Threats of Climate Change to Single-Island Endemic Species in Protected Areas

The Island of La Palma (Canary Islands, Spain) is protected as a whole (La Palma World Biosphere Reserve) and within this frame in parts as a national park (Caldera de Taburiente) and additionally through sites of special conservation status, and Natura 2000 sites. The island hosts a large number of archipelago endemic (AE) plant species and also single-island endemic (SIE) plants. These species even contribute substantially to local species richness, biomass and functioning of ecosystems, and they cannot be replaced through species from other regions. In consequence, there is an urgent need to detect spatial patterns and changes in the distribution and performance of these species in order to adapt the management of Protected Areas to the increasing pressures. Here, we present together with local administrative management a detailed analysis of the contribution of endemic species and of the respective threats that need to be addressed in adaptation strategies. Also we show how monitoring and the control of success can be implemented with the support of Earth Observation. The study is part of the H2020 Project ECOPOTENTIAL