London Biodiversity Partnership

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Species Audit

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Welcome to the Species Audit Database - the on-line version of the species section of the London Biodiversity Audit (Volume 1 of the London Biodiversity Action Plan). An Introduction is given below.

Here you can search our on-line database of species found in London boroughs. The navigation pictures at the top of each page provide quick links back to this home page, and lead you to the Find Species and Find Boroughs pages:

Find Species - here you can view species present in one particular borough. You can choose the borough from a drop-down-list or from a map of London.

Find Boroughs - here you can choose up to 5 species and view the boroughs in which they are found. Each species is chosen from a list of either English or Latin names.

We welcome your feedback on the Database. To give us your feedback, use the Comments & Corrections tabs on either the Find Species results page or the Find Boroughs results page, or click here.

Introduction

The London Species Audit has attempted to identify species that will serve a number of purposes within the Action Plan. It was considered especially important that the capital’s particular circumstances were reflected in the London Species Audit and that locally distinctive species and those that are characteristic of London habitats were well represented. These audit criteria will ensure that a diverse range of species is selected for the ‘long list’ of the London Biodiversity Action Plan. Consequently the London Biodiversity Audit has selected species that fulfil at least one of the following categories (with some minor variations depending upon taxa):

UK Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Species, or Species of Conservation Concern
Rare in London (occurring in less than 5% of Greater London tetrads or equivalent)
Indicative of typical habitats
Characteristic of London
Culturally valued
In decline
Easy to monitor

UK Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Species or Species of Conservation Concern are those species for which the UK has some special responsibility. These include:

Threatened endemic species

Species where the UK has more than 25% of the world or appropriate biogeographical population

Species where numbers or range have declined by more than 25% in the last 25 years

In some instances, species that are found in fewer than 15 ten kilometre squares in the UK

Species which are listed in the EC Birds or Habitats Directives, the Bern, Bonn or CITES Conventions, or under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

Data were collected on the presence or absence of each of these species in each borough across London. New and previously published data were supplied by recorders from the London Natural History Society (LNHS) and other organisations such as Butterfly Conservation. Species of vascular plants that have become extinct in recent years were also noted.

However, not all species that fulfill one or more of the London Biodiversity Action Plan criteria have been included in the species audit. A pragmatic approach has been taken which excludes, for example, most non-native plant species and bird species that are passage migrants or very occasional winter visitors. Many moth species have not been included in the final audit list for purely practical reasons as many are, or appear to be, rare in London. The list of other invertebrates is necessarily idiosyncratic because of the lack, or paucity, of records for most invertebrates other than butterflies, moths and dragonflies.

As in the case of the Habitat Audits and Habitat Statements, the London Biodiversity Partnership hopes that the publication of the Species Audits will elicit further data and stimulate critical comment that will inform future reviews of the London Biodiversity Audit. To give us your feedback, use the Comments & Corrections tabs on either the Find Species results page or the Find Boroughs results page.

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