The predicted extinction of Dactylorhiza elata (Poir.) Soó subsp. sesquipedalis (Willd.) Soó in Italy: why we should care more about populations in biological conservation

Abstract: Population extinction greatly contributes to the global loss of biodiversity, silently affecting habitat resilience. This study emphasizes the critical importance of selecting target species for conservation efforts, highlighting the often overlooked significance of those with wide, but disjunct, distributions and small populations. Indeed, current conservation programs tend to focus on geopolitical units, potentially neglecting species with broader native range. This research describes the alarming situation of Dactylorhiza elata (Poir.) Soó subsp. sesquipedalis (Willd.) Soó, recording the extinction of the Italian population attributed to inadequate land management, despite clear evidence of a notable and rapid demographic decrease. The decline of taxa widely distributed, but locally rare, is discussed using the case of Dactylorhiza elata subsp. sesquipedalis in Sardinia, Italy. Field monitoring and ex situ germination tests indicate the disappearance of this species since 2019, stressing the need for cross-border conservation projects to effectively safeguard biodiversity.