Oak Fern
CR

Oak Fern

Gymnocarpium dryopteris

UnknownLCEULCEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnocarpium_dryopteris

Overview

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

Western Oakfern faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to logging and forest fragmentation in its specialized woodland environments. Climate change is altering the cool, moist conditions this species requires, while invasive plant species compete for resources in its native forest understory habitats.

Threat summary

Habitat

Cool, moist coniferous and mixed deciduous forests, typically growing in acidic soils on forest floors, rocky slopes, and shaded woodland understories. Often found in association with mosses and other shade-tolerant plants in northern temperate forest ecosystems.

Other threatened species in Cystopteridaceae

BladderfernEN

Bladderfern

Cystopteris sudetica

Unknown
Limestone FernCR

Limestone Fern

Gymnocarpium robertianum

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Oak Fern classified as Critically Endangered?
Oak Fern 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. Western Oakfern faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to logging and forest fragmentation in its specialized woodland environments. Climate change is altering the cool, moist conditions this species requires, while invasive plant species compete for resources in its native forest understory habitats.
Where does Oak Fern live?
Oak Fern 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 Oak Fern?
The main threats to Oak Fern 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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