Bromus timorensis

The threats to Timor and Wetar deciduous forest ecoregion include clearance for agriculture, fires set to promote regrowth of fodder for livestock and logging. It has been estimated that nearly two-thirds of the original extent of forest has been cleared and most of the original monsoon forest has been replaced by savanna and grassland (Wikramanayake et al. 2002). There has been substantial environmental change between the 1980's and 2005 in the area of Mount Tatamailau, with much of the surrounding countryside cleared for grazing of goats, buffalo and horses, there is intensive livestock grazing and burning. Other threats include low-level timber harvesting which could also cause disturbance to the habitat of the species (Trainor et al. 2007). There are hiking trails on Mount Tatamailau and it is visited by religious processions, which are likely to cause localised disturbance. Eucalyptus orophila which also grows on Mount Tatamailau has been assessed as Critically Endangered in view of these ongoing threats and continuing habitat decline (Hills 2019). However, the impact on this grass species is less clear, as grazing, burning and the loss of forest has increased grassland areas and it is not certain whether the species would have expanded into such habitats or whether it is sensitive to such disturbance and only found in shadier forest areas.

Mount Tatamailau is a c. 200 km² protected area and the mountain area just to the east is also covered by the c. 92 km² Parke Nasional Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão (UNEP-WCMC and IUCN 2020). It is not known to be conserved ex situ (BGCI 2020). Research is needed to establish the current population distribution, status and trends, and to provide more information about its habitat, life history and ecology in order to understand the specific threats which may be impacting this species.