CR

Alsophila major

Unknown

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Alsophila major faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive deforestation and habitat fragmentation across its native range in tropical montane forests. The species is particularly vulnerable to logging operations and agricultural conversion, as these tree ferns require specific microclimatic conditions found in undisturbed forest understories. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the cool, humid conditions essential for this species' survival at higher elevations.

Threat summary

Habitat

Alsophila major inhabits tropical montane cloud forests and wet mountain forests, typically occurring in the understory of primary and secondary forests at elevations between 1,000-2,500 meters. The species requires consistently high humidity and filtered sunlight, thriving in the cool, moist microclimates characteristic of these elevated forest ecosystems.

Other threatened species in Cyatheaceae

VU

Cyathea acutidens

Unknown
EN

Cyathea gracilis

Unknown
CR

Cyathea boconensis

Unknown
CR

Cyathea aemula

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Alsophila major classified as Critically Endangered?
Alsophila major is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Alsophila major faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive deforestation and habitat fragmentation across its native range in tropical montane forests. The species is particularly vulnerable to logging operations and agricultural conversion, as these tree ferns require specific microclimatic conditions found in undisturbed forest understories. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the cool, humid conditions essential for this species' survival at higher elevations.
Where does Alsophila major live?
Alsophila major occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Alsophila major?
The main threats to Alsophila major are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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