Lowland Toothcup

Species information

The following is a report on progress made towards the protection and recovery of Lowland Toothcup (Rotala ramosior) in Ontario from 2007 to 2022, based on Ontario’s species-specific recovery policy. This report meets the legislative requirement for a review of progress under the Endangered Species Act, 2007  (ESA or “the Act”). Lowland Toothcup is listed as endangered on the Species at Risk in Ontario (SARO) List under the ESA.

Lowland Toothcup has been classified as a species at risk since 2004. It was originally classified as an endangered species and was listed as such under the ESA when it came into force in June 2008.

The species-specific recovery policy for Lowland Toothcup, known as the Government Response Statement (GRS) was published in 2018 and includes the government’s recovery goal for the species and the actions and priorities it intends to lead or support to help achieve that goal. The GRS considers science advice provided in the recovery strategy (published in 2017), such as species biology, habitat needs, threats to survival, knowledge gaps and approaches to recovery, when developing recovery actions for the species. As legislated in the Act, the purpose of this Review is to report on progress made towards implementing the protection and recovery actions in the GRS. The review can also help identify opportunities to adjust and adapt the implementation of protection and recovery actions to achieve the recovery goal for the species.

Further information about Lowland Toothcup, including the threats that it faces, and actions being taken to help protect and recover this species is available on the Government of Ontario webpage for Lowland Toothcup. A summary on the progress towards the protection and recovery of Lowland Toothcup and an annual update on the broader species at risk program (i.e. the Introduction to the 2022 Review of Progress report) is available on the Review of Progress towards the Protection and Recovery of Ontario’s Species at Risk webpage.

Snapshot: Progress towards the protection and recovery of Lowland Toothcup

Progress towards meeting the recovery goal

• The recovery goal in the Government Response Statement (GRS) for Lowland Toothcup in Ontario is to maintain the distribution and abundance of the species at locations where it occurs in Ontario, and where feasible, enable natural increases in abundance by reducing threats to the species and its habitat.
• Progress has been made towards implementing a majority of the government-led actions. Progress has been made towards implementing one of the government-supported recovery objectives and one of the associated actions. Examples of progress include:
  • Promoting awareness among landowners, land managers and land users, about Lowland Toothcup by sharing information on how to identify the species; the species’ habitat requirements; protection afforded to the species and its habitat under the ESA; and actions that can be taken to avoid or minimize impacts to the species and its habitat
• In alignment with the GRS, further work is required to:
  • Encourage land owners and land managers to implement approaches to reduce the impacts of shoreline development and recreational activities on Lowland Toothcup and its habitat (including areas where the species may be present only as seed). Approaches may include:
    • redirecting shoreline developments (e.g., docks, structures or boat storage) and recreational activities (e.g., trails) away from the habitat of the species
    • installing signage to alert land users to the presence of the species and, where necessary and appropriate, installing physical barriers (e.g., fencing) to prevent trampling by humans or vehicles
    • installing signage to alert boat operators to the presence of the species and the need to minimize boat wake and avoid dragging boats ashore in the habitat of the species
  • Work collaboratively with land owners and land managers, in cooperation with the municipality, to develop, implement and evaluate habitat management plans to enable suitable water level fluctuations (natural or artificial) to occur in the species’ habitat, at appropriate times for the species, where feasible
  • Increase knowledge of the distribution, abundance and habitat conditions of Lowland Toothcup in Ontario through inventory and monitoring
  • Increase knowledge of the biological and habitat requirements of Lowland Toothcup through research

Occurrences and distribution:

• Three populations of Lowland Toothcup have been documented in Central Ontario. Currently, two of these populations are extant, whereas the remaining population is extirpated. No populations of Lowland Toothcup have been newly identified since 2008.
• Since 2008, the Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC) has received 63 records of the species based on observations made between 2004 and 2022.

Government-supported stewardship projects:

• Through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program, the Government of Ontario has supported one project designed to contribute to the protection and recovery of multiple species at risk (e.g., landscape-level habitat restoration, or outreach and education focusing on a certain group of species such as those present in a local region), including Lowland Toothcup.

Supporting human activities while ensuring appropriate support for species recovery:

• Three activities have been registered for the species. The activities were registered under “threats to health and safety, not imminent’ (section 23.18) under Ontario Regulation 242/08 of the ESA.

Reporting on the progress towards the protection and recovery of Lowland Toothcup

The implementation of government-led and government-supported actions demonstrates progress towards reaching the desired objectives and the recovery goal set out in the GRS.

Progress towards implementing government-led actions

Progress has been made towards implementing a majority of government-led actions identified in the GRS. Common actions for the government to lead as it works towards achieving a species’ recovery goal include:

• Educate other agencies and authorities involved in planning and environmental assessment processes on the protection requirements under the ESA.
• Encourage the submission of Lowland Toothcup data to the Government of Ontario’s central repository at the Natural Heritage Information Centre.
• Undertake communications and outreach to increase public awareness of species at risk in Ontario.
• Protect Lowland Toothcup and its habitat through the ESA.
• Support conservation, agency, municipal and industry partners, and Indigenous communities and organizations to undertake activities to protect and recover Lowland Toothcup.
• Encourage collaboration and establish and communicate annual priority actions for government support in order to reduce duplication of efforts.

Additionally, the government has directly undertaken the following species-specific actions:

• Continue to monitor the Lowland Toothcup populations within provincially protected areas.

Ontario Parks facilitates research, including surveys, carried out by the Natural Heritage Information Centre for this species within protected areas. In 2012 and 2018, Ontario Parks evaluated recreational activities in Puzzle Lake Provincial Park to determine their frequency and impact on ecological values, including on Lowland Toothcup). No impacts to the species from recreational activities in the park were detected.

Key progress made towards implementing these actions is described in the following section.

Occurrences and distribution

Three populations^{footnote 1[1]} of Lowland Toothcup have been documented in Ontario. Two populations are considered to be extant (i.e., observed within the past 20 years) and one population is considered to be extirpated. The extant populations are located in Puzzle Lake Provincial Park and Sheffield Long Lake. Since 2008, the government’s central repository at the Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC) has received 63 records of the species. These records are based on observations between 1984 and 2022 and come from a variety of sources. Records submitted have helped to refine where the species is known and has been known to occur and can provide additional information on the species’ habitat and threats.

Previously, there were four populations of Lowland Toothcup, but new evidence from the NHIC resulted in two separate populations at Puzzle Lake being combined into one population.

It is possible that there are observations of Lowland Toothcup that have not been submitted to the government. Encouraging the submission of observations of this species is included in the GRS as a government-led action. Submission of species observations increases our knowledge of where they occur and can play an important role in assessing the viability of species populations.

Everyone is encouraged, or may be required by an authorization or approval to submit observations of Lowland Toothcup, and any other species at risk observed, to the NHIC for incorporation into the provincial record of observations.

Government-supported stewardship projects

An important government-led action in the GRS for Lowland Toothcup is to support partners to undertake activities to protect and recover the species. Through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program the government has supported one project designed to contribute to the protection and recovery of multiple species at risk (e.g., landscape-level habitat restoration, or outreach and education focusing on a certain group of species such as those present in a local region), including Lowland Toothcup. In addition to the government funding, partners reported they were successful in securing additional funding from other sources, including in-kind support in the form of time and expertise provided by volunteers.

The remainder of this section highlights the project supported through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program as well as the corresponding government-supported recovery action for the species.

In 2008, the Lennox and Addington Stewardship Council developed education materials on species of risk found in Lennox and Addington County. Twenty lesson plans were created for Grades 4 and 7, focusing on topics such as invasive species, ecological succession, environmental contaminants, habitat construction, and adaptation. The project team also developed factsheets describing habitat requirements, threats, range, and protection of local species at risk, including Lowland Toothcup. This project implemented the government-supported recovery action of promoting awareness among landowners, land managers and land users, about Lowland Toothcup by sharing information on how to identify the species, the species habitat requirements, protection afforded to the species and its habitat under the ESA, and actions that can be taken to avoid or minimize impacts to the species and its habitat (Action No. 3).

• 
  1

  project including Lowland Toothcup

Supporting human activities while ensuring appropriate support for species recovery

Supporting partners through authorizations and their associated conditions is an important government-led action. To date, no permits have been issued for Lowland Toothcup.

Registration information

Since 2013, three activities that may affect Lowland Toothcup or its habitat have been registered for the purposes of Ontario Regulation 242/08 under the ESA. All three of these activities were registered under ‘threats to human health and safety, not imminent’ (section 23.18). The registrations enabled activities such as infrastructure/structure maintenance, repair, and/or replacements.

Registrations require the registrant to comply with all conditions of the regulation, such as:

• giving the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks notice of the activity before it commences; and,
• taking reasonable steps to minimize adverse effects of the activity on Lowland Toothcup and its habitat while carrying out the activity.

Progress towards implementing government-supported actions

Government-supported actions are organized under overarching recovery objectives. Progress has been made towards achieving one of the government-supported recovery objectives and implementing one of the associated actions identified in the GRS for Lowland Toothcup.

Under this objective, initial progress has been made towards implementing Action No. 3., through one project supported by the Species at Risk Stewardship Program, where educational materials were developed for use in Grade 4 and 7 classrooms.

Summary of progress towards meeting the recovery goal

The recovery goal for Lowland Toothcup is to maintain the distribution and abundance of the species at locations where it occurs in Ontario, and where feasible, enable natural increases in abundance by reducing threats to the species and its habitat. Effort made towards the government-led and government-supported actions has helped to make progress towards this goal. For example, Ontario Parks has facilitated research and surveys, carried out by the NHIC, for this species within protected areas.

Recommendations

As stated in the GRS, this review of progress can be used to help identify whether adjustments to the implementation of GRS actions are needed, to achieve the protection and recovery of the species. Based on progress to date, the overall direction provided in the GRS for Lowland Toothcup, particularly the implementation of actions identified as high priority, should continue to guide protection and recovery of the species.

Although initial progress has been made towards the action to promote awareness among landowners, land managers and land users about Lowland Toothcup, further work is required to fully implement this action.

The following actions require additional support to aid the protection and recovery of the species:

• Action No. 1 (High Priority): Encourage land owners and land managers to reduce the impacts of shoreline development and recreational activities on Lowland Toothcup and its habitat (including areas where the species may be present only as seed). Approaches may include:
  • redirecting shoreline developments (e.g., docks, structures or boat storage) and recreational activities (e.g., trails) away from the habitat of the species
  • installing signage to alert land users to the presence of the species and, where necessary and appropriate, installing physical barriers (e.g., fencing) to prevent trampling by humans or vehicles
  • installing signage to alert boat operators to the presence of the species and the need to minimize boat wake and avoid dragging boats ashore in the habitat of the species
• Action No. 2 (High Priority): Work collaboratively with land owners and land managers, in cooperation with the municipality, to develop, implement and evaluate habitat management plans to enable suitable water level fluctuations (natural or artificial) to occur in the species’ habitat, at appropriate times for the species, where feasible.
• Action No. 4 (High Priority): Work collaboratively with land owners, land managers and researchers to develop, implement and evaluate standardized survey and monitoring protocols, which take into account the differences in the ability to detect plants at different life stages, to:
  • conduct targeted surveys for Lowland Toothcup during low water years where populations occur and in nearby areas with suitable habitat conditions
  • conduct regular monitoring of populations to assess population trends, including abundance, extent of occurrence, demographic variability (e.g., seed bank size versus mature plant abundance) and health. Compare data with habitat conditions and the presence and significance of threats to the species
• Action No. 5: Identify additional sites with potentially suitable habitat conditions for the species to be surveyed, as informed by studies of the species’ biology and required habitat conditions.
• Action No. 6: Conduct targeted surveys, in collaboration with land owners and land managers, to determine whether Lowland Toothcup persists in areas with suitable habitat conditions near the site of the extirpated population in Norfolk County.
• Action No. 7: Conduct research on Lowland Toothcup biology, including studies of:
  • population dynamics and viability
  • seed ecology (e.g., dispersal mechanisms and distance, duration of viability, germination requirements)
  • floral biology (e.g., dependence on insect pollination)
• Action No. 8: Conduct studies to better understand the habitat conditions required by Lowland Toothcup and methods to improve habitat conditions, including:
  • the effects of within- and between-year water level fluctuation on Lowland Toothcup during all life processes (e.g., germination) and the relationship between water levels (e.g., location, level, timing, and duration of flooding) and abundance at all sites
  • the potential effects associated with disturbance of forest ecosystems inland from occupied habitat (e.g., erosion, sedimentation, invasive species)
  • the feasibility of methods to improve habitat conditions at sites where there is a direct threat to the species, such as restoring suitable hydrologic disturbances (natural or artificial) or removal of competing vegetation

Protecting and recovering Lowland Toothcup will continue to be a shared responsibility that will require the involvement of many individuals, organizations and communities. Financial support for the implementation of actions may be available through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program. The government can also advise if any authorizations under the ESA or other legislation may be required to undertake a project. By working together, progress can continue to be made towards protecting and recovering Lowland Toothcup in Ontario.