Threatened Species of the City of Espoo – Summary

Heikkinen, Mikko 2001: Espoon uhanalaiset eläimet ja kasvit. - Publication of the Environmental Committee of Espoo 7/2001. ISBN: 951-857-429-4. 39 p. (In Finnish) - The whole publication in Finnish

In 2000 a new Red List of Finland’s threatened species was completed by the Ministry of the Environment (Rassi et al. 2000). The list was made using IUCN’s new red list categories and criteria (IUCN 1994). Out of the 15,000 evaluated Finnish species, 10% were evaluated as threatened and 7% near threatened.

According to the Red List of Finland, a list of the threatened and near threatened species known to exist in the city of Espoo (South Finland) was prepared (Heikkinen, 2001). It contains 54 threatened and 77 near threatened species. In addition, few threatened species have been introduced to Espoo. These species and their basic biology are presented in this publication with an introduction to the current los of biodiversity.

In Finland and Espoo, most of the threatened species live in natural (old-growth) forests and in traditional human-made agriculture habitats such as meadows and dry fields. In addition, different natural water systems (such as small streams, springs and wetlands) are important habitats for Espoo’s threatened species. Species are threatened mainly by habitat destruction and alteration. Also hunting and disturbance caused by humans are major threats.

Two species that are critically endangered (IUCN’s category 'CR') in Finland are known to occur in the city of Espoo: ground beetle Bembidion monticola and Powder-foot British soldiers (Cladonia incrassata), a lichen. Other interesting species are Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans) whose population in Espoo is the most dense in Finland, and Macroplea pubipennis, a small sea-living beetle endemic to Finland.

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