European regional assessment: Data Deficient (DD)
EU 27 regional assessment: Data Deficient (DD)

Ligularia sibirica is a Eurasian species with the bulk of its European population in Russia. It is decreasing and classed as threatened in most national red lists and a population decline of approximately 50% is suspected in Russia. It could therefore qualify for Near Threatened or Vulnerable but more information on the rates of decline for the other countries is required to determine the figures needed for Criterion A. The main threats to the species are abandonment of pastoral systems and subsequent succession, changes to the hydrological regime and pollution.

Ligularia sibirica is a boreal Eurasian species and has a disjunctive area that extends from France to the Far East.
This species is mainly found in Russia. In Ukraine, it occurs in the Carpathians Mountains, Rostocza, in the northern part of the Podolian upland and in the western part of the Polesian lowland. It is found at one locality in Bulgaria (size of 300 m²), and four localities in Slovakia that consist of micropopulations. The origin in Austria is unknown, it might be from cultivated populations. It is extinct in Hungary where it was known from one locality.

Populations have been estimated using different units (Commission of the European Communities 2009):

• Austria: 800 - 1,000 individuals, more or less stable
• Estonia: 1,700 -1,800 individuals, extremely decreasing
• Latvia: 2 localities, increasing trend
  
• Poland: 5,055 - 6,055 individuals. Found in four localities with one strong and increasing population (near Pakosław) which holds 90% of the Polish range and counts more than 1,100 individuals (Kalinka and Nowak 2004).
• Slovakia: 23 localities, more or less stable

In Russia, approximately 50% decline in population size are suspected. In Ukraine, the populations are small in sites and number of individuals (up to 100 individuals in populations). The largest population is in the Chornogora massif in Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains and counts 1,500 adult individuals. Some populations in the lowland part of Ukraine are extinct.

In Bulgaria, there are 200 individuals with a decreasing trend. The populations are also declining in Croatia. Five localities and 200,000 individuals in a protected area were noted for the Czech Republic. In France, there are 45 localities in 25 communes, 5,000-15,000 individuals estimated with a stable population but the habitat is declining.

This species can colonize a wide range of habitats such as wet forests fringes and shrublands, calcareous fens, acidic moss-rich fens, intermittently wet Molinia meadows or alder swamp woods, banks of rivers and rivulets.
In Ukraine it is a member of communities of Molinio-Arrhenatheretea and Scheuchzerio-Caricetea nigrae. 

It can be found in the following Habitats Directive listed habitats (Commission of the European Communities 2009):

• 6410 Molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clayey-silt-laden soils (Molinion caeruleae)
• 6430 Hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities of plains and of the montane to alpine levels
• 6450 Northern boreal alluvial meadows
• 7140 Transition mires and quaking bogs
• 7160 Fennoscandian mineral-rich springs and springfens
• 7230 Alkaline fens
• 91E0 Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae)

The abandonment of grassland communities are a threat to the species as this leads to succession, overgrowth and competition. Overgrazing on the other hand has negative impacts on the species. Changes to the hydrological regimes of water bodies such as drainage are another major threat. Pollution is affecting the species. Roadside works are a local threat.

It is used for ornamental purposes (origin unknown).

Ligularia sibirica is listed on Annex II of the Habitats Directive and under Appendix I of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention). It is included in several national red lists and various conservation measures are in place:

• Austria: Endangered but not protected, found in a landscape conservation area
• Bulgaria: Critically Endangered and protected, Natura 2000 area designated for this plant species
  
• Croatia: Critically Endangered and found in a national park
• Czech Republic: Critically Endangered and protected, found in protected areas
• Estonia: Vulnerable
• France: nationally protected, three localities are in the Arreté de Protection de Biotope, two in a Réserve Naturelle, two in a Site Classé.
• Latvia: very rare in the Red Data Book
• Poland: protected (only three populations)
• Russia: listed in local Red Data Books but not nationally
• Slovakia: protected and Vulnerable, found in many nature reserves and four areas of European importance
• Ukraine: Vulnerable, protected in the Buchczanskij and Cheremochskij reserves

Ex situ collection of seeds is in place. Research on the relationship of the wild populations with cultivated populations is recommended. The rate of population decline at European level needs to be determined.