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Photo by Larry England
Photo Courtesy of United States Fish and Wildlife Service; Utah Division of Wildlife Resources; Sources: ESRI, USGS, NOAA
Autumn buttercup
Ranunculus aestivalis
Other common names: Fall buttercup
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G5T1
State (S-rank): S1
External links
Species range
Sedge-grass-rush meadows, in seasonally wet areas, along the Sevier River north of Panguitch, at ca 1950 to 1980 m in Garfield Co.; a Southern Plateaus endemic (Welsh et al 2015).
It is thought that the species is a relict or hold-over population from the more moist Pleistocene era supports the obvious current lack of suitable mesic habitat in an otherwise dry sagebrush life-zone. Mutz (1984) and England (1989b) both agree that limited available critical habitat is one of Autumn Buttercup's biggest threats.
Estimate from download of data from Utah Rare Plant Database on August 20 2021.
Geocat 72 observations: Extent of Occurrence: 6.788 km2.
Threats or limiting factors
This species is threatened by herbivory by small mammals (long-tailed voles, deer mice), climate change (warmer, dryer conditions), and habitat degradation due to intensive livestock grazing. Early in the monitoring of this species, increased grazing pressure from cattle and horses in the area of critical habitat was generally considered the primary cause for a rapid decline in 1985 (Mutz 1984). Livestock were eliminated in 1988 by The Nature Conservancy's purchase of one portion of the range. The removal of grazing livestock appeared to benefit the species in the short term, but soon after, more aggressive vegetation, including Scotch thistle (Onopordum acanthium), crowded out the buttercup. The absence of cattle and horses on the property appeared to suppress competitive pressure on the buttercup plants. Clipping invasive weeds, as opposed to burns, is shown to be the most effective way to control the invasive thistle and encourage growth of the buttercup (USFWS 2013). As long as the thistle is clipped, this threat is minimized. The Dale Ranch Site is not impacted by the thistle. Years of monitoring has found that certain levels of grazing benefit this species or at least the species is compatible under some grazing scenarios, based on the comparison of the Dale Ranch and Preserve Sites over time (USFWS 2013). Grazing is also shown to reduce monoculture stands of vegetation which are favored by small rodents, which browse the buttercup plants. Grazing at inappropriate times and with large herd sizes, is detrimental to the species due to trampling and grazing, and most likely the cause of the extirpation of this species at Orton Ranch. Grazing is complicated and it has a spectrum of impact from beneficial to detrimental. Until the appropriate grazing practices are understood and implemented across the species range, this is considered a primary threat to the species.
Potential future threats are construction of buildings at the site on private property, diversion of ground water for agriculture,
