Colchicum arenarium

One of the main threats is forestry management, e.g. in Robinia stands, using methods digging up the soil. Plantations of Pinus silvestris and Pinus nigra, pose another threat. And the abandonment of pastoral systems leading to succession and invasion of the habitat. In some military areas, trampling and discharge by motorised vehicles impacts on the subpopulations. The construction of a motorway might destroy a minor parts of its population. In Slovakia the species is threatened by changes in the tree layer composition, overgrowing by woody plants and expansive herbs, and the digging out of tubers by boars (Mereďa and Hodálová 2011).

In Ukraine, gathering of flowers and digging the tubers out of the soil is one of the main threats. Furthermore, the building of hydrological constructions affects the species.

Colchicum arenarium is listed on Annex II of the Habitats Directive. This taxon is listed under Appendix I of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention) under the names C. arenarium and C. fominii. In Hungary, it is assessed as Near Threatened and strictly protected. More than half of the localities are protected and 75% are in Natura 2000 sites. All the Slovak individuals occur in one protected area. It is classified as Critically Endangered in Slovakia (Mereďa and Hodálová 2011). It is estimated to be Vulnerable in Serbia (V. Stevanović pers. comm. 2010). It is considered as Data Deficient in Croatia (A. Alegro pers. comm. 2011).

It is included in the Ukrainian Red Data Book (2009) and the Red List of Romania as Vulnerable and in the Red Data Book of Moldova (2002) as Endangered. Some populations are in the regional nature monument Grebeniki in the Odessa region in Ukraine. It is protected in the area of multifunctional management in the north of Bugeac in Moldova, and in the natural reserves Dealul Alah Bair and Recifii Jurasici Cheia in Dobrogea region in Romania. There is a proposition for establishing a natural reserve Măgurele Nord-Vest in the Dobrogea region in Romania.