VU

Aristida aspera

Declining

Overview

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

Aristida aspera faces significant pressure from agricultural expansion and overgrazing by livestock, which degrades the sandy grassland habitats essential for its survival. Urban development and infrastructure projects have fragmented remaining populations, while altered fire regimes disrupt the natural disturbance cycles this grass species requires for regeneration. Climate change compounds these pressures by increasing drought frequency and intensity in its already arid range.

Threat summary

Habitat

Aristida aspera inhabits sandy grasslands, open woodlands, and semi-arid savannas, typically growing in well-drained soils with low nutrient content. This perennial grass thrives in areas with periodic natural disturbances such as fire or moderate grazing pressure.

Other threatened species in POACEAE

VU

Panicum pinifolium

Unknown
VU

Eragrostis usambarensis

Unknown
VU

Cymbopogon bhutanicus

Unknown
VU

Drepanostachyum annulatum

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Aristida aspera classified as Vulnerable?
Aristida aspera is classified as Vulnerable because the population is declining and the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term future if current pressures continue. Aristida aspera faces significant pressure from agricultural expansion and overgrazing by livestock, which degrades the sandy grassland habitats essential for its survival. Urban development and infrastructure projects have fragmented remaining populations, while altered fire regimes disrupt the natural disturbance cycles this grass species requires for regeneration. Climate change compounds these pressures by increasing drought frequency and intensity in its already arid range.
Where does Aristida aspera live?
Aristida aspera 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 Aristida aspera?
The main threats to Aristida aspera 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.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.