Prioritising species for monitoring in a South African protected area and the Red List for plants

Abstract Protected areas (PA) in biodiversity hotspots face the challenge of monitoring large numbers locally rare and threatened plant species at times with limited budgets. Prioritising according to their local extinction risk could help PA managers decide which monitor. However, there is often very little information available on occurrence PA. Because this, rely national or global Red List for prioritising level. Here, we evaluate effectiveness using prioritisation examine robustness probability equations 74 fynbos Table Mountain National Park (TMNP). We conducted in-field surveys verify persistence subpopulations previously recorded, following a detection protocol adapted cryptic species. found that most targeted were extant within TMNP but substantially reduced number subpopulations. Twenty-six only had one two remaining. Critically Endangered (CR) lost average 4 more than Least Concern (LC) was largely independent status. Half represented by just listed as LC. This work shows status not appropriate scale individual suggest data required prevent extinctions occurring PAs.