Cicerbita alpina in the Cairngorms Aline Finger A.Finger@rbge.org.uk, Natacha Frachon N.Frachon@rbge.org.uk

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!