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BEN # 172
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No. 172 September 27, 1997
aceska@freenet.victoria.bc.ca Victoria, B.C.
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Dr. A. Ceska, P.O.Box 8546, Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 3S2
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THE ECOLOGY, GENETICS AND CONSERVATION OF LLOYDIA SEROTINA
From: Barbara Jones, Countryside Council for Wales, Bangor,
North Wales, GB <b.jones@ccw.gov.uk>
Lloydia serotina (L.) Rchb. (Liliaceae) is found in a number of
alpine and arctic locations throughout the northern hemisphere,
ranging from alpine tundra in the Rocky Mountains and the
European Alps to near coastal situations in Alaska and Siberia.
It is not found in the European arctic however and in Britain it
is a rare and protected species, only occurring on a very few
cliff faces in the Snowdonia Mountains of North Wales. Concern
at the vulnerable nature of these peripheral populations,
together with the fact that very little was known about the
species, prompted research into the ecology, population
dynamics, reproductive ecology, habitat and genetic variation of
populations in Wales, the European Alps and North America,
including British Columbia and Washington State. The main aim
was to assess the performance of the Welsh populations against
that of the large populations at the centre of the species
range, however, interesting results also emerged regarding all
the populations studied, especially those in peripheral situa-
tions such as the Pacific north-west, Wales and the Southern
Rocky Mountains.
The characteristics of the habitat vary throughout its range,
influenced by latitude, climate and land use, with the more
'typical' habitat consisting of gently sloping alpine tundra,
exemplified by the localities in the Rocky Mountains in
Colorado. Further north however, the preferred habitat becomes
more rocky, with the cliff bound populations in Wales providing
an extreme example. These more northerly populations also tended
to be much smaller than those in the centre of its range.
Demographic studies revealed that vegetative reproduction ap-
pears to predominate over sexual reproduction in all popula-
tions, with +rhizome' type structures issuing from the bulb and
forming daughter plants. The smaller, more peripheral popula-
tions showed slightly lower flowering and seeding levels than
the larger populations studied during a three year period, but
sexual reproduction does occur and seed produced is viable.
All populations studied had large percentages of male flowers as
well as hermaphrodites, raising interesting questions regarding
the possibility of androdioecy in the species. Initial inves-
tigations into pollen production and viability suggest that the
theoretical requirements for double fertility in male flowers in
androdioecious populations is not met with in Lloydia, but it
may be possible that males are maintained in a population if
they have an increased vegetative reproductive capability.
A survey of protein polymorphisms in 16 populations, including
one from Vancouver Island, one from southern British Columbia
and one from the Olympic Peninsula, showed lower levels of
isozyme variation in the smaller populations, especially the
most northerly and southerly ones in North America, suggesting
the occurrence of genetic drift. The Welsh populations are the
most isolated, but they show levels of variation which are
slightly higher than those in the Pacific north-west. This could
be due to a number of reasons involving the glacial history of
the areas concerned and the size and viability of the popula-
tions studied. The two main Welsh populations studied were
larger than some of those in the Pacific north-west where the
very small populations there may be losing genetic variability
due to inbreeding, lack of gene flow and genetic drift. Random
Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis of four Welsh popula-
tions produced evidence for clonal growth and consequent genetic
structuring within these populations. This type of growth could
help to maintain some genetic diversity in larger, more scat-
tered populations which exhibit occasional gene flow between
relatively isolated groups or 'clones', but in smaller, more
compact populations, it can result in an increase in
homozygosity (one population in the Olympic Mountains for ex-
ample covered an area of only two square metres).
One major omission from the research was the investigation of
material from the Queen Charlotte Islands. Lloydia from this
locality is considered to constitute a subspecies Lloydia
serotina subsp. flava, due to its larger size and different
colouration. This has not been proven however, and so far my
attempts to obtain material from these remote Islands have been
unsuccessful. Genetic analysis of these populations would
provide fascinating results, not only to confirm or otherwise
the designation, but also to throw more light onto the glacial
history of the area and its effects on speciation and past
movement of vegetation communities. If anyone is visiting the
Islands this year and is able to collect material for me,
preferably seed, which will survive posting better than leaves,
then I would be eternally grateful.
STAFF CUTS IN THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA
From: "John V Matthews Jr." <ohana@FREENET.CARLETON.CA>
originally posted on QUATERNARY@morgan.ucs.mun.ca
Bad news travels fast so many of you probably already know that the
Geological Survey of Canada in its latest blood-letting has discontinued
all paleoecological research (including pollen, wood and macrofossils) and
has surplused everybody working in that realm. Evidently the GSC is
walking away from an important area of Global Change research, just when
the public is becoming aware of its importance.
WEB PAGE: CANADIAN NATIONAL FORESTRY DATABASE PROGRAM
From: Brian Haddon <bhaddon@AM.NCR.FORESTRY.CA>
originally posted on FOREST discussion list
The National Forestry Database Program is pleased to announce that
the complete version of the sixth edition of the Compendium of
Canadian Forestry Statistics, 1996 is now available on the World Wide
Web at
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/cfs/proj/iepb/nfdp/
The Compendium contains national and provincial forestry information
(more than 55 tables, 117 graphs, background information and
terminology). All data files can be downloaded as ASCII text and can
easily be manipulated using software such as Excel. The site
provides historical tables as well as detailed tables by ownership
(1990-1995) for the following areas:
- Forest Inventory: 1991
- Annual Allowable Cut : Latest period calculated and Summary
factors in AAC determination
- Forest Fires
- Forest Insects
- Forest Products: Roundwood harvested, Maple products, and
Christmas trees
- Silviculture: Harvesting, Clearcut size, Site preparation,
Planting, Seeding and Stand tending
- Forest Management Expenditures: Activity, Source of funding
- Revenues and Economic Profile: Statement of revenues, Tenure
holders' rights and responsibilities 1995/1996 and
provincial/territorial economic profile
- Pest Control Product Use
We encourage you to provide feedback in order to help us develop
a product that will best serve your needs.
- Fax 613-947-9020
- Internet e-mail sgaillou@nrn1.nrcan.gc.ca
- Feedback form
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/cfs/proj/iepb/nfdp/feedback.cgi
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