Table 2.4.2: Total numbers of species and of threatened species occurring in the pan-European region Region
Subregion Europe Central Asia
Central Europe Eastern Europe
Source: IUCN 2015b
However, other species are of conservation concern, such as the Saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica), whose populations have decreased considerably (WWF-Russia 2014). The farmland bird index, one of the best indicators of the health of European farmland ecosystems and wildlife, showed that common farmland birds including the corn bunting (Emberiza calandra), goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) and the Eurasian skylark (Alauda arvensis) have declined by almost 50 per cent in the past 30 years (PECBMS 2013).
Figure 2.4.3: Seagrass regression across the Mediterranean Sea
Threatened species
301 50
107 113
Western Europe 206 Total assessed
2482 722 920
1224 1777
Lower-bound 0.12 0.07 0.12 0.09 0.12
0.13 0.07 0.12 0.10 0.12
Proportion of threatened species Mid-point
Upper-bound 0.19 0.09 0.15 0.13 0.18
Goldfinch populations have declined by almost 50 percent in the
pan-European region over the past 30 years Credit: Shutterstock/Oral Zirek
82 Coastline with a) current distribution (green areas) and b) regression
of Posidonia oceanica meadows (red areas) over the last 50 years Source: Telesca et al. 2015