Dyckia saxatilis

The region is under continuous and increasing levels of human disturbance and large areas have been altered. Major threats to saxicolous bromeliads include mining, extraction of ornamental native plants, cattle ranching, tourism, change in fire regime, agribusiness, spread of invasive African grasses and urban expansion. International trade of Bromeliaceae has also rapidly expanded (Read 1989). The long life cycle of xerophytic bromeliad increase the incentive to collect wild specimens for direct sale. Plants highly adapted to these hostile environments are appreciated for ornamental purposes. This creates an illegal commerce of plants extracted by local people and sold along the roads of the region (Versieux and Wendt 2007). In the northeastern Atlantic forest, some ornamental bromeliads have been intensively collected and almost eliminated from forest fragments close to human settlements (Filho and Tabarelli 2006). The impact of potential extraction on Dyckia saxatilis population is unknown.

This species has been collected within several conservation units. The Unesco has now recognised the Serra do Espinhaco as a biosphere Reserve (Silva et al. 2007). However, very little of the region is currently in the federal system of protected areas. Teams from the Universidad de São Paulo and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, U.K. (Project Toucan Cipo) are conducting inventories and mapping the vascular flora of selected sites within the Espinhaço range so as to provide detailed recommendations for conservation priorities in the region and publications raising public awareness of the importance of local biodiversity. This species was recently assessed as Least Concern in Minas Gerais (Versieux and Wendt 2007). Surveys should be conducted in historical sites of collection and potentially suitable sites to determine the current range and estimate the population size. Expansion and better management of the system of protected areas is needed (Versieux and Wendt 2007). Given the high levels of threats to saxicolous bromeliads in the region, the population should be regularly monitored.