Heliotropium kuriense
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Heliotropium kuriense faces severe threats from its extremely restricted range on the Kurile Islands, where volcanic activity and harsh climatic conditions limit suitable habitat. The species is particularly vulnerable to habitat degradation from human activities and invasive plant species that compete for the limited coastal and rocky terrain it requires. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns and temperature extremes that could further reduce the already marginal habitats available to this endemic plant.
Habitat
Heliotropium kuriense is endemic to the Kurile Islands, where it inhabits coastal areas, rocky slopes, and volcanic soils. The species is adapted to harsh maritime conditions with strong winds, salt spray, and nutrient-poor substrates typical of these remote subarctic islands.