|  Home  |  Français  |  Deutsch  | Knowledge Concept Actualities Data Service  
|  Overview  |  Pressure indicators  |  State indicators  |  Response indicators  |  Summary of all indicators  |  Maps  |
 
Change in the Endangerment Status of Species (Z5)
 
Free-living species belonging to select taxonomic groups that occur in Switzerland are assigned to one of several threat categories, ranging from “vulnerable” to “extinct worldwide” and complemented by “near threatened”, “least concern”, and “data deficient”. These categories are used to compute the net change in the endangerment status. The Z5 indicator shows whether species endangerment in Switzerland generally tends to intensify or ease.

Whether created by nature or by landscape cultivation, biodiversity is decreasing. Within the last 150 years, 244 animal and plant species have gone extinct in Switzerland. Many other species face extinction at a local, regional or even global level, as documented by Red Lists. Designed to be an instrument of nature protection, these lists provide essential information for appropriate measures against species extinction.
 
 
Development in Switzerland
 
Species endangerment is determined based on factors that are crucial for continued species survival. The following species group charts show the number of species occurring in Switzerland (in %) assigned to one of several endangerment statuses (number of assessed species in brackets).

 

Comment
Between 19% (macrofungi) and 79% (reptiles) of all species covered by this indicator are either threatened (classified on a scale from “vulnerable” to “critically endangered”) or already extinct. However, as regards fungi, this percentage must be interpreted as the minimum number, since at 40%, the share of deficient data is very high. More than one in two species is at least near threatened.
 
 
Development in the Regions
 
Red Lists covering ferns and flowering plants and epiphytic lichens are also subdivided into regional assessments. The endangerment of ferns and flowering plants is shown individually by biogeographical region. The assessment of epiphytic lichens is based on the five production regions of the Swiss National Forest Inventory.

> Complete data sheet Z5 (776 Kb)
 
 
Significance for biodiversity
 
In its constitution, Switzerland has committed itself to protect its endangered species from extinction. Red Lists are used to verify whether Switzerland is meeting that constitutional obligation. Red Lists both send out warning signals and show whether protection or support measures are successful.

A declining number of redlisted species has a positive effect on biodiversity, while a growing number has a negative impact. However, it is equally alarming to find that species cannot be assessed due to insufficient data.

Some species that are dependent on specific habitats are becoming rarer, as the surface area and number of these habitats tend to diminish. For this reason, species primarily occurring in such habitats are more widely represented in Switzerland’s Red Lists, even though these lists include an increasing number of species associated with the normal landscape.
 
 
Further Information
 

Responsible for Z5
Meinrad Küttel, meinrad.kuettel@bafu.admin.ch, +41 (0)31 322 93 24

Further possible sources of information
> FOEN Red Lists
> Swiss Federal Constitution, art. 78 protection of nature and habitats, SR 101
> IUCN database
> additional explanations of categories and criteria
> to order copies of Red Lists
 
 
Data sheets
 
> Complete data sheet Z5 (776Kb)
 
 
Status
 
This information is based on document 680 312.10 Z5_V1_en dated December 5, 2007.

Data are updated whenever Red Lists are updated or new Red Lists are published.
 
 
 
     
       
  | Top | Home | Glossary | Search | Contact |