European regional assessment: Near Threatened (NT)
EU 27 regional assessment: Near Threatened (NT)

Sympetrum pedemontanum has a fragmented distribution in Europe, being rare to absent in many areas but moderately common in a few others. This species predominantly occurs in slow flowing, sun exposed ditches and channels with abundant diverse riparian helophyte vegetation, although some local or regional variations are present. The species' trends differ greatly across its range, where it appears to be increasing and even expanding in some areas, but rather recently clearly decreasing in many others. As the density of the populations vary strongly between regions and mostly also between years, local or regional threats together with the species' decline are sometimes not directly obvious. The reduction of the populations of S. pedemontanum is mostly associated with habitat destruction or deterioration induced by increased nitrogen deposition and nutrients run-off from adjacent agricultural fields. These threats do not appear to be diminishing in the future, adding even higher impact on species' decline due to increased intensification of agricultural practices and, especially in the southern parts of its range, the changing patterns of temperature and precipitation. Overall due to the currently known species reports, lack of good data from large parts of the species’ range in Europe and its natural fluctuations, the decline on a European scale in the past 10 years is suspected to have been 10–20%. In addition, due to a surmised decline up to 30% in the next decade over a large part of Europe, S. pedemontanum is assessed as Near Threatened (NT A2c+3c) in Europe as well as in the EU 27.

Conservation and monitoring actions need to be undertaken and the need for systematic solutions and collaboration between agricultural management, water management and nature conservation authorities are emphasised to secure stable populations of the species and prevent its further decline. S. pedemontanum should be included in the Annex IV of the European Habitats Directive.

Sympetrum pedemontanum has a wide range that extends from Western Europe to Japan and the southern part of Fennoscandia in the north, however it remains uncommon in large parts of its European range (Kalkman 2015). It has a rather continuous range from northern Italy and southeastern France across Central Europe to northern Germany and the Netherlands, whereas its distribution is highly patchy in east and southeast Europe. To the north it reached Denmark (1998), Latvia (2001), Lithuania (2004), both southern Finland (2010) and Sweden (2011), where it is mostly highly rare or with vagrant individuals only, but might become more present in the future, as is an ongoing case for Lithuania. It is almost absent from Spain (recent data only from northeastern Catalonia), the western half of France and Great Britain (only vagrants). The species is very rare or absent in most parts of the Balkan Peninsula, to some extent widespread only in Bulgaria and with few records known from adjacent North Macedonia, Greece and European Türkiye. It is absent from the Mediterranean islands. In Poland the species is widely distributed, but also scattered and with a significantly different regional frequency of occurrence, where it becomes more frequent in the north-east, which is probably related to the species’ West Siberian range (Bernard et al. 2009). The scarcity of recent records from Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Belarus and European Russia probably reflects the lack of recent fieldwork in these areas, although it seems the species is uncommon also there.

The species has a fragmented distribution in Europe, being rare to absent in many areas but moderately common in few others. Populations of S. pedemontanum are characterised by strong fluctuations in numbers between years and the density of species' populations vary strongly between regions (Kalkman 2015), therefore distribution maps can be misleading. The species occurs in many European countries, but the data from most countries are too scarce to calculate reliable trends. Apart from that, good insight from Hungary, Romania and to the east (which represents a large range of species distribution in Europe) is lacking.

S. pedemontanum shows significant increase in occupancy trend for the Netherlands and France, while in Germany the species trend is decreasing (Bowler et al. 2021). The species also seems to show a decline in Belgium and Czech Republic. In Spain in the last two decades it was reported only from Catalonia. At the western and northern species' range data covers mostly vagrants. The species reached Lithuania in 2004 and since then from each year on, more records are known for the country, especially from 2016 onwards. S. pedemontanum forms important populations in the foothills and pre-alpine territories of the Alpine region, but it scarcely penetrates the Alps, with rare and usually small populations, or with erratic individuals, remaining mainly in the main valleys. In the southwestern Alps and north-western Italy, the species may be on the rise as there are reports from the last 10 years of an increase or stable abundant populations. The species is relatively widespread and common in the Po River Valley in Italy. In Switzerland, in Germany north of the Alps (Baden-Württemberg) and in the south-eastern Alps, S. pedemontanum becames very rare or even absent (Hunger et al. 2006) with possible regional extinction in South Tyrol in Italy (Lösch et al. 2018). From Austria and Slovenia towards the Central Balkans there are mostly reports of only erratic individuals, rarely of even a very small and isolated population, or the species is absent from some countries, such as from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Whereas fewer scattered individuals or isolated populations are reported for far south-eastern Balkans, such as in Bulgaria (Bechev 2016), where the species seems to be under-surveyed. For the past two decades, there are some reports of small populations from Poland and Slovakia. From Hungary only few observations of mostly singular individuals in northern and north-western part of the country are known from the last 10 years. Therefore, due to the limited reports, lack of good data for large parts of its European range and due to the species’ natural fluctuations, population trend on a European scale can be only surmised. Because of a suspected past and ongoing decline of 10–20% over a large part of Europe, where already the species is very rare, S. pedemontanum is assessed as Near Threatened in both EU27 and Europe with an expected future decline up to 30%. Hypothetically, however, new sites are expected to become available, especially in the northern half of its range, where a range shift also might occur.

S. pedemontanum shows a strong regional variation in habitat preferences and inhabits a wide spectrum of habitats, mostly in hilly areas and flatlands with high sun exposure. In most cases it seems to be associated with mesotrophic to eutrophic, preferably shallow, standing as well as slow-flowing and seepage fed waters. However, it is predominantly a rheophilic species in its current European range inhabiting slow flowing ditches, channels and small streams with abundant diverse riparian helophyte vegetation. The structured diverse riparian vegetation is preferably rough (not mowed intensively) but still not shading the water. Structure-rich heaths or grasslands are usually present in the immediate vicinity. Many habitats become partially inundated in winter or early spring and the species regularly occurs at sites that dry out in winter or in summer. Such situations are often found at habitats flooded by melting snow, such as the flood plains along standing or smaller running waters. This could explain why the species was originally mainly confined to mountain valleys and foothills. Presently, many of these natural habitats have been altered and their water regime changed, so that S. pedemontanum in most of its range occurs today mostly at man-made habitats such as slow-flowing ditches, canals, quarries, complexes of (fish) ponds and, in northern Italy, rice fields. Most often the species is found at waters with high calcium content, but this is not a requirement as it can also be found at seepages and runnels at more acidic environments such as lakes or bogs. These are often seepage-fed and have a fair amount of vegetation, which does not get too high or dense as these habitats are cleaned every few years. In such habitats it behaves as a pioneer species and usually does not form long-term stable populations. Other man-made waters that can be occupied are ponds and quarries. In some instances, conditions mimicking temporary natural flooding are found along the banks of man-made barrage lakes subjected to strong seasonal water levels. The species is one of the few uncommon European species that is capable of developing sizeable populations in agricultural areas, but even then, it avoids more heavily transformed habitats. The species also does not occur in habitats where the vegetation becomes too high.

Most populations are found from sea level up to 600 m, but the species reproduces up to about 1,000 m asl with isolated individuals recorded as high as 2,100 m asl. The eggs are deposited in tandem along the banks, in water free from vegetation or low among aquatic plants, rarely on dry soil, and can resist frost and lack of water for months, passing the winter in diapause and hatching the following spring. The larvae live in shallow water, first in the sediment, then on its surface, and develop in 1–5 months up to a year. Exuviae are found on the emerging or riparian vegetation, a few centimetres above the water.

This species occurs predominantly in slow flowing sun exposed ditches and channels with abundant diverse riparian helophyte vegetation. Populations of S. pedemontanum are characterised by strong fluctuations in numbers between years, therefore local threats and possible species declines are sometimes not directly obvious. As the species is rare in many regions, habitat destruction due to water pollution, modern agricultural practices and developments could regionally lead to further severe decline or even local extinction. Destruction or deterioration of its habitats as a result of chemical and organic water- as well as land pollution is a serious threat. Flourishing populations still occur in many countries. It can be expected that the species will further decline in many regions throughout Europe as the species' survival is definitely incompatible with modern intensive agricultural practices. In areas where the species is largely dependent on man-made waters an increased intensification of agricultural practices could lead to the loss of suitable habitat. Due to increased nitrogen deposition, helophyte vegetation is becoming more and more uniform and so habitat being less suitable for this species. As this species commonly occurs in agricultural landscapes, nutrient run-off from adjacent agricultural fields is also a serious threat. Even though S. pedemontanum is one of the few non-ubiquitous European species which is capable to have sizeable populations in agricultural areas, it avoids more heavily transformed habitats. The abandonment of inundation areas along running waters as grazing areas may regionally lead to a decline of the species as it does not occur in situations where the vegetation becomes too high. Already present reduction also in the Alpine region is apart to the threats connected with intensive agricultural practices caused by the wide disappearance of the periodically flooded lowland meadows and natural wetlands. In the Mediterranean the changing patterns of temperature and precipitation might become a threat to the species.

S. pedemontanum is threatened in many European countries and listed in national or regional Red lists, such as in Austria, Belgium (Flanders), Czech Republic, Croatia, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Switzerland, while is Least Concern in Italy and the Netherlands. In Slovakia it is data deficient.

There is no trade or use of this species.

Actions need to be undertaken on a regional scale as the species' trends and, to some extent, its habitat choices vary between regions. In places where populations are detected, it is necessary to implement measures to limit the impact of negative factors on water bodies and their coastal areas. Considering the relatively low number of strong populations it is advisable that for each of these populations the conservation status is determined and, if necessary, management plans are made. Compliance with water protection legislation is in need. Action is also required to decrease the amount of nitrogen deposition and other fertilisers together with decrease usage of insecticides in Europe. The need for systematic solutions and collaboration between agricultural management, water management and nature conservation authorities are emphasised to secure stable populations of the species and prevent its decline in the near future. Conservation measures should also include expansion of water treatment plants, improved watercourse management as well as the preservation of good quality water resources. Intensification of agriculture should be avoided. Conservation payments in agriculture to at least sustain and preserve the species' habitat in proper conditions ought to be designed. An establishment of a management protocol for ditches and channels which both facilitates the drainages and the nature value are promoted.

More knowledge on the exact local threats can lead to more appropriate management plans. Research in designing specific local or regional actions and evaluation of implemented conservation measurements are needed. Monitoring schemes for S. pedemontanum trends have to be implemented throughout species' range in Europe. This species should be urgently included in the Annex IV of the European Habitats Directive.