The geographical relationships of the British and Irish flora: a comparison of pteridophytes, flowering plants, liverworts and mosses

Aim To compare the wider distribution of the pteridophytes, flowering plants, liverworts and mosses recorded as natives of Britain and Ireland, and to assess the proportion and distribution of species in each group which belong to predominantly extra-European genera. Location The species native to the British Isles are considered in relation to their distribution in the Northern Hemisphere, and predominantly extra-European genera are identified by consideration of the distribution and centre of numerical diversity of the genera worldwide. Methods A recent classification of the pteridophytes, flowering plants, liverworts and mosses into floristic elements is used in a quantitative study of the distribution of species in the four groups, the patterns of occurrence being compared by standardized residuals. Results Mosses and liverworts have more northerly distributions than the flowering plants in the Northern Hemisphere; pteridophytes show an intermediate pattern. There are marked differences in the longitudinal ranges of the groups south of the Boreal biome, with vascular plants tending to be confined to Europe or western Eurasia whereas cryptogams are more likely to occur additionally in North America or have a circumpolar distribution. The proportion of predominantly extra-European genera is particularly high in the pteridophytes and the liverworts and in these groups the rich hyperoceanic flora of the British Isles is almost entirely composed of species in genera that attain their centre of diversity in the tropics. Main conclusions Major taxonomic groups show different distribution patterns, reflecting their rates of evolution and powers of dispersal. The flowering plants, as the least mobile and most rapidly evolving group, have a greater proportion of their species in the European and Eurosiberian elements and a higher proportion of species from extra-European genera in the more northerly elements.     

DERMATOCARPON LEPTOPHYLLODESAND RELATED SPECIES IN THE BRITISH ISLES

The species ofDermatocarponoccurring in the British Isles are reviewed, with special reference to the hydrophilous species; a number of related species not yet recorded for the British Isles are also briefly treated.Dermatocarpon deminuensandD. leptophyllodesare confirmed as British; the nameD. leptophyllumshould be deleted from the British list. The nameD. meiophyllumis shown to be based on discordant elements. A key is provided to the British and Irish species.     

Craniometric variation in the Eurasian badger, Meles meles

A multivariate examination of cranial variation within and between European populations of Meles meles (L.) revealed that populations from Ireland, Great Britain, Norway, and the Slovak Republic could be differentiated both by cranial form and by the degree of sexual dimorphism exhibited. Irish material was characterized by low sexual dimorphism, particularly when compared to Slovak specimens. Badgers from the British Isles had larger skulls than other samples and were more similar to each other than they were to badgers from mainland Europe. Size played a greater role in differentiating samples of female badgers than it did in males. Significant variation occurred within the British Isles, with individual samples being highly differentiable. There was, however, little relationship between morphological similarity and geographic proximity. We contend that macrogeographical (between-country) variation in the species is primarily determined by historical factors and adaptation to current conditions, while microgeographic (within-country) variation is a result of selectively neutral processes.     

The larva of Tinodes maculicornis (Trichoptera: Psychomyiidae), with notes on the species' distribution and habitat in Ireland

SUMMARY. A key is given for the identification of the larva of Tinodes maculicornis which is the only undescribed psychomyiid in the British Isles. The Irish distribution and habitat of the species are outlined.     

Leptodon Smith (Hedw.) Mohr in Ireland

Abstract

A new Irish locality is recorded for L. smithii, and the general features of the station are described. An account of the bryophyte succession on tree trunks in the area is given and the part played by L. smithii indicated. It is shown that gatherings from both Irish localities consisted entirely of male plants and the distribution and age of the antheridia on both specimens are recorded. It is suggested that rarity of sporophyte production in the British Isles is probably due to too great a spatial separation of male and female plants and not to the absence, or low production, of sex organs. It is also suggested that rarity of spores and impermanence of the habitat are the chief factors contributing to its rareness in climatically suitable areas of the British Isles. The known distribution of the plant in the British Isles is related to its European and world distribution, and it is shown that L. smithii may be expected in further Irish vice counties.

I have pleasure in acknowledging my thanks to Mr Wallace for the gift of a specimen of L. smithii from Knocklofty and for details of its habitat; to Mrs C. E. M. Shelswell-White for permission to enter and collect in the grounds of Bantry House, and to my colleague Dr J. G. Hawkes for confirming the identification of the two shrubs.     

中条山木本植物区系地理成分分析

中条山位于山西省南部,有木本植物478种,隶属于73科164属。其中裸子植物5科10属18种;单子叶植物2科2属6种;双子叶植物66科152属454种。分析结果表明,科、属、种的区系地理成分复杂多样,科的分布区类型以热带-亚热带-温带分布占优势,其次是温带分布;属的分布区类型以温带成分占优势,其中北温带分布型所占百分数最高,反映出该区系的温带性质;种的分布区类型中国特有分布的种数最多,其次是东亚分布、温带亚洲分布。该区系木本植物的起源具有古老性,区系地理成分的渗透性、交汇性和过渡性较明显。中条山是华北木本植物区系中珍稀濒危植物较为集中的地区,有国家级重点保护植物15种。     

Potential transmission of West Nile virus in the British Isles: an ecological review of candidate mosquito bridge vectors

West Nile virus (WNV) transmitted by mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) infects various vertebrates, being pathogenic for birds, horses and humans. After its discovery in tropical Africa, sporadic outbreaks of WNV occurred during recent decades in Eurasia, but not the British Isles. WNV reached New York in 1999 and spread to California by 2003, causing widespread outbreaks of West Nile encephalitis across North America, transmitted by many species of mosquitoes, mainly Culex spp. The periodic reappearance of WNV in parts of continental Europe (from southern France to Romania) gives rise to concern over the possibility of WNV invading the British Isles. The British Isles have about 30 endemic mosquito species, several with seasonal abundance and other eco-behavioural characteristics predisposing them to serve as potential WNV bridge vectors from birds to humans. These include: the predominantly ornithophilic Culex pipiens L. and its anthropophilic biotype molestus Forskal; tree-hole adapted Anopheles plumbeus Stephens; saltmarsh-adapted Ochlerotatus caspius Pallas, Oc. detritus Haliday and Oc. dorsalis (Meigen); Coquillettidia richiardii Ficalbi, Culiseta annulata Schrank and Cs. morsitans (Theobald) from vegetated freshwater pools; Aedes cinereus Meigen, Oc. cantans Meigen and Oc. punctor Kirby from seasonal woodland pools. Those underlined have been found carrying WNV in other countries (12 species), including the rarer British species Aedes vexans (Meigen), Culex europaeus Ramos et al., Cx. modestus Ficalbi and Oc. sticticus (Meigen) as well as the Anopheles maculipennis Meigen complex (mainly An. atroparvus van Thiel and An. messeae Falleroni in Britain). Those implicated as key vectors of WNV in Europe are printed bold (four species). So far there is no proof of any arbovirus transmission by mosquitoes in the British Isles, although antibodies to Sindbis, Tahyna, Usutu and West Nile viruses have been detected in British birds. Neighbouring European countries have enzootic WNV and human infections transmitted by mosquito species that are present in the British Isles. However, except for localized urban infestations of Cx. pipiens biotype molestus that can be readily eliminated, there appear to be few situations in the British Isles where humans and livestock are exposed to sustained risks of exposure to potential WNV vectors. Monitoring of mosquitoes and arbovirus surveillance are required to guard the British Isles against WNV outbreaks and introduction of more anthropophilic mosquitoes such as Stegomyia albopicta (Skuse) and Ochlerotatus japonicus (Theobald) that have recently invaded Europe, since they transmit arboviruses elsewhere.     

Phylogenetic beta diversity of native and alien species in European urban floras

Aim Human activities have weakened biogeographical barriers to dispersal, increasing the rate of introduction of alien plants. However, their impact on beta diversity and floristic homogenization is poorly understood. Our goal is to compare the phylogenetic beta diversity of native species with that of two groups of alien species, archaeophytes and neophytes (introduced before and after ad 1500, respectively), across European urban floras to explore how biological invasions affect phylogenetic turnover at a continental scale. Location Twenty European cities located in six countries between 49 and 53° N latitude in continental Europe and the British Isles. Methods To compare the phylogenetic beta diversity of native and alien species we use the average phylogenetic dissimilarity of individual floras from their group centroid in multivariate space. Differences in phylogenetic beta diversity among different species groups are then assessed using a randomization test for homogeneity of multivariate dispersions. Results Across European urban floras, and when contrasted with natives, archaeophytes are usually associated with lower levels of phylogenetic beta diversity while neophytes tend to increase phylogenetic differentiation. Main conclusions While archaeophytes tend to promote limited homogenization in phylogenetic beta diversity, because of their diverse geographical origin together with short residence times in the invaded regions, neophytes are not promoting biotic homogenization of urban floras across Europe. Therefore, in spite of the increasing rate of alien invasion, an intense phylogenetic homogenization of urban cities is not to be expected soon.     

山西庞泉沟国家自然保护区种子植物区系研究

庞泉沟自然保护区共有种子植物89科359属809种,其中裸子植物2科6属7种,被子植物87科353属802种。含5属以上的科15科,单、寡种属共330属,这些科、属在植物区系组成中具有重要作用。种子植物科、属、种的区系地理成分复杂多样。科的分布区类型中,世界分布型40科,北温带分布型24科,分别占总科数的44.94%和26.97%。属的分布区类型中,温带成分256属,占总属数的82.05%,反映出该区植物区系的温带性质。种的分布区类型中,中国特有分布种居首位,尤以华北成分占优势,其中华北落叶松、黄刺玫、油松等为该区植被建群种或优势种。科、属、种的特有现象不平衡,没有中国特有科,中国特有属、特有种分别为7属、325种。     

Genetic signatures of population change in the British golden eagle (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Aquila chrysaetos</Emphasis>)

The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) was once widely distributed in the uplands of the British Isles, but is now extinct in Ireland, and largely confined to the highlands and islands of Scotland. As the precise extent and severity of the reduction in population size are unclear, it is important to understand how the population was affected by the decline. We therefore genotyped 13 polymorphic microsatellite loci in 172 individuals from the contemporary British population and compared their genetic diversity to 70 British and 9 Irish museum specimens. Despite the recent population decline, there is only slight evidence for a concomitant loss of genetic variation. Instead, two likelihood-based Bayesian methods provided evidence for a severe ancient genetic bottleneck, possibly caused by the fragmentation of a large mainland European population and/or the founding effects of colonising the British Isles. As the population persisted despite this ancient bottleneck, our conclusion is that there is limited need for intervention to augment the present-day genetic diversity. The main short-term objective of conservation measures should be to increase population sizes by continuous safeguarding of individuals and habitat management. Finally, we also confirmed that, for management purposes, the species should be considered a single population unit and that the extinct Irish population was not differentiated from the British one.     

The sciarid fauna of the British Isles (Diptera: Sciaridae), including descriptions of six new species

The results of a revision of the Sciaridae (Diptera: Nematocera) from the British Isles are presented, carried out as a preliminary to the preparation of a new Handbook for the identification of the British and Irish fauna of this family. A total fauna of 263 species is confirmed, including many species new to the British Isles: 111 new to Great Britain and 32 new to Ireland. Epidapus ( Pseudoaptanogyna ) echinatum Mohrig & Kozánek, 1992 , hitherto known only from North Korea, is newly recorded from Europe. Six species are described as new to science: Bradysia austera Menzel & Heller sp. nov. , Bradysia ismayi Menzel sp. nov. , Bradysia nigrispina Menzel sp. nov. , Corynoptera flavosignata Menzel & Heller sp. nov. , Corynoptera uncata Menzel & Smith sp. nov. and Epidapus subgracilis Menzel & Mohrig sp. nov . The following new synonymies are proposed: Leptosciarella nigrosetosa (Freeman, 1990) =  Leptosciarella truncatula Mohrig & Menzel, 1997 ; Sciara nursei Freeman, 1983 =  Sciara ulrichi Menzel & Mohrig, 1998. Many misidentifications in the previous literature are corrected. Details of the collection data and location of specimens examined are provided under each species. The localities from which Sciaridae were collected in the British Isles are documented by modern county and grid references and the habitat indicated where known, to assist in assessing the ecological requirements of each species.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 146 , 1–147.     

Macroecological patterns in British breeding birds: covariation of species'geographical range sizes at differing spatial scales

The availability of high quality data on the distribution and abundance of British birds at the national scale means that this fauna is the basis for a growing body of macroecological study. Nevertheless. questions remain about how representative of wider patterns the distributions and abundances of birds in Britain may be. Here, we use data on the British. European and global breeding distributions of British birds to show that species that are widespread in Britain also tend to be widespread across larger regions. These results hold for both residents and migrants separately, and when controlling for the phylogenetic related ness of species. Species with wide latitudinal spans in Europe also tend to have large British ranges, with the largest British ranges exhibited by species inhabiting mid-latitudes in Europe. These results demonstrate that the distributions of birds within Britain are not simply idiosyacratic. but do reflect aspects of their broader distributions.     

英格兰洞穴苔藓植物区系特征及其岩溶沉积研究

根据作者1998－2000年采自英格兰7个岩溶洞穴452份苔藓植物标本研究,英格兰岩溶洞穴苔藓植物区系具有下列特征：（1）区系种类由20科41属65种（含变种亚种）组成;（2）区系地理成分含北温带分布（52．30％）、温带欧洲分布（15．38％）、欧洲－亚洲分布（1．54％）、欧洲－北美分布（12．31％）、旧世界温带分布（4．62％）、英国特有（1．54％）和世界广泛分布（12．31％）等7种成分;（3）生活型含高丛集型（9．22％）、矮丛集型（20％）、交织型（61．54％）、扇型（4．08％）和平铺型（4．08％）5种类型。14种洞穴苔藓植物参与了洞穴洞口钙华沉积,沉积形态包括钟乳石、洞壁钙华、洞底泉华和洞底滴水钙华4种类型。     

Stoats (Mustela erminea) provide evidence of natural overland colonization of Ireland

The current Irish biota has controversial origins. Ireland was largely covered by ice at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and may not have had land connections to continental Europe and Britain thereafter. Given the potential difficulty for terrestrial species to colonize Ireland except by human introduction, we investigated the stoat (Mustela erminea) as a possible cold-tolerant model species for natural colonization of Ireland at the LGM itself. The stoat currently lives in Ireland and Britain and across much of the Holarctic region including the high Arctic. We studied mitochondrial DNA variation (1771 bp) over the whole geographical range of the stoat (186 individuals and 142 localities), but with particular emphasis on the British Isles and continental Europe. Irish stoats showed considerably greater nucleotide and haplotype diversity than those in Britain. Bayesian dating is consistent with an LGM colonization of Ireland and suggests that Britain was colonized later. This later colonization probably reflects a replacement event, which can explain why Irish and British stoats belong to different mitochondrial lineages as well as different morphologically defined subspecies. The molecular data strongly indicate that stoats colonized Ireland naturally and that their genetic variability reflects accumulation of mutations during a population expansion on the island.     

New insights on postglacial colonization in western Europe: the phylogeography of the Leisler's bat (Nyctalus leisleri)

Despite recent advances in the understanding of the interplay between a dynamic physical environment and phylogeography in Europe, the origins of contemporary Irish biota remain uncertain. Current thinking is that Ireland was colonized post-glacially from southern European refugia, following the end of the last glacial maximum (LGM), some 20 000 years BP. The Leisler''s bat (Nyctalus leisleri), one of the few native Irish mammal species, is widely distributed throughout Europe but, with the exception of Ireland, is generally rare and considered vulnerable. We investigate the origins and phylogeographic relationships of Irish populations in relation to those across Europe, including the closely related species N. azoreum. We use a combination of approaches, including mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers, in addition to approximate Bayesian computation and palaeo-climatic species distribution modelling. Molecular analyses revealed two distinct and diverse European mitochondrial DNA lineages, which probably diverged in separate glacial refugia. A western lineage, restricted to Ireland, Britain and the Azores, comprises Irish and British N. leisleri and N. azoreum specimens; an eastern lineage is distributed throughout mainland Europe. Palaeo-climatic projections indicate suitable habitats during the LGM, including known glacial refugia, in addition to potential novel cryptic refugia along the western fringe of Europe. These results may be applicable to populations of many species.     

喀喇昆仑山和昆仑山地区禾本科植物区系

喀喇昆仑山和昆仑山地区的禾本科植物除去栽培种类外共有47属,含161种.分析表明:(1)本区的禾本科植物主要是由北温带成分组成,并兼有丰富的旧世界温带成分和其他温带成分,温带性质明显.(2)本区所分布的泛热带成分无一例外地都能够延伸到温带地区,应属一类具有一定程度温带性质的泛热带分布类型.一些种类如蔗茅(Erianthus ravennae)的出现是从地中海地区经中亚分布到本区的.(3)本区的禾本科植物绝大多数属于温寒地带分布类型,因而具有明显的高原、高山植物区系的特征,主要有固沙草属(Orinus)、看麦娘属(Alopecurus)、披碱草属(Elymus)、三毛草属(Trisetum)、扇穗茅属(Littledalea)、偃麦草属(Elytrigia)、冠毛草属(Stephanachne) 和拟沿沟草属(Paracolpodium)等,这是本区的高山特化和寒旱化适应现象在禾本科植物中的突出表现.(4)本区无特有属,特有种亦较少,这种现象是有其自然和历史原因的.大多数的单种属和寡种属都是从它们各自广布的近缘属中衍生而来,表明本区系是一个年轻的、衍生的区系.例如细柄茅属(Ptilagrostis)之从针茅属(Stipa),钝基草属(Timoria)之从芨芨草属(Achnatherum)等.(5)本区系同周围区系的联系广泛,但同西藏区系的关系最为密切.     

Floristic elements in European vascular plants: an analysis based on Atlas Florae Europaeae

Aim To identify floristic elements in the European flora by an analysis of the distributions of species and species groups mapped in Atlas Florae Europaeae. Location Europe, as defined by Flora Europaea. Methods We analysed the native distributions of 2762 species and 33 species’ aggregates from 79 families, which represent c. 20% of the European flora. The distributional data base, derived from Atlas Florae Europaeae, includes records from 4420 50 × 50‐km UTM grid squares. We classified species into floristic elements by a three‐stage clustering procedure, which consisted of: (1) constructing a dissimilarity hierarchy by complete linkage clustering, using a distance measure based on Jaccard’s coefficient; (2) cutting the hierarchical tree at the 0.95 level to create initial clusters, and forcing small clusters to link with larger ones until the sum of within‐group pairwise distances exceeded a threshold value; and (3) checking the allocation of all species to the redefined clusters and reassigning species if appropriate, using the cosine of the angle between the species and cluster centres to measure the similarity of species to clusters. Results The clustering procedure classified 2793 taxa into 18 floristic elements, which included between 66 and 289 taxa; two species had unique, non‐overlapping distributions and could not be classified. Main conclusions The analysis highlights the floristic diversity of the mountains of central and southern Europe, and of the Mediterranean region. The floristic elements of northern latitudes and the temperate lowlands tend to be composed of wide‐ranging species and include only a low proportion of European endemics. The montane elements, including those centred on montane areas in the Mediterranean region, are composed predominantly of perennial species and include high or very high proportions of European endemics. Classifications that recognize one ‘Alpine’ and one ‘Mediterranean’ biogeographical zone in Europe fail to reflect this floristic diversity.     

高黎贡山北段种子植物区系研究

高黎贡山北段种子植物种类十分丰富,共记载野生种子植物172科,778属,2514种及302变种(亚种),是植物多样性最为丰富的地区之一。区系成分分析表明:1)本区种子植物区系的性质具有鲜明的温带性,并深受热带植物区系的影响,区系地理成分复杂、联系广泛;2)现代种子植物区系是在古南大陆热带亚洲植物区系的基础上,由古南大陆成分及古北大陆成分在漫长的地质历史过程中融合发展而来,许多源于印度-马来、北温带(特别是东亚)的成分在此都产生了较为丰富的特有类群,它们共同演变成今天的植物区系外貌;3)种子植物区系具有明显的水平和垂直替代现象,间断现象也较为显著,主要表现为滇西北-滇东南间断分布或在此线西南侧连续分布;4)种子植物区系的特有现象十分丰富,物种分化强烈,新老兼备,而以新生的进化成分为主,由此表明高黎贡山北段在保存古老成分的同时,又分化出许多新生成分,它是一个孕育新特有现象的重要舞台。     

The Seed Plant Flora of Valley in Upper Reaches of Yellow River in East Qinghai,China

The valley in upper reaches of Yellow River is situated in the east of Qinghai, China, between latitude 35b20c~ 36b 25c N and longitude 100b55c~ 102b50c E. This area belongs to the transitional zone of Qingha-i Tibetan Plateau and Loess Plateau at an altitudinal range of 1 780m to 4 969 m. The total area is c113 480 km2. Its climate is continental or plateau- continental one. There are 1 027 species of wild seed plants which belong to 86 families and 404 genera in the area. They are 44195% of the total species, 95156% of the total families and 79153% of the total genera in Qinghai, respectively. The floristic characteristics in wild seed plants for the area are as follows: ( 1) Species and woody ones are richer. ( 2) Species endemic to China also richer, but those endemic to Qinghai are very poor. ( 3) On the level of genera, all the fifteen distribution types in China, especia-lly all the six tropical ones only occur in the area in Qinghai. ( 4) On the analysis of genera and species, the flora is temperate in nature which is dominated by North Temperate elements especially the typical elements from the warm and cold zone of Eurasia, and also with some elements of thewarm, cold warm and alpine types. ( 5) The area is of a marginal one in distribution for many species or genera and especially for many tropical ones, so the flora of the area is clear in maginal nature. ( 6) In floristic geography, it is a converged and transitional region for the Loess Plateau Flora, Hengduan Mountians Flora, Alpine Qingha-i Tibetan Plateau Flora, as well as Qaidam Alpine Desert Flora, so the flora of the area is also conspiarously a transitional one. Therefore, as a marginal region far from the center of Qingha-i Tibetan Plateau and with a transitional flora more or less keeping the floristic nature of plateau and alpine types, so the valley in upper reaches of Yellow River in Qinghai should be a flora still belonging to the Tangute one, although it is weaker in alpine nature but conspicuously much more related to North China one.