Chapter 3 North Carolina’s Species
For species with very small populations, the long-term viability is highly questionable. Small populations tend to suffer from genetic loss which can lower the overall fitness at the population and even species level within a region. By tracking population viability, the NCNHP’s database of rare plant populations helps conservationists to prioritize species and populations within species’ ranges which are at elevated risk of loss unless population sizes increase. Conservation efforts that support population increases often requires mitigation of more than one threat. Historical populations of rare species continue to be tracked by NCNHP for two primary reasons. First, historical populations can help us understand the full range and distribution of species as they undergo losses or range changes. Second, it is possible that historical populations can be rediscovered at or near known records during future surveys when environmental conditions are suitable. Most often these rediscoveries occur after appropriate land management is conducted to rehabilitate the habitat at a site, but sometimes a resurvey simply turns up previously undetectable individuals for unknown reasons. 3.13.4 Knowledge Gaps Beginning in 1982, the NCNHP’s county inventory biologists systematically studied the ecology of each county, conducting biological inventories of natural areas and maintaining a database of high-quality natural communities and rare species occurrences. Since the first county inventory was completed (Dare mainland), 97 of North Carolina’s 100 counties have been comprehensively inventoried by NCNHP biologists (only Clay, Swain, and Wilkes have not been completed as of 2025). After completion of the initial county inventories, biologists in the NCNHP and partners, including the NCWRC, Division of Parks and Recreation, and Plant Conservation Program and many others, update the state’s natural heritage inventory regularly as new lands are acquired for conservation and through partnership monitoring efforts. However, even with the collaborative efforts of field biologists working across North Carolina, many species and habitats remain under surveyed due to lack of staff resources or difficulty of access. For this reason, some species are considered “data deficient” and were not included in the SGCN priority list. An ongoing need exists for additional surveys and monitoring of species included in the SGCN list to keep the dataset current and complete, as circumstances change due to natural processes and human impacts to the landscape. Populations that have not been inventoried in more than 30 years (on average) are considered “historical”. Where species occur in rapidly developing urban areas, species may be considered “historical” if they have not been observed in greater than 20 years. This difference is due to the likelihood of local extirpation caused by habitat conversion.
The NCNHP and partners obtain permission from landowners before conducting any biological inventories on private land. In many areas, staff biologists recognize the high likelihood of rare
2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
3 - 184
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator