how many plant species are in europe

Full Answer

How many plant species are not native to Europe?

These species come from 213 families and 1,567 genera, and include 2,843 species not native to any European country. A total of 3,749 plant species are known to be established in at least one European country to which they are not native, and 1,780 of these species are entirely non-native to Europe.

How many species of mammals are in Europe?

Of the 270 species of mammals found in the continent, 78 are endemic. There are over 800 species of birds in Europe. 75 amphibian species including 56 endemic ones also call the continent their home. 344 species of fresh-water fish abound in Europe's water bodies. Of these, 200 are found only in the continent.

How many new species are introduced to Europe each year?

Currently, an average of 6.2 species not native to any part of Europe is newly recorded as established each year. An average of 5.3 European species are found in parts of the continent outside their native range each year [ 10 ].

How many species of birds are there in Europe?

The list of European birds is about 800 species long (445 of them breeding in Europe). One bird family, the accentors (Prunellidae) is endemic to the Palaearctic region. The Holarctic has four other endemic bird families: the divers or loons (Gaviidae), grouse (Tetraoninae), auks (Alcidae), and waxwings (Bombycillidae).

How many species of trees are in Europe?

Take a look at a list of tree species from temperate Europe, North America, and Asia and you will notice a glaring disparity. Whereas North America and Asia are home to something like 1000 tree species each, Europe is home to just about 500 species.

How many plant species are there?

The researchers hope this information can help reduce loss of global biodiversity by informing conservation actions that include consideration of the effects of climate change. The scientists found that there are about 435,000 unique land plant species on Earth.

What is the most common plant in Europe?

Trifolium repens, Achillea millefolium, and Urtica dioica should be regarded as the most common native species all over temperate Europe, while Matricaria discoidea and Erigeron canadensis are the most successful aliens here.

How many invasive species are in Europe?

The EU-financed research project Delivering Alien Invasive Species Inventories for Europe (DAISIE) lists more than 10,000 alien species as present in Europe's countryside, waterways and marine environments. Although not all are invasive, it is estimated that up to 15% are potentially dangerous to European diversity.

How many plant species are there in the world 2022?

We have counted the currently known, described and accepted number of plant species as ca 374,000, of which approximately 308,312 are vascular plants, with 295,383 flowering plants (angiosperms; monocots: 74,273; eudicots: 210,008).

How many plant species are there in the UK?

The flora of Great Britain and Ireland is one of the best documented in the world. There are 1390 native species and over 1100 well-established non-natives documented on the islands. A bibliographic database of the species is compiled by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland.

What plant life is unique to Europe?

Olive Trees One native flowering plant of Europe deserves special mention: the olive tree. Having originated along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, it has been cultivated and modified to increase the size of its fruit since ancient times.

How many species of animals are in Europe?

European mammal fauna consists of 270 species, 78 of them endemic to Europe (15% of them are threatened with extinction and 27% have been identified as declining). There are no endemic mammal orders in the region.

What crops are native to Europe?

7. I was taken out of the wild in Europe and turned into all of the following: kale, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, collards....The Origin of Cultivated Fruits and Vegetables.SourceFruitsVegetablesEurope (Western)ParsnipTurnipEurope (Eastern)AppleEndive LettucePearHorseradish45 more rows

Does Europe have invasive species?

Research led by Queen's University Belfast has shown that invasive species, such as the grey squirrel, European rabbit and Japanese knotweed, have cost the UK economy over £5 billion over the past 40-50 years. This is one of the highest totals in Europe.

Does China have invasive species?

China is one of the countries which suffer the most from the invasion of alien species, with a record number of at least 283 species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has identified the world's 100 worst invasive alien species.

What animals are not native to Europe?

MammalsAmmotragus lervia (Barbary sheep)[62]Axis axis (chital)[63]Callosciurus erythraeus (Pallas' squirrel)Callosciurus finlaysonii (Finlayson's squirrel)[64]Capra hircus (feral goat)[65]Castor canadensis (North American beaver)[66]Cervus nippon (sika deer)Equus asinus (donkey)[67]More items...

How many species are there?

8.7 million speciesScientists have estimated that there are around 8.7 million species of plants and animals in existence.

How many species are there on Earth in 2021?

In 2021 it listed 2.13 million species on the planet. In the chart we see the breakdown across a range of taxonomic groups – 1.05 million insects; over 11,000 birds; over 11,000 reptiles; and over 6,000 mammals. These figures – particularly for lesser-known groups such as plants or fungi – might be a bit too high.

What are the species of a plant?

The species name relates to a sub-group of one or more plants within the genus. These plants will share similar characteristics with each other. There may be a single plant within a species, or there may be many hundreds of plants.

What are the 5 main groups of plants?

The Correct Answer is Thallophytes, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms.

How many species of trees are there in Europe?

Whereas North America and Asia are home to something like 1000 tree species each, the European continent is home to just about 500 species. Why is this? The answer may lie partly in the glacial history of the Northern Hemisphere as well as in some quirks of geology. Starting in the late Pliocene, roughly 3 million years ago, the Earth began to cool.

Why did Europe lose its temperate tree species?

Historically it was assumed that Europe lost many of its temperate tree species thanks to the east-west orientation of its mountain ranges. As glaciers advanced from the north, species were pushed farther and farther south until they hit physical barriers in the terrain like the Alps.

What was the habitat of temperate trees during the Pleistocene?

Suitable habitat for temperate tree species during this time would have largely consisted of three peninsulas (Iberia, Italy, and the Balkans) separated by the Mediterranian Sea. Each of these peninsulas boast mountain chains that would have offered small bands of suitable microclimates for temperate tree ...

Which species would have been more vulnerable to extinction than tree species in North America and Asia?

Pushed into tiny pockets of refugia, Europe’s temperate tree species would have been more vulnerable to extinction than tree species in North America and Asia, which had far more suitable habitat available to them in the southern portions of those continents. By looking at which taxa survived and which went extinct, patterns do start to emerge.

Is there fossil evidence for Europe?

Fossil evidence from Europe provides plenty of evidence that Europe was once home to far more tree species, including relatives of sweetgum ( Liquidambar spp.) and tulip trees ( Liriodendron spp.) that are still present in North America, and umbrella pines ( Sciadopitys spp.), which still exists in Asia. Many temperate tree species in North America ...

Do mountain ranges in Europe have a barrier to plant migration?

It turns out that the European mountain ranges don’t present as impenetrable of a barrier to plant migrations as was once thought. The fact that southern Europe and northern Africa share many similar taxa is proof of this.

Did the ice age recolonize Europe?

Only the species that were able to find suitable habitats in southern Europe’s glacial refugia were the ones that were able to recolonize the continent after the ice age had ended. At this point in time, these are some of the best pieces of evidence we have in explaining the disparity in tree diversity between Europe, North America, and Asia. What’s more, I find disturbing trends in such extinctions because it wasn’t like the glaciers always wiped out species immediately. Instead, many species were able to survive glaciation but were pushed into smaller and smaller pockets of suitable habitat until relatively small disturbances pushed them over the edge.

Most recent answer

I saw a number closer to 150 native species in a recent Science article.

All Answers (4)

European tree flora is diverse and rich due to the combination of a wide range of ecological and climatic conditions. Throughout the centuries, many exotic tree species have been introduced, and some exotic tree species are widely cultivated. However, range of tree species and cultivars more than 6000 in Europe.

How many species of ash are there?

Ashes are usually medium to large trees, mostly deciduous though a few subtropical species are evergreen. There are 60 species of ash. It’s a small tree with sinuous branches. This tree is also cultivated on a large scale in Sicily and Columbia as well as occurring naturally in Europe. The seeds, popularly known as keys, are a type of fruit known as a samara.

Where are Linden trees found?

Linden (Tilia): Thisis a genus of about 30 species of trees native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere, in Asia (where the greatest species diversity is found) and Europe. The large leafed linden and the small leafed linden are found in all European forests up to the far north.

Where do pine trees grow?

This tree forms huge forests in Europe and Northern Asia. It is most common in northern temperate terrain. Pine buds provide the base for various traditional remedies against chronic bronchial problems. Their use in the treatment of scurvy and their diuretic properties are also well known; the principle active ingredient being the turpentine in the scales.

How many non-native species are there in Europe?

Number of established non-native species in Europe. At least several thousand non-native species are now established in Europe [ 6 ]. These include species not native to any part of Europe, as well as species native to one part but now established in another.

How does invasive species affect Europe?

Invasive species have a large and diverse range of impacts in Europe. This diversity of impacts is mainly driven by the diversity of species, and makes generalized statements about types of impact difficult. However, it is clear that invasive species have significant negative impacts on many native species and almost all ecosystems, on the European economy, and on human health (recently reviewed by [ 7 ]). Economic impacts alone are estimated to be at least 12.5 billion EUR per year, and are probably over 20 billion EUR [ 99 ].

How many plants are non-native?

These species come from 213 families and 1,567 genera, and include 2,843 species not native to any European country. A total of 3,749 plant species are known to be established in at least one European country to which they are not native, and 1,780 of these species are entirely non-native to Europe. We note that the numbers just given include all species recognized as non-native, irrespective of their date of introduction [ 97 ]. Traditionally, in those countries where records are available, botanists distinguish between species introduced before the European discovery of the Americas (1492) and those introduced later.

How do plants become established?

Several factors are related to the invasion success of individual plant species. First, non-native plants that have been introduced and/or planted more frequently ( i.e. higher propagule pressure) are more likely to become established and to have a larger range (e.g. [ 83 ]). Second, residence time (i.e. time since introduction) in the non-native range is important, with those species that have been present for longer tending to have larger ranges [ 84 ]. This is an effect of having the opportunity to fulfil more life cycles and also simply having the time to spread further. The importance of residence time is also associated with propagule pressure, as species that were introduced a long time ago are likely to have been introduced many times since the first introduction. Third, species with larger native ranges are more likely to successfully establish beyond their native range. Similar to terrestrial animals, this is presumably associated with a higher probability that the species will be accidentally transported [ 85 ]. Additionally, species with a large native range are more likely to have a strong climate match to at least part of Europe, making them pre-adapted to survive there. Fourth, once terrestrial plant species have been introduced to the new range, traits of the species are important for determining whether they will successfully establish, spread, and cause harm. Traits known to promote passage through the invasion sequence include long flowering season, being an annual, vegetative spread, having multiple dispersal vectors [ 85 ], high maximum relative growth rate, and high resource allocation to shoots and leaves [ 86, 87 ].

What are the most invaded habitats in Europe?

Instead, apart from broad habitat type, the number of species introduced and their propagule pressure appear to be the most important determinants of the number of established non-native species in any given region (e.g. [ 55, 56 ]). The most invaded habitats in Europe are in heavily transformed landscapes such as agricultural land, coniferous forests, urban areas, and dump or construction sites [ 57 ]. In contrast, natural and semi-natural environments such as broad leaved and mixed forests, pastures, natural grasslands, moors, heathlands and peatbogs have remained relatively uninvaded [ 57 ]. This pattern is consistent with that observed for terrestrial animals - that sites experiencing high levels of human disturbance and high propagule pressure tend to be the most invaded. Disturbance increases plant invasions because it leads to loss of native species that could compete with introduced non-native species, and because it increases availability of resources [ 58 ]. High propagule pressure occurs in the same regions because human activities lead to many plant introductions [ 59 ].

What percentage of species will become invasive?

This rule holds that approximately 10% of introduced species will become established, and approximately 10% of those species will become invasive. Hence, if 100 alien species were introduced, the tens rule holds that one will become invasive.

How has the spread of non-native species facilitated the spread of non-native species across the globe?

Globalization of trade and travel has facilitated the spread of non-native species across the earth. A proportion of these species become established and cause serious environmental, economic, and human health impacts. These species are referred to as invasive, and are now recognized as one of the major drivers of biodiversity change across the globe. As a long-time centre for trade, Europe has seen the introduction and subsequent establishment of at least several thousand non-native species. These range in taxonomy from viruses and bacteria to fungi, plants, and animals. Although invasive species cause major negative impacts across all regions of Europe, they also offer scientists the opportunity to develop and test theory about how species enter and leave communities, how non-native and native species interact with each other, and how different types of species affect ecosystem functions. For these reasons, there has been recent growth in the field of invasion biology as scientists work to understand the process of invasion, the changes that invasive species cause to their recipient ecosystems, and the ways that the problems of invasive species can be reduced. This review covers the process and drivers of species invasions in Europe, the socio-economic factors that make some regions particularly strongly invaded, and the ecological factors that make some species particularly invasive. We describe the impacts of invasive species in Europe, the difficulties involved in reducing these impacts, and explain the policy options currently being considered. We outline the reasons that invasive species create unique policy challenges, and suggest some rules of thumb for designing and implementing management programs. If new management programs are not enacted in Europe, it is inevitable that more invasive species will arrive, and that the total economic, environmental, and human health impacts from these species will continue to grow.

European priorities

Different initiatives have been promoted in order to prioritize species among this long (and ongoing) list. Some examples are:

External links

"European Alien Species Information Network". EASIN. Joint Research Centre. Retrieved 2021-10-12.

How many species of invertebrates are there in Europe?

About 100,000 invertebrate species (including insects) are known from Europe. The marine species richness is greatest in the Mediterranean with 600 sponge species (45% of them endemic), 143 known species of Echinoderms and about 500 species of Cnidarians. Almost 1000 species of oligochaetes live in Europe.

What is the fauna of Europe?

Fauna of Europe. The fauna of Europe is all the animals living in Europe and its surrounding seas and islands. Since there is no natural biogeographic boundary in the east and south between Europe and Asia, the term "fauna of Europe" is somewhat elusive. Europe is the western part of the Palearctic realm (which in turn is part of the Holarctic ).

What are the major freshwater ecosystems in Europe?

Freshwater. Europe contains several important freshwater ecoregions, including the heavily developed rivers of Europe, the rivers of Russia, which flow into the Arctic, Baltic, Black, and Caspian seas. There are about 15,000 known European freshwater animal species.

How much of Europe is covered in forests?

Eighty to ninety per cent of Europe was once covered by forest. It stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Arctic Ocean. Though over half of Europe's original forests disappeared through the centuries of deforestation, Europe still has over one quarter of its land area as forest, such as the boreal forests of Scandinavia and Russia, mixed rainforests of the Caucasus and the cork oak forests in the western Mediterranean. In temperate Europe, mixed forest with both broadleaf and coniferous trees dominate. The cutting down of the pre-agricultural forest habitat has caused major disruptions to the original animal ecosystems, and only few corners of mainland Europe have not been grazed by livestock at some point in time.

What are the two biogeographic regions of the Atlantic Ocean?

The north-eastern Atlantic Ocean may be divided into two main biogeographic regions - the Lusitanian (west of British Isles , Bay of Biscay, Iberian coast as far as Gibraltar ), and northern European seas (including North Sea and Baltic Sea ). A clearly distinct area is also the Macaronesian Biogeographic Region .

How did the European fauna form?

The formation of the European fauna began in the Mesozoic with the splitting of the Laurasian supercontinent and was eventually separated from both North America and Asia in the Eocene. During the early Cenozoic, the continents approached their present configuration, Europe experienced periods of land connection to North America via Greenland, resulting in colonization by North American animals. In these times, higher sea levels sometimes fragmented Europe into island subcontinents. As time passed, sea levels fell, with seas retreating from the plains of western Russia, establishing the modern connection to Asia ( Priabonian ). Asian animal species then colonized Europe in large numbers, and many endemic European lineages (e.g. primates) died out (" grande coupure ").

Where is the Eurasia steppe?

The Eurasian Steppe is the term often used to describe the vast steppe ecoregion of Eurasia stretching from the western borders of the steppes of Hungary to the eastern border of the steppes of Mongolia. Most of the Euro-Asian Steppe is included within the region of Central Asia while only a small part of it is included within Eastern Europe (the steppes of western Russia, Ukraine and Pannonian Plain - see Pontic-Caspian steppe ). Characteristic are some small mammals ( golden jackal, voles, European ground squirrel, Russian desman among others).

How many species of mammals are there in Europe?

Of the 270 species of mammals found in the continent, 78 are endemic. There are over 800 species of birds in Europe. 75 amphibian species including 56 endemic ones also call the continent their home. 344 species of fresh-water fish abound in Europe's water bodies. Of these, 200 are found only in the continent. Over 100,000 invertebrate species are also found there. Reptilians diversity includes both venomous and non-venomous snakes, lizards, turtles, etc.

What are the animals that live in Europe?

What Animals Live In Europe? 1 The Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats is a legal instrument that aims to protect and preserve Europe’s natural heritage and its flora and fauna. 2 Europe’s most popular wildlife recovery success is the comeback of the European bison. These mammoth creatures were pushed to extinction in many parts of Europe at the beginning of the century because of poaching but thanks to conservation efforts, they are now being reintroduced to the wild. 3 The third-largest predator in Europe, next to the bear and wolf, is the lynx found in Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe as well as Central Asia and Siberia, the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas.

What are the causes of the loss of habitat in Europe?

Urbanization, agriculture, mining, and deforestation among other factors have caused many natural habitats in Europe to shrink. While others like the Saiga tatarica and tarpan were pushed to extinction, many large animals like the bison and lynx retreated to what’s left of their natural habitats away from human invasion.

How big do European tree frogs get?

The Hyla arborea, commonly known as the European tree frog, is a small species of tree frog that can grow only between three to five centimeters.

When did the European bison go extinct?

Image credit: Szczepan Klejbuk/Shutterstock.com. The European Bison, scientific name Bison bonasus, is also known as the wisent or zubr locally. They were hunted to extinction at the beginning of the century—the last populations of which were gunned down in the Białowieża Forest in 1919 and Western Caucasus in 1927.

Where do green lizards live?

It is native to Southeastern Europe but can also be found in Eastern Austria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Croatia, Serbia, Albania, Romania, Ukraine, and Greece among other areas. The IUCN lists the European green lizard as being of least concern since a large population still thrive in the wild across Europe today.

Where are lynx found?

The third-largest predator in Europe, next to the bear and wolf, is the lynx found in Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe as well as Central Asia and Siberia, the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas. A lot has been discussed about the majestic animals of the African safari or the unique fauna of the rainforests in South America ...