The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is essential for practical and theoretical efforts to protect biodiversity. However, species classified as "Data Deficient" (DD) regularly mislead practitioners due to their uncertain extinction risk. Here we present machine learning-derived probabilities of being threatened by extinction for 7699 DD species, comprising 17% of the entire IUCN spatial datasets. Our predictions suggest that DD species as a group may in fact be more threatened than data-sufficient species. We found that 85% of DD amphibians are likely to be threatened by extinction, as well as more than half of DD species in many other taxonomic groups, such as mammals and reptiles. Consequently, our predictions indicate that, amongst others, the conservation relevance of biodiversity hotspots in South America may be boosted by up to 20% if DD species were acknowledged. The predicted probabilities for DD species are highly variable across taxa and regions, implying current Red List-derived indices and priorities may be biased.© 2022. The Author(s).

The Red List Index uses information from the IUCN Red List to track trends in the projected overall extinction risk of sets of species. It has been widely recognised as an important component of the suite of indicators needed to measure progress towards the international target of significantly reducing the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010. However, further application of the RLI (to non-avian taxa in particular) has revealed some shortcomings in the original formula and approach: It performs inappropriately when a value of zero is reached; RLI values are affected by the frequency of assessments; and newly evaluated species may introduce bias. Here we propose a revision to the formula, and recommend how it should be applied in order to overcome these shortcomings. Two additional advantages of the revisions are that assessment errors are not propagated through time, and the overall level extinction risk can be determined as well as trends in this over time.

The rapid destruction of the planet's biodiversity has prompted the nations of the world to set a target of achieving a significant reduction in the rate of loss of biodiversity by 2010. However, we do not yet have an adequate way of monitoring progress towards achieving this target. Here we present a method for producing indices based on the IUCN Red List to chart the overall threat status (projected relative extinction risk) of all the world's bird species from 1988 to 2004. Red List Indices (RLIs) are based on the number of species in each Red List category, and on the number changing categories between assessments as a result of genuine improvement or deterioration in status. The RLI for all bird species shows that their overall threat status has continued to deteriorate since 1988. Disaggregated indices show that deteriorations have occurred worldwide and in all major ecosystems, but with particularly steep declines in the indices for Indo-Malayan birds (driven by intensifying deforestation of the Sundaic lowlands) and for albatrosses and petrels (driven by incidental mortality in commercial longline fisheries). RLIs complement indicators based on species population trends and habitat extent for quantifying global trends in the status of biodiversity. Their main weaknesses are that the resolution of status changes is fairly coarse and that delays may occur before some status changes are detected. Their greatest strength is that they are based on information from nearly all species in a taxonomic group worldwide, rather than a potentially biased subset. At present, suitable data are only available for birds, but indices for other taxonomic groups are in development, as is a sampled index based on a stratified sample from all major taxonomic groups.

In 2002, world leaders committed, through the Convention on Biological Diversity, to achieve a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010. We compiled 31 indicators to report on progress toward this target. Most indicators of the state of biodiversity (covering species' population trends, extinction risk, habitat extent and condition, and community composition) showed declines, with no significant recent reductions in rate, whereas indicators of pressures on biodiversity (including resource consumption, invasive alien species, nitrogen pollution, overexploitation, and climate change impacts) showed increases. Despite some local successes and increasing responses (including extent and biodiversity coverage of protected areas, sustainable forest management, policy responses to invasive alien species, and biodiversity-related aid), the rate of biodiversity loss does not appear to be slowing.

This study investigated the living status of reptile species in China. Based on surveys and revised IUCN criterion (Version 3.1), we evaluated the endangerment status and completed China’s Biodiversity Red List, Volume of Vertebrates. The reptiles assessed included 3 orders, 32 families, 133 genera and 461 species, in which Crocodylia contains 3 families, 3 genera and 3 species, Testudines contains 6 families, 18 genera and 34 species, Lacertilia in Squamata contains 10 families, 41 genera and 188 species, and Serpentes in Squamata contains 13 families, 71 genera and 236 species. The study identified 2 species as Regionally Extinction (RE), 34 species as Critically Endangered (CR), 37 species as Endangered (EN), 66 species as Vulnerable (VU), 78 species as Near Threatened (NT), 175 species were identified as of Least Concern (LC) and 69 species as Data Deficient (DD). The threatened species (including CR, EN and VU) in reptile taxa are listed as follows: Testudines contained 31 species, Lacertilia in Squamata contained 38 species, Serpentes in Squamata contained 67 species, and Crocodylia contained 1 species. In China, threatened reptiles totaled 137 species, which accounted for 29.72% of reptiles in China (461 species), which is higher than that of the global assessment of the 2014 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (13.61%). Of the 137 threatened species, Crocodylia and Testudines were the two most endangered groups (covering 100% and 91.18%, respectively), followed by Serpentes in Squamata with 28.39%, and Lacertilia in Squamata (20.21%) was the least endangered. There were 39 species of endemic reptiles in China identified as endangered, which were 27.27% and 28.47% of the total number of reptiles endemic to China (143) and endangered species (137), respectively. The most endangered species were distributed in the southwestern and southern regions of China. The main threats to species survival: habitat destruction and fragmentation, overuse and the heavy pollution, and climate change. Given the uniqueness and diversity of Chinese reptile fauna, the complexity of topography and geomorphology, and the imbalance of the development of social economy, we suggest that the whole society should act to protect endangered reptiles, especially endemic and critically endangered species, which is one of the most important tasks of biodiversity conservation in China.

为了评估中国爬行动物红色名录, 我们按照爬行动物生物学特性, 适当修改了IUCN濒危物种红色名录标准Version 3.1。在此基础上, 评估了中国爬行动物生存现状, 参与编制了《中国生物多样性红色名录——脊椎动物卷》。此次评估的中国爬行动物有3目32科133属461种, 结果为: 区域灭绝(RE) 2种、极危(CR) 34种、濒危(EN) 37种、易危(VU) 66种、近危(NT) 78种、无危(LC) 175种以及数据缺乏(DD) 69种。中国受威胁(包括极危、濒危、易危)的爬行动物共计137种, 约占总数的29.72%, 包括龟鳖目31种、有鳞目蛇亚目67种、蜥蜴亚目38种和鳄形目1种, 高于2014年《IUCN濒危物种红色名录》评估的世界爬行动物受威胁比例(13.61%)。在所有受威胁物种中, 受威胁比例最高的类群是鳄形目(100%)和龟鳖目(91.18%), 其次是有鳞目蛇亚目(28.39%), 第三是有鳞目蜥蜴亚目(20.21%)。中国爬行动物特有种受威胁物种有39种, 占特有种总数(143种)的27.27%, 占受威胁物种总数(137)的28.47%。长江以南的华南和西南地区受威胁的物种最多。爬行动物受人类干扰严重, 主要表现为: 栖息地质量退化及生境破碎化、过度利用及污染和气候变化等。尽管自1989年《中华人民共和国野生动物保护法》实施以来, 一些中国濒危爬行动物的生存状况得到改善。但鉴于中国爬行动物区系的独特性和多样性、地形地貌的复杂性及社会经济发展的不均衡性, 为了维持区域生态安全和资源可持续利用, 拯救中国濒危爬行动物, 尤其是中国特有爬行动物中的极危物种, 是中国动物保护工作最迫切的任务之一。

The Red List Index (RLI) is widely recognized as the most authoritative and objective index for assessing the risk of extinction for species. Good results have been achieved in the application of RLI in assessment of the progress of United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals at global scale. In this paper, RLI was applied at national scale based on multi-source data from International Union for Conservation of Nature, BirdLife International, Red List Categories in China Red Data Book (1998) and China Species Red List (2004) to evaluate trends in the status of vertebrate species in China. RLI of amphibians and reptiles were not assessed because of a lack of data. From 1996 to 2008, the RLI of China's mammals decreased, so did that of China's freshwater fishes from 1998 to 2004. The RLI of birds calculated using Equal-steps method decreased slightly between 1988 and 2012; however, when RLI was calculated using Extinction-risk method, the index initially increased slightly and then turned downward. Due to habitat degradation and loss, the threat status of mammals and freshwater fishes has been increasing. Overall, the threat status of birds is increasing though there were some improvements in the status of critically endangered species. We suggest that more taxonomic groups should be assessed using Red List guidelines so that calculation of RLI is possible. And on the basis of RLI, governments and decision makers should make more effective conservation plans for endangered species.

红色名录指数(Red List Index, RLI)是评估物种濒危状况变化趋势的最有效指标, 已经被列为联合国千年发展目标的指标之一, 在全球尺度的应用取得了很好的效果。本研究基于多来源的中国脊椎动物濒危等级评估数据, 对兽类、鸟类、两栖类、爬行类和淡水鱼类的濒危状况变化趋势进行了评估。两栖类和爬行类由于在任意两个年度同时被评估的物种数量少, 不符合计算RLI的条件, 未进行指数计算。结果表明: 1996-2008年, 兽类的RLI下降; 1998-2004年, 淡水鱼类的RLI下降; 1988-2012年, 根据Equal-steps方法计算的鸟类RLI略有下降, 但根据Extinction-risk方法计算的RLI先略有上升又呈下降趋势, 总体呈下降趋势。总体看来, 3个类群的RLI变化幅度均较小, 兽类和淡水鱼类的受威胁程度在加剧; 鸟类整体上受威胁程度虽在加剧, 但部分高濒危物种的保护状况一定程度上得到改善。建议全面开展物种濒危状况评估工作, 并根据濒危等级变化制定有效的保护计划。

To understand the extinction risk of lycophytes and ferns in China, we conducted an evaluation of the two groups according to IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (version 3.1) at the national level. During a period of 16 months, a group of three researchers evaluated each taxon by means of reading literature, checking herbarium specimens, and consulting colleagues working on lycophytes and ferns in China. A total of 30 colleagues share their knowledge, mainly regarding living status and distribution, on Chinese lycophytes and ferns. Here we present a preliminary red list of Chinese lycophytes and ferns which includes 2,244 taxa of the following categories: 43 Critically Endangered (CR, among which six have probably been already extinct), 68 Endangered (EN), 71 Vulnerable (VU), 66 Near Threatened (NT), 1,124 Least Concern (LC), and 872 Data Deficient (DD). The taxa which have been taken into account include species, subspecies, and varieties only, with forms and hybrids excluded. Of the 182 threatened species (VU, EN, and CR), 79 are endemic (or nearly) to China. Conservation priorities are suggested for the 79 threatened and endemic species, especially the 24 critically endangered species which include Adiantum meishanianum, A. nelumboides, Angiopteris chingii, Asplenium cornutissimum, Bolbitis hainanensis, Huperzia quasipolytrichoides var. rectifolia, Isoëtes orientalis, I. taiwanensis, I. yunguiensis, Paesia taiwanensis, Parathelypteris subimmersa, Polystichum basipinnatum, P. cavernicola, P. minutissimum, P. oblanceolatum, P. speluncicola, Pronephrium longipetiolatum, Pseudocyclosorus caudipinnus, Pteridrys lofouensis, Pteris angustipinna, Selliguea cruciformis, Tectaria ebenina, T. hekouensis, and Woodsia okamotoi. This red list is of a preliminary nature as a rather high proportion of taxa belong to DD (up to 872, ca. 39 % of total taxa in China). To gain a complete and precise red list, further evaluation work, especially taxonomic revisions based on field observations, is needed for the lycophytes and ferns in China. These include Angiopteris, Asplenium, Athyrium, Deparia, Dryopteris, Huperzia, Polystichum, Pteris, Selaginella, Polypodiaceae, and Thelypteridaceae which are still relatively poorly understood in terms of taxonomy and conservation.

为了解中国现存石松类和蕨类植物的灭绝风险, 我们按照IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (Version 3.1)首次开展了国家水平上的红色名录评估。三人评估小组通过查阅文献、标本以及向其他30位中国蕨类同行征询物种信息等途径, 历经16个月的时间完成了此次评估。经统计, 中国目前所知的石松类和蕨类植物共计2,244种(包括亚种和变种, 但不包括变型和杂交种)。评估结果为: 极危(CR) 43种(其中6种可能已经灭绝)、濒危(EN) 68种、易危(VU) 71种、近危(NT) 66种、无危(LC) 1,124种、数据缺乏(DD) 872种。受威胁种类(包括VU、EN、CR)共计182种, 其中79种为中国特有或准特有种。特有而又极度濒危的植物有24种, 分别是梅山铁线蕨(Adiantum meishanianum)、荷叶铁线蕨(A. nelumboides)、秦氏莲座蕨(Angiopteris chingii)、壮乡铁角蕨(Asplenium cornutissimum)、海南实蕨(Bolbitis hainanensis)、直叶金发石杉(Huperzia quasipolytrichoides var. rectifolia)、东方水韭(Isoëtes orientalis)、台湾水韭(I. taiwanensis)、云贵水韭(I. yunguiensis)、台湾曲轴蕨(Paesia taiwanensis)、海南金星蕨(Parathelypteris subimmersa)、基羽鞭叶耳蕨(Polystichum basipinnatum)、洞生耳蕨(P. cavernicola)、微小耳蕨(P. minutissimum)、倒披针耳蕨(P. oblanceolatum)、岩穴耳蕨(P. speluncicola)、长柄新月蕨(Pronephrium longipetiolatum)、尾羽假毛蕨(Pseudocyclosorus caudipinnus)、罗浮牙蕨(Pteridrys lofouensis)、细叶凤尾蕨(Pteris angustipinna)、十字假瘤蕨(Selliguea cruciformis)、黑柄叉蕨(Tectaria ebenina)、河口叉蕨(T. hekouensis)和冈本氏岩蕨(Woodsia okamotoi), 它们应予以最优先保护。目前的红色名录只是一个初步评估结果, 若要得到一份更完整更准确的红色名录, 我们还需要做进一步的信息收集和评估工作, 特别要加强中国石松类和蕨类植物的分类学研究。今后评估工作中应重点关注的类群主要有莲座蕨属(Angiopteris)、铁角蕨属(Asplenium)、蹄盖蕨属(Athyrium)、对囊蕨属(Deparia)、鳞毛蕨属(Dryopteris)、石杉属(Huperzia)、耳蕨属(Polystichum)、凤尾蕨属(Pteris)、卷柏属(Selaginella)、水龙骨科(Polypodiaceae)和金星蕨科(Thelypteridaceae), 这些类群的物种分布与生存信息目前最为缺乏。

Reliable assessment of extinction risk is a key factor in the preparation of Red Lists and in prioritizing biodiversity conservation. Temporal population trends can provide important evidence for such assessments, but imperfect sampling (observation errors) and short-term stochastic variation in population levels caused by environmental variability (process errors) can reduce the reliability of trends and lead to incorrect quantification of extinction risk. The assessment of insect taxa is likely to be particularly prone to these problems, due to the highly dynamic nature of many insect populations, driven by short life-cycles and sensitivity to environmental factors such as the weather. Using long-term United Kingdom monitoring data for 54 butterfly and 431 macro-moth species, we demonstrate the impact of insect population variability on the assessment of extinction risk using the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Criterion A (reduction in population size over the last 10years). For both taxa, varying the start year of the 10-year population trend had a substantial effect on whether particular species met Red List thresholds and on the overall number of species assessed as threatened. We conclude that for these insect taxa strict application of the 10-year rule produces Red List classifications that are unacceptably biased by the start year. Use of long-term trends with adjustment based on species performance over the last decade may offer a pragmatic solution to this problem. We call for further IUCN guidance for practitioners undertaking Red List assessments of taxa with populations that have high temporal variability.

本文阐述了中国苔藓植物濒危等级的评估原则。这一原则主要参考“IUCN物种红色名录濒危等级和标准(3.1版)”, 同时也吸收了其他苔藓学家的评估指南和结果。作者将10年内发表的新分类群暂评为数据缺乏(DD)等级, 根据馆藏标本份数估计栖息地物种成熟个体数。在此基础上, 对3,221个中国苔藓植物分类群进行评估, 结果为: 极危(CR) 16种; 濒危(EN) 58种; 易危(VU) 112种; 近危(NT) 214种; 无危(LC) 1,900种; 数据缺乏(DD) 921种。极危、濒危和易危等级的受威胁苔藓植物合计186种, 占中国苔藓植物种数的5.77%。

Both the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species and country red lists of endangered species assess the risk of extinction of species, the former being a global assessment whereas the latter provides regional assessments. The IUCN Red List of Endangered Species alerts the world to the status of endangered species, and also serves as a database of global biodiversity. Country red lists, on the other hand, ascertain the status of species in particular countries, filling knowledge gaps in the former. The two lists are thus complementary to each other. However, insufficient attention has been paid to date to country red lists of endangered species. Country-level red lists should be given greater attention for at least the following reasons: (1) a sovereign country is the main authority for taking conservation action in regard to wildlife species within its boundaries based on the level of endangerment (conservation status) of the species; (2) for endemic species in a country, the country red list status constitutes its global status; (3) for species whose ranges cross national borders, the country’s red list status reflects the survival status of the species in the country; (4) combined with the IUCN global red list, the country red list provides a basis from which to consider the establishment of transnational protected areas, the protection of important habitats for migratory species, and the protection of international migration corridors; (5) the category of “Regional Extinction” is unique to country/regional red lists of endangered species, providing an indication of the danger of extinction of the species at the country level; and (6) country red lists of endangered species can provide updated information on the inventory, classification, distribution and status of species in the country. Yet, the importance of country red lists is often overlooked under many different circumstances. Following onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, however, people’s outlook in China has been changing in regard to the relationship between humans and wildlife. Consequently, China will be amending national laws on wildlife protection, epidemic prevention, and the List of State Key Protected Wild Animal Species, in order to better prevent and control emerging zoonoses. The status of wildlife species included in the country red list of endangered species should be one of the defining elements for identifying and updating species on the List of State Key Protected Wild Animal Species in China. Thus, it is critical to recognize the significance of the country red list of endangered species at this special moment in time.

IUCN濒危物种红色名录与国家濒危物种红色名录都是物种灭绝风险的测度, 前者是全球性评估, 后者则是国别研究。IUCN濒危物种红色名录预警了全球物种的濒危状况, 为全球生物多样性研究提供了大数据; 国别红色名录确定了各国物种受威胁状况, 填补了前者的知识空缺, 两份名录互为补充。目前对国家濒危物种红色名录重视不够。基于如下原因, 应当重视国别濒危物种红色名录的意义: (1)国家是濒危物种保护的行为主体, 物种在一个国家的生存状况是确定其保护级别、开展濒危物种保育的依据; (2)对于仅分布于一个国家的特有物种来说, 其国别濒危物种红色名录等级即是其全球濒危等级; (3)对于跨国境分布的物种来说, 国别濒危物种红色名录等级则确定了该物种在本国的生存状况; (4)结合IUCN濒危物种红色名录, 国别濒危物种红色名录为建立跨国保护地、保护迁徙物种的栖息地与跨国迁徙洄游通道提供依据; (5)国别濒危物种红色名录所特有的“区域灭绝”等级, 反映了一个物种边缘种群在该国的区域灭绝, 恢复“区域灭绝”物种是该物种原分布国重引入保育工作的重点; (6)国别濒危物种红色名录提供了该国物种编目、分类、分布和生存状况的最新信息。然而, 国别濒危物种红色名录的重要性在许多情况下被忽视了。目前正值全球新冠肺炎大流行, 人们正在重新审视人与野生动物的关系。我国将修订有关野生动物保护与防疫法法律以及《国家重点保护野生动物名录》, 防控新的人与野生动物共患疾病再次暴发。对于确定国家重点保护野生动物物种名录来言, 物种受威胁程度是物种列为国家重点保护物种的特征之一。重视国别红色名录有特别的意义。

It is an important task in biodiversity conservation to assess species endangerment status and determine protection priorities. Although IUCN Redlist Criteria are improving through periodical revision, people are still developing different criteria because information about population census, habitat status and life history of a given species are often lacking. We reviewed the progress of assessing species endangerment status, both internationally and domestically, and propose that future designations combine distribution area, life history, ecological function, anthropogenic interference and special use data to more accurately assess endangerment status. As an example, we assessed the status of terrestrial vertebrates in China using this method. Our results showed that five species were listed in the category of extinct, 30 species were extinct, 343 species were endangered, 459 species were threatened, 439 species were concerned, and 1,032 species were least concerned.

评估物种濒危等级, 确定物种保护优先序, 是生物多样性保护的一项重要工作。通过不断的修订, IUCN红色名录濒危等级标准已经趋于完善。但是, 目前人们还在探索在无法获得物种的种群数量、生境、生活史数据时, 如何寻找替代指标评估物种濒危等级。我们综述了国内外物种濒危状况研究的进展, 提出了结合物种分布区、生活史、生态功能、人为干扰和特殊利用价值的评估物种受威胁状况的方法, 并以此方法评估了中国陆生脊椎动物的生存状况。结果表明, 列入灭绝级的物种有5个, 功能性灭绝级的物种有30个, 濒危级的物种有343个, 受胁级的物种有459个, 关注级的物种有439个, 无危级的物种有1,032个。

2018年5月22日国际生物多样性日, 生态环境部和中国科学院联合发布了“中国生物多样性红色名录——大型真菌卷”, 对9,302种大型真菌的受威胁现状进行了评估。根据大型真菌的生物学特性, 此次评估还对IUCN红色名录评估等级标准体系进行了适当调整。本文总结了评估过程中发现的问题: (1)部分物种的分类学地位存在争议, 缺少汉语学名; (2)大量物种的地理分布、种群数量及动态变化等信息缺乏; (3) IUCN的部分评估标准在大型真菌中难以使用; (4)物种的受威胁因素不明确, 缺乏科学定量的分析。针对以上问题, 我们建议: (1)加强真菌分类学研究, 按命名规范拟定物种的汉语学名; (2)加强大型真菌的资源调查, 对重要物种和多样性热点区域进行长期定点监测; (3)引入物种分布建模等定量分析方法, 完善IUCN的评估标准, 使之更适用于大型真菌的评估; (4)鼓励公众参与, 建立交流互动平台, 扩大红色名录工作的影响, 加强大型真菌多样性保护。

我国大型真菌资源丰富, 由于受气候变化和人类活动等的影响, 近年来很多物种受到不同程度的威胁, 亟待保护。红色名录评估是物种保护的第一步, 为有效保护我国大型真菌多样性, 2016年生态环境部和中国科学院联合启动中国大型真菌红色名录评估项目。合理的评估依赖于完善的物种地理分布、种群数量规模及其动态变化信息。大型真菌评估信息较少, 需要引入新的方法解决评估信息不足的问题。冬虫夏草(Ophiocordyceps sinensis)是一种重要的食药用菌, 具有较高的经济价值, 受到全世界的广泛关注, 评估信息相对充足, 此次被评为易危物种。利用物种分布模型对冬虫夏草未来分布区变化的预测在评估过程中发挥了重要作用。为了将物种分布模型分析方法引入大型真菌的受威胁等级评估, 本文以此前我们利用物种分布模型预测冬虫夏草的潜在分布区及其对气候变化响应的研究为例, 介绍了应用物种分布模型预测大型真菌的潜在分布区、未来气候变化情景下分布区变化趋势的方法和流程, 以及在应用中可能存在的问题和解决方案。通过本文的分析, 我们认为物种分布模型在大型真菌的红色名录评估和保护中具有重要的应用潜力, 值得推广应用。

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Index (RLI) is used to measure trends in extinction risk of species over time. The development of 2 red lists for Spanish vascular flora during the past decade allowed us to apply the IUCN RLI to vascular plants in an area belonging to a global biodiversity hotspot. We used the Spanish Red Lists from 2000 and 2010 to assess changes in level of threat at a national scale and at the subnational scales of Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, and peninsular Spain. We assigned retrospective IUCN categories of threat to 98 species included in the Spanish Red List of 2010 but absent in the Spanish Red List of 2000. In addition, we tested the effect of different random and taxonomic and spatial Spanish samples on the overall RLI value. From 2000 to 2010, the IUCN categories of 768 species changed (10% of Spanish flora), mainly due to improved knowledge (63%), modifications in IUCN criteria (14%), and changes in threat status (12%). All measured national and subnational RLI values decreased during this period, indicating a general decline in the conservation status of the Spanish vascular flora. The Canarian RLI value (0.84) was the lowest, although the fastest deterioration in conservation status occurred on peninsular Spain (from 0.93 in 2000 to 0.92 in 2010). The RLI values based on subsamples of the Spanish Red List were not representative of RLI values for the entire country, which would discourage the use of small areas or small taxonomic samples to assess general trends in the endangerment of national biotas. The role of the RLI in monitoring of changes in biodiversity at the global and regional scales needs further reassessment because additional areas and taxa are necessary to determine whether the index is sufficiently sensitive for use in assessing temporal changes in species' risk of extinction.© 2015 Society for Conservation Biology.

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assessments rely on published data and expert inputs, and biases can be introduced where underlying definitions and concepts are ambiguous. Consideration of climate change threat is no exception, and recently numerous approaches to assessing the threat of climate change to species have been developed. We explored IUCN Red List assessments of amphibians and birds to determine whether species listed as threatened by climate change display distinct patterns in terms of habitat occupied and additional nonclimatic threats faced. We compared IUCN Red List data with a published data set of species' biological and ecological traits believed to infer high vulnerability to climate change and determined whether distributions of climate change-threatened species on the IUCN Red List concur with those of climate change-threatened species identified with the trait-based approach and whether species possessing these traits are more likely to have climate change listed as a threat on the IUCN Red List. Species in some ecosystems (e.g., grassland, shrubland) and subject to particular threats (e.g., invasive species) were more likely to have climate change as a listed threat. Geographical patterns of climate change-threatened amphibians and birds on the IUCN Red List were incongruent with patterns of global species richness and patterns identified using trait-based approaches. Certain traits were linked to increases or decreases in the likelihood of a species being threatened by climate change. Broad temperature tolerance of a species was consistently related to an increased likelihood of climate change threat, indicating counterintuitive relationships in IUCN assessments. To improve the robustness of species assessments of the vulnerability or extinction risk associated with climate change, we suggest IUCN adopt a more cohesive approach whereby specific traits highlighted by our results are considered in Red List assessments. To achieve this and to strengthen the climate change-vulnerability assessments approach, it is necessary to identify and implement logical avenues for further research into traits that make species vulnerable to climate change (including population-level threats).© 2017 Society for Conservation Biology.

Fungal taxonomy has a history of more than 260 years, with authors publishing over 475,000 names. Three online Fungal Name Repositories were established to manage registration of new names. During data collection for a project to develop a modern Checklist of Fungi in China and the first Redlist assessment of macrofungi in China, 532 names of Chinese fungi, distinguished in 5 different categories, were found missing from the three repositories. The absence of these names from the repositories badly hampered the transmission of information on fungi. Managing and checking these names is important in maintaining the high quality of fungal taxonomy and provides a sound basis for any future research involving fungi.

气候变化对全球的物种多样性有深远影响, 尤其是对高山物种多样性。研究未来气候变化下物种的灭绝风险对生物多样性保护具有重要的意义。本文针对青藏高原的2种重要药用植物大花红景天(Rhodiola crenulata)和菊叶红景天(R. chrysanthemifolia), 利用气候生态位因子分析法研究了它们对气候变化的敏感性、暴露性和脆弱性, 讨论了2种“共享社会经济途径” (SSP2-45和SSP5-85)情景下的未来气候对这2个物种脆弱性的影响。同时计算了2种红景天的气候生态位的边缘性和特化性, 通过主成分分析法对其气候生态位进行了二维可视化, 并分析了它们的气候变化脆弱性与气候生态位之间的关系。结果表明, 未来气候变化情景下2种红景天在其分布区都显示出西部脆弱性高而东部脆弱性低的特征, 而脆弱性都表现为较低的横断山脉地区将成为其未来气候避难所。2种红景天在SSP5-85气候情景下的脆弱性高于SSP2-45, 资源和能源密集型社会经济途径(即SSP5-85)将会增大物种的灭绝风险。此外, 被《中国物种红色名录》评估为无危的菊叶红景天的气候变化脆弱性反而大于被评估为濒危的大花红景天。生态位因子分析结果表明大花红景天的生态位边缘性和特化性都低于菊叶红景天, 研究推断同地区不同物种的气候变化脆弱性主要由物种的气候生态位决定。

A red list assessment of macrofungi was performed to determine the threatened status of known macro-basidiomycetes in China. Forty-five species were considered threatened, with species classified as either Possibly Extinct (PE), Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN) or Vulnerable (VU). These species account for 0.72% of the 6,268 macro-basidiomycete species. More than one-third of the threatened species are edible or medicinal fungi, and most of them are uncultivable, meaning they only grow in the wild. The threatened basidiomycete species are mainly distributed across Southwest and Northeast China. The main threats to these species are shrinking and destruction of habitat caused by human activities, although excessive picking is a major threat for the edible and medicinal species. However, there were insufficient data for 4,251 macro-basidiomycetes species, 67.82% of all species, which suggests that this red list assessment is incomplete.

基于文献和标本信息以及专家提供的数据, 依据中国大型真菌评估的标准和程序, 对中国范围内已知大型担子菌进行了受威胁状态评估。结果显示, 在评估的6,268种担子菌中, 受威胁(疑似灭绝、极危、濒危、易危)的物种有45种, 受威胁比例为0.72%。受威胁的大型担子菌物种中食药用菌比例达1/3以上, 且大部分物种仍无法人工栽培, 主要依赖野生资源。我国受威胁担子菌主要集中分布在西南和东北地区。人类活动导致的物种栖息地萎缩和破坏是我国大型担子菌受威胁的首要因子, 过度采挖是食药用菌受威胁的重要原因。此外, 数据不足的大型担子菌共4,251种, 占被评估大型担子菌总数的67.82%, 表明我国大型担子菌物种多样性及相关研究还存在不足。

Lichens are important components of macrofungi, and thus they are also main subjects in the Red List Assessment of Macrofungi in China. A total of 2,164 lichen species were evaluated here, including 2,145 ascomycete lichen species and 19 basidiomycete lichen species. These species were organized into 2 phyla, 9 classes, 34 orders, 92 families and 352 genera. The results showed that, of the 28 species identified as threatened, 3 species were Critically Endangered (CR), 7 species were Endangered (EN) and 18 species were Vulnerable (VU). These 28 represented 1.29% of all evaluated species, with 6 other species considered to be Near Threatened (NT) and 657 species assessed as Least Concern (LC). More than half the species, 1,473 (68.07%), were Data Deficient (DD) and could not be further evaluated due to lack of data. This highlights the severe lack of lichen research and the urgent need for lichen taxonomists in China. The extremely slow growth, weak adaptability to habitat degradation, particular sensitivity to air pollution, narrow distribution and small population size characteristic of lichens all contribute to the susceptible state of lichens that face habitat destruction caused by human activities. In addition, it is worth noting that some lichen species evaluated as Vulnerable here, have since been overexploited due to their edibility and well-known medicinal value. These species’ conservation status will be further aggravated if they continue to lack effective protection.

地衣是大型真菌的重要组成部分, 是中国大型真菌红色名录评估的主要对象之一。本次评估的地衣共2,164种, 其中子囊菌地衣2,145种, 担子菌地衣19种, 分属于2门9纲34目92科352属。评估结果显示, 地衣受威胁物种共28种, 占被评估地衣物种总数的1.29%, 其中极危3种, 濒危7种, 易危18种; 近危6种, 无危657种, 而数据不足的物种达1,473种。这类因为缺乏足够的数据资料而未能进一步评估其生存状态和红色名录等级的物种占评估地衣总数的68.07%, 凸显了我国地衣学研究的严峻形势及对地衣分类学人才的迫切需要。对受威胁物种的分析表明, 地衣由于自身生长缓慢和对环境污染敏感, 并且绝大多数分布区域狭窄, 种群数量少, 对生境退化的适应和恢复生长的能力弱, 人类活动和气候变化导致的栖息地破坏和碎片化使得这些地衣的生存受到严重威胁。值得注意的是, 评为易危的一些地衣, 因具有较大的食药用价值而被过度采挖利用, 如不采取有效保护措施, 其受威胁程度将进一步加剧。

Aims: It is important to conduct periodical red list assessments, understand the threatened status and threats, for effective species conservation. Here we report a new red list assessment of gymnosperm species native to China with a comparison between this new assessment and the earlier assessment released in 2013. Methods: We collected species data from published references and databases and adopted the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria ver. 3.1 for the red list assessment. Results: This new red list assessment of gymnosperms includes 274 species and infraspecies, belonging to 37 genera and 8 families, all of which are native to China. Compared with the red list version released in 2013, 2 families were reduced in priority, while 3 genera and 40 species and infraspecies increased in priority during this study. These changes are caused by updating recent taxonomic novelties and adding a few taxa missing in the previous assessment. Among the 274 assessed specific and infraspecific taxa, 139 were listed as threatened (including Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), and Vulnerable (VU)). Of the total assessed species, up to 50.7% are listed as threatened, which is similar to the proportion of the previous assessment. In addition, there are 27 species and infraspecies listed as Data Deficient (DD), approximately 9.9% of the total assessed species. Conclusions: Threats to Chinese gymnosperm species include internal attributes of relic and endemic species, over-exploitation, habitat loss, and global warming. The high ratio of Data Deficient (DD) species suggests that it is necessary to conduct targeted field investigations to better understand the living status and threats of gymnosperms in China in order to lay a solid foundation for the next red list assessment. The new assessment will be helpful to guide conservation practices of Chinese gymnosperms.

定期开展物种红色名录评估, 了解植物濒危状态、致危因素变化, 对于物种保育有重要意义。本文报道了国产裸子植物的最新评估结果, 并与2013版红色名录进行了比较。本次评估了国产裸子植物274个种和种下分类群(隶属于8科37属)。与2013版红色名录相比, 本次评估减少了2科, 增加了3属和40个种和种下分类群。分类群变化是由于上次评估遗漏属种、新类群、新分布记录以及分类群名称和等级变化所致。本次评估有139个种和种下分类群被列入受威胁等级(包括极危、濒危和易危), 占总评估种类的50.7%, 与2013版的51.0%相比, 受威胁程度基本不变。物种自身进化属性、资源过度利用、生境丧失和全球变暖是国产裸子植物的主要致危因素。此外, 还有27种列为数据缺乏(DD), 占总种数的9.9%, 较2013版略有增加, 表明我国裸子植物需开展针对性野外调查和相关研究, 以摸清物种的野外生存现状, 为深入认识我国裸子植物濒危程度奠定数据基础。新的红色名录评估对濒危物种保育实践也有重要意义。

Macrofungi are important with both their ecological and socioeconomic values. Due to environmental pollution, climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation, and over-exploitation of resources, the diversity of macrofungi is under serious threatened. To evaluate the threatened status of macrofungi nationwide in China, the project of “Red List Assessment of Macrofungi in China” was officially launched in 2016 by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (formerly the Ministry of Environmental Protection) in conjunction with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Based on extensive and comprehensive collection of literature on the occurrence and distribution of macrofungi in China, and referring to the categories and criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Species, the evaluation methods and process of the Red List of China's macrofungi were formulated according to the biological features of macrofungi and the current understanding of macrofungi in China. Experts on macrofungi around China were mobilized and organized to assess the threatened status of 9,302 species of macrofungi reported in China. Ninety-seven species are considered under threatened (including Possibly Extinct, Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable), accounting for 1.04% of the total number of species assessed; 101 species are Near Threatened, 2,764 species are Least Concern and 6,340 species are Data Deficient, occupying 1.09%, 29.71% and 68.16%, successively, of the species assessed. The assessment, which brings together the wisdom of more than 140 experts all over the country, is the first nationwide attempt to assess the threaten status of macrofungi in China, involving the largest number of macrofungal species, the widest range of macrofungal groups, the widest coverage of distribution area and the largest number of expert participants at home and abroad. It is of great significance to the conservation and management of the diversity of macrofungi in China.

大型真菌具有重要的生态价值和经济价值, 但由于环境污染、气候变化、生境丧失与破碎化, 以及资源过度利用等因素, 其生物多样性受到严重威胁。为了全面评估中国大型真菌的生存状况, 国家生态环境部(原环境保护部)联合中国科学院于2016年启动了《中国生物多样性红色名录——大型真菌卷》的编制工作。经广泛和全面收集文献资料, 依据IUCN物种红色名录等级与标准, 结合大型真菌特点和国内研究现状, 制定了中国大型真菌红色名录评估方法和流程, 动员和组织了全国相关研究力量, 对9,302种大型真菌的受威胁状况进行了评估。结果显示, 中国大型真菌受威胁物种(包括疑似灭绝、极危、濒危、易危)共97个, 占被评估物种总数的1.04%; 近危101种, 占总数的1.09%; 无危2,764种, 占总数的29.71%; 数据不足6,340种, 占总数的68.16%。此次评估工作汇集了全国140多位专家的智慧, 是国内外迄今为止涉及物种数量最大、类群范围最宽、覆盖地域最广、参与人员最多的一次大型真菌生存状况评估, 对我国大型真菌多样性保护与管理具有重要意义。

China started to use the IUCN Red List Criteria of Threatened Species to assess endangered species in the early 1980s. Although the Species Red List of China has been widely cited both at home and abroad, there are still some imperfections in the red list. In 2008, the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Academy of Science started the project of the China Biodiversity Red List in order to further the understanding of threats to biodiversity in China and to improve the scientific basis of biodiversity conservation. The China Biodiversity Red List: Higher Plants and the Biodiversity Red List of China: Vertebrates were published in September 2013 and May 2015, respectively. Compiling of the Biodiversity Red List of China was a large systematic project, over 500 experts from relevant fields participated the exhaustive assessment of the threat to 34,450 higher plant species and 4,357 vertebrate species (not including marine fishes) in China. This assessment was the largest scale so far which provided the most complete information set for the widest scope of organisms in China. For instance, it summed up the number of known vertebrate and higher plant species in China and confirmed worldwide species richness rankings of the country; it improved the IUCN Red List assessment system as well; it assessed and analyzed the degree of threats to and the differences in distribution of known higher plants and vertebrates in China; and it assessed and analyzed the conditions threatening higher plants and vertebrates. The most prevalent factors threatening higher plants and vertebrates were habitat loss and degradation caused by human activities. The Biodiversity Red List of China will have profoundly influences on biodiversity protection and management in the country.

早在20世纪80年代, 我国就引入IUCN红色名录原理, 对我国生物物种的濒危状况开展评估工作。但是随着经济发展和气候变化, 一些物种的数量和分布区发生了变化, 加之在以往的评估中存在一些不足, 亟需对我国生物物种的濒危状况开展一次全面的评估。2008年, 环境保护部联合中国科学院启动了《中国生物多样性红色名录》的编制工作, 《中国生物多样性红色名录——高等植物卷》和《中国生物多样性红色名录——脊椎动物卷》分别于2013年9月和2015年5月正式对外发布。本文回顾了《中国生物多样性红色名录》的编制背景、过程和取得的成果。《中国生物多样性红色名录》完成了对我国34,450种高等植物和除海洋鱼类外的4,357种脊椎动物受威胁状况的评估, 是迄今为止对象最广、信息最全、参与专家人数最多的一次评估。在评估中取得了一系列成果: 统计了中国已知高等植物和脊椎动物物种数, 确定了物种丰富度在世界上的排名; 完善了国际上所使用的IUCN红色名录评估等级标准体系; 评估分析了我国已知高等植物和脊椎动物的受威胁程度及分布差异; 评估分析了高等植物和脊椎动物濒危灭绝的原因, 其中人类活动导致的生境丧失和退化是首要因素。这些成果将对我国生物多样性保护和管理工作产生积极的影响。

On May 22, 2018, the 25th International Day for Biological Diversity, a “China Biodiversity Red List—Macrofungi” was officially released by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The List included 870 species of non-lichenized macro-ascomycetes (as “macro-ascomycetes” below). A total of 24 species were listed as threatened including 1 Possibly Extinct, 6 Critically Endangered, 3 Endangered and 14 Vulnerable, accounting for 2.76% of the species assessed. Besides, 189 macro-ascomycetes were assessed as Least Concern and 616 as Data Deficient, accounting for 21.72% and 70.80%, respectively. The evaluation method, assessment process and results were presented herein; and the status of the China’s macro-ascomycetes, geographic distribution of the threatened species and major threatening factors were analyzed. The conservation actions and advices were also proposed. Fungal taxonomy is fundamental of and essential for evaluation of biodiversity red list of threatened species. In a relatively long period of time, field investigations and taxonomic studies are critical tasks and need continuous financial support from different sources. Future evaluations of threatened species of macrofungi in China rely on co-operations among taxonomists, workers in nature reserves, ecologists and amateurs.

2018年5月22日是第25个国际生物多样性日, 生态环境部和中国科学院联合发布了《中国生物多样性红色名录——大型真菌卷》。子囊菌是真菌界物种数量最丰富的类群, 其中小型种类居多, 此次参评的我国非地衣型大型子囊菌(以下简称“大型子囊菌”)包括870种。评估结果表明, 我国大型子囊菌受威胁物种有24种, 其中疑似灭绝1种、极危6种、濒危3种、易危14种, 受威胁物种占评估大型子囊菌物种数的2.76%。此外, 无危的大型子囊菌189种, 占评估物种数的21.72%, 数据不足的616种, 占评估物种数的70.80%。本文对中国大型子囊菌红色名录评估的方法、过程和评估结果等进行了介绍, 对其受威胁现状、受威胁物种的区域分布、致危因素等进行了总结分析, 并提出了相应的保护措施和建议。分类学研究是进行红色名录评估的基础, 在未来相当长的一段时间里, 真菌资源调查和分类学研究仍然需要引起重视并投入资金。建议分类学工作者、保护区管理人员、业余爱好者群体和生态学家合作并广泛参与大型真菌受威胁状况的评估。