The conservation of variation in geographically peripheral populations: Lloydia serotina (Liliaceae) in Britain

Peripheral populations of widespread species can hold important reserves of variability despite their often small size and isolation. Lloydia serotina occurs in peripheral populations in north Wales, UK, where it is given special protection despite occurring more widely in the northern hemisphere. P...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biological conservation 2001-10, Vol.101 (2), p.147-156
Main Authors: Jones, B, Gliddon, C, Good, J.E.G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Applied ecology
Arctic-alpine
Biological and medical sciences
Conservation
Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Genetic differentiation
Lloydia serotina
Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking
Peripheral populations
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Summary:Peripheral populations of widespread species can hold important reserves of variability despite their often small size and isolation. Lloydia serotina occurs in peripheral populations in north Wales, UK, where it is given special protection despite occurring more widely in the northern hemisphere. Population dynamics, reproduction and genetic variation, using isozyme analysis, were studied in two small Welsh cliff habitat populations and in 13 populations in the centre of its range in the American Rocky Mountains and the European Alps, to assess the status and performance of the Welsh populations compared with those in its more typical alpine habitats. The smaller populations showed lower flowering and seed production percentages, but sexual reproduction does take place in all populations and the seed produced is viable. The smaller populations had lower levels of allozyme variation, but variability was present in all populations except one small, isolated one in North America. There was significant genetic differentiation among the populations, particularly between those from Wales and the Alps and between the two Welsh populations studied. Analysis of RAPD variation in four, small Welsh populations provided further evidence of this differentiation. The results indicate possible effects of glacial and post-glacial periods in isolating small populations and, together with genetic drift, promoting genetic divergence. This differentiation suggests the need to conserve these small populations as separate entities, increasing their size by habitat management rather than any direct intervention.
ISSN:0006-3207
1873-2917
DOI:10.1016/S0006-3207(01)00055-6