CR

Isoetes wormaldii

Declining

Overview

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

Isoetes wormaldii faces severe threats from habitat degradation and water level fluctuations in its restricted wetland environments. Agricultural expansion and urban development have significantly reduced available habitat, while altered hydrology from dam construction and water extraction disrupts the seasonal flooding cycles essential for this aquatic quillwort's reproduction. Climate change compounds these pressures through increased drought frequency and altered precipitation patterns.

Threat summary

Habitat

This aquatic quillwort inhabits seasonal pools, shallow wetlands, and temporary water bodies with sandy or muddy substrates. It requires specific hydrological conditions with periodic flooding and drying cycles that support its unique reproductive strategy.

Other threatened species in ISOETACEAE

EN

Gascoyne Quillwort

Isoetes boryana

Declining
VU

Azorean Quillwort

Isoetes azorica

Declining
EN

Greek Quillwort

Isoetes haussknechtii

Unknown
CR

Isoetes hewitsonii

Unknown

Threatened in South Africa

VU

Copper Shark

Carcharhinus brachyurus

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EN

Black-Spotted Blue

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Unknown
Cape GannetEN

Cape Gannet

Morus capensis

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Scarce BlackneckCR

Scarce Blackneck

Lygephila craccae

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Isoetes wormaldii classified as Critically Endangered?
Isoetes wormaldii 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. Isoetes wormaldii faces severe threats from habitat degradation and water level fluctuations in its restricted wetland environments. Agricultural expansion and urban development have significantly reduced available habitat, while altered hydrology from dam construction and water extraction disrupts the seasonal flooding cycles essential for this aquatic quillwort's reproduction. Climate change compounds these pressures through increased drought frequency and altered precipitation patterns.
Where does Isoetes wormaldii live?
Isoetes wormaldii occurs in South Africa. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Isoetes wormaldii?
The main threats to Isoetes wormaldii 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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