupancy below critical values with the 11 populations being highly fragmented and impacted by declining quality of habitat due to a number of documented impacts. A population loss along provincial road 227 due to road improvements in the last 15 years indicates a decline in area of occupancy and loss of mature individuals.

Criterion C: (Small Total Population Size and Decline): Met Endangered C2a(i) due to its total population  being much less than 2,500 plants with inferred decline in numbers of mature plants due to various threats and no population having >250 mature plants.

Criterion D: (Very Small Population or Restricted Distribution): Likely more than 250 mature plants but maximum number unknown.

Criterion E: (Quantitative Analysis): Not available.

Uncertainty: There potentially may be more than 250 mature individuals. A large area of PFRA prairie exists (>10,000 ha) at the Portage and Woodlands community pastures with only the roadsides surveyed along these pastures.

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