Scleria delicatula

Drought and a decline in area, extent and/or quality of habitat are the main threats to this sedge. A reduction of suitable habitat areas can be observed since satellite imagery became available in 1984 (Google Earth). Field patterns, road networks and settlements indicate that this is caused by human activities such as agricultural encroachment. Rice production in part of the distribution of this species is expected to increase with hotspots for production in northern Zambia (Styger 2014). Although the species occurs in parts of wetlands with shallow soils over rock, which are often not suitable for arable agriculture, this will still result in a decline in area, extent and/or quality of habitat, and potentially in the number of locations. Increasing drought intensities in the range of S. delicatula may also threaten the species. The probability of drought occurrence is lowest in North Eastern Zambia (Sichingbula 1998). This is both where a large proportion of individuals of S. delicatula have been documented and where rice production is forecast to increase (Styger 2014). The locations of S. delicatula in northern Zambia will become increasingly important for the survival of the species.

There are no conservation actions documented for S. delicatula.