Conserving Range- and Site-restricted Endemics

in an Urban Setting: Beirut and Coastal

Lebanese Endemics as a Case Study

Moustapha A. Itani
Nature Conservation Center
American University of Beirut
Literature review and preliminary field survey
Endemic species restricted to the highly Urbanized
Lebanese coast
Results of recent survey on state of vegetation along the coast
No new populations of any of the three coastal endemic plants was found as a
result of our team’s latest survey.
 Saida, Lebanon

• Development activities in
the 2000s completely wiped
out Matthiola crassifolia
from the city along with its
habitat
• Human intrusions &
disturbance along with
natural system modifications
are to blame.
Beirut, Lebanon
Beside what you already know from the news
• Lebanon’s most
urbanized city and
capital
• Coastal corniche and
promenade snakes
around the city
• Reclamation was most
intense near Beirut’s
port and downtown
area
Beirut, Lebanon
Beside what you already know from the news

• Supratidal zone of
northern side of
promontory
completely destroyed
• Most remnant
vegetation
concentrates on
western side of
promontory
Beirut, Lebanon
Beside what you already know from the news
• Most remnant
vegetation is artificial
– This describes the state
of all managed
gardens, both publicly
and privately owned
• Semi-natural and
natural vegetation is
concentrated in sites
along the city’s
western side
 The methodology in a nutshell
• Locations mentioned
in the literature were
visited and assessed to
conclude Red-Listing
status
• Over a period of four
years, every
potentially
habitable/accessible
site in the city was
thoroughly surveyed
 The methodology in a nutshell
• Besides other
variables, data
pertaining to
presence/absence,
threats and clump
count were recorded
• Not every time I
myself did the
counting
Threats to sites
Limonium mouterdei
Status of population(s)

• Present only in one

location along the
coast
• Proposed Red-Listing
status is CR (to be
submitted tonight I
hope)
Limonium mouterdei
Status of population(s)
• Major threats
observed to decrease
number of individuals
– Residential and
commercial
development
– Transportation and
service corridors
– Human intrusions and
disturbance
– Other threats
(landscaping activities)
Limonium postii
Status species in Lebanon and of population(s) in this
locality
• Most widely distributed coastal
endemic plant in Lebanon
• Proposed Red-Listing status is
EN
• Shares same major threats as
Limonium mouterdei
– One site was lost due to
transportation and service
corridors and human intrusions
and disturbance
Recommendations for conservation
Both Limonium species
• Both stress-tolerant
Limonium species
showed no evidence of
recruitment of new
sites
– Assisted seed dispersal
to habitable sites is
recommended along
with identification of
habitat analogues
Matthiola crassifolia Boiss. & Gaill.
Status species in Lebanon and of population(s) in this locality

• Proposed Red-Listing
status is EN
• Major threats that led to
loss of sites/individuals:
– Residential and
commercial development
– Transportation and
service corridors
– Biological resource use
– Human intrusions and
disturbance
– Other threats
Matthiola crassifolia Boiss. & Gaill.
Status species in Lebanon and of population(s) in this locality

• Re-colonization is taking
place mostly in sites tens
of meters away from
larger populations
• All but one are protected
Recommendations for conservation
Matthiola crassifolia
• Evidence of ruderal behavior as it
occupied disturbed habitats turning
devastative impact of certain threats
into opportunities and highlighting
opportunities for easy integration in
built environment
• Removing some invasive plants not
priority as no evidence that they are
posing a threat to the species
Recommendations for conservation
Matthiola crassifolia
• Persecution of plants
in anthropogenic sites
during and after
flowering by
municipality workers
was a major threat to
newly colonized sites
– Vegetation
management by
municipality is to be
addressed
 Recommendation for the conservation of all three
species

In situ approaches may not

alone achieve conservation
Itermediate conservation
approaches could be necessary
especially if allowed to create
new sources within the built
environment
• Conservation through use
through highlighting
potential of species for
ornamental value as much
as for drought and salt
tolerance
Some of the many lessons learned
• Role of life-strategy
• Role of ecologically sound urban planning
• Role of the people and social media

Thank you!