THE NATIONAL RED LIST OF NORTH MACEDONIA

Goblet waxcap

Hygrocybe cantharellus

Macedonian

Лисичаркова влажница

Albanian

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Not evaluated Data deficient Least concern Near threatened VULNERABLE Endangered Critically endangered Extinct in the wild Extinct
NE DD LC NT VU EN CR EW EX
Taxonomy
Assessment info
Population
Habitat and Ecology
Threats
Use and Trade
Conservation Actions
Bibliography

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Hygrocybe cantharellus

Authority

(Schwein.) Murrill

Synonyms

Agaricus cantharellus Schwein.
Hygrocybe lepida Arnolds

Assessment info

IUCN Red List Category and Criteria

Vulnerable C1; D1

Date assessed

November 2020

Assessors

Karadelev, M.

Reviewers

Kost, G.

Contributors

Rusevska, K.

Tofilovska, S.

Facilitators

Miskovic, M.

Justification

Hygrocybe cantharellus belongs to the European waxcap assemblage, whose members are globally red-listed based on the declining area/quality of their grassland habitat. This assemblage is in decline across Europe due to changes in land use and growing use of fertilizers and pesticides. In N. Macedonia, it is a very rare species known from one locality only. As a species dependent on semi-natural grasslands, it is threatened by habitat loss and degradation due to a decrease in small scale, low intensity farming. The number of fruiting bodies is estimated at less than 500. The population size probably exceeds by ten times mature individuals but the exact figures are unknown. The population drops as a result of abandonment of small scale farming and traditional methods of grassland management. The decline in habitat and population is expected to persist in the future.

Population

Current population trend

Decreasing

Description

In N. Macedonia, the population size is negligible. The number of fruiting bodies is estimated at less than 500. The population decreases due to abandonment of small scale farming and traditional methods of grassland management.

Habitat and Ecology

System

4 Grassland
4.4 Grassland – Temperate

Habitat and Ecology

Hygrocybe cantharellus is restricted to unimproved mossy grassland. This tiny waxcap is also recorded in the USA, where it is mainly a woodland mushroom. The species is an indicator of a mycologically abundant but nutrient-poor, semi-natural grassland. This habitat, which may be of low conservation concern for its plant and animal diversity, is rapidly disappearing worldwide due to changes in land use (intensification of farming practice, eutrophication and increased use of fertilizers and pesticides). The state of affairs is similar in N. Macedonia, where as a consequence of the slump in the number of sheep and cattle, pastures become overgrown. Application of fertilizers or cessation of grazing/mowing management is detrimental to fruiting community diversity. Nonetheless, this species also occurs in several other habitats.

Use and trade

Use and trade

There is no confirmed use and trade of this species in N. Macedonia.

Threats

Threats

As a species reliant on semi-natural grasslands, Hygrocybe cantharellus is threatened by habitat loss and degradation due to a decrease in small scale, low-intensity farming. The main reasons for the decline include land that is no longer farmed or, if still in the farming system, is subjected to ploughing, reseeding, fertiliser application, reduced intensity of grazing, and eutrophication.

Conservation actions

Conservation actions

Further ecological research is required to clarify resource relations of the goblet waxcap.

Bibliography

Bibliography

Arnolds E. 1986. Notes on Hygrophorus—VII. Taxonomic and nomenclatural notes on some taxa of Hygrocybe. Persoonia 13: 137–160.

Boertman, D. 2010. The genus Hygrocybe. 2nd revised edition. Fungi of Northern Europe. Vol. 1. Danish Mycological Soc, Denmark. 200 pp.

Karadelev M. and Rusevska K. 2013. Contribution to the Macedonian Red List of Fungi. Proceedings of the 4th Congress of Ecologists of Macedonia with International Participation. Ohrid, 12-15 October 2012.

Karadelev, M., Rusevska, K., Kost, G. and Mitic-Kopanja, M. L. 2018. Checklist of Macrofungal Species From the Phylum Basidiomycota of the Republic of Macedonia. Acta Musei Macedonici Scientiarum Naturalium 21(1): 23-112.