Cicerbita alpina in the Cairngorms Aline Finger [email protected], Natacha Frachon [email protected]
Cicerbita alpina – Alpine blue sow-thistle
Data collection – Collaboration with SNH and Landowners
- Counts / monitoring - Collection of leaves for genetic analyses - Collection of plants for ex-situ collections - Professional climbers
Corrie Kander
Corrie Fee
Lochnagar
Caenlochan
Why No Recruitment?
Ecological reasons e.g. • Overgrazing? • Lack of pollinators / pollen quantity? • Pollen quality or quantity?
Pollen Viability
Lochnagar: 67% viable pollen
Corie Kander: 95% viable pollen
Why No Recruitment?
Ecological reasons e.g. • Overgrazing? • Lack of pollinators / pollen quantity? • Pollen quality? Genetic reasons • How many individuals? • Self-incompatibility? • Inbreeding depression?
Conservation Genetics - Results
Corrie Kander ≥ 5 plants Corrie Fee ≥ 6 plants
On average these plants share: • 34% of their genes with their neighbours at CK • 29% of their genes with their neighbours at CF
= High Relatedness between individuals
Conservation Genetics - Theory
Genetic Rescue
“Increase in fitness of small populations resulting from the
alleviation of inbreeding depression by immigrants“
Thrall et al. (1998) Elevated risk of extinction
Genetic Rescue
Habitat fragmentation
Population reduction and isolation
Elevated inbreeding
Expression of deleterious alleles
Loss of genetic diversity
RBGE Ex situ Conservation Collection
LN LN CL
CF CK
Target 8: At least 75 per cent of threatened plant species in ex situ collections, preferably in the country of origin, and at least 20 per cent available for recovery and restoration programmes by 2020
To bulk up rootstocks for future recovery
To research on species’ reproductive biology
Cicerbita ex situ Pollination Experiment
Corrie Kander
Corrie Fee
Caenlochan Lochnagar
Cross-pollination Self-pollination
Conservation through cultivation – risks & precautions
Spontaneous hybridisation
Non native weeds…
…and non native pests
Dependence on cultivation
RBGE Plant Health Control
Diagnostic of plant disease using baiting assays with selective hosts and PCR testing
Peter Brownless, RBGE Garden Nursery Supervisor Katy Hayden, RBGE Mycologist
Conservation Translocations
Morrone Birkwood Corrie Fee
Caenlochan Glen
Translocation permits and guidelines
Future work
2017 in situ - Further monitoring and sampling at Lochnagar & Corrie Kander - Pilot translocation - Assessing new sites for re-introduction
2018-2020 - Ongoing pollination experiment - Further translocation - Monitor translocated sites
2017 ex situ - Ongoing genetic analysis - Ongoing pollination experiment - Maintenance of rootstock in cultivation
Genetic rescue: Woodsia ilvensis
• Only 100 “clumps” left (UK), 5 locations
• IUCN Red List classed as “Endangered”
• No recruitment in remaining populations
• Potential for genetic rescue?
• Crossing experiments, niche modelling
• Reintroductions
PhD student: Nadia Russel
Woodsia ilvensis
Thank You!