Capricious, or tied to history's apron strings? Floristic regions in north‐west European brambles (RubussubgenusRubus, Rosaceae)

Abstract

Aim To classify and describe distributional patterns in apomictic Rubus subgenus Rubus in north‐west Europe and to characterize the major regions by statistically derived character species. Location North‐western Europe, in particular Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany. Methods We used twinspan analysis to distinguish hierarchically ordered phytogeographical regions using grid‐based distributional patterns of bramble species, Dufrêne–Legendre indicator species analysis to define character species for the regions, and descriptive statistical analysis of broad‐scale abiotic factors derived from the LANMAP landscape classification for each region. Results Grid cells were classified into 114 initial groups and 12 regions (florulas), forming three major bramble territories. Up to 15 indicator species could be assigned to each florula. The florulas in the British Isles are geographically isolated, unlike those on the continent. The florulas differ in minimum temperature in January, mean precipitation in August, and elevation. Although a clear view of the relationship between the bramble flora in the British Isles and the continental flora is obscured by the lack of data from Belgium and France, the major biogeographical patterns coincide with the genetic structure of the genus as published by Sochor et al. (). Other factors forming the basis for the observed patterns are isolation (especially in the British Isles), and arguably also landscape history and landscape patterns. Main conclusions Phytogeographical patterns in Rubus subg. Rubus are strongly influenced by historical factors and can be traced back to the hybridization of sexual Rubus ulmifolius, Rubus canescens and Rubus ser. Glandulosi especially. Geographical and ecological factors also play a role in the realization of large‐scale patterns, but these factors seem to be closely tied to the history and genetic structure of the genus through inherited ecology from the ancestral species.

Ecohydrologische systeemanalyse Liefstinghsbroek

“…• differentiatie in areaalgrootte met relatief veel regionale soorten waardoor bramenregio's voorkomen (Haveman et al 2016); het Drents district waartoe ook het Liefstinghsbroek behoort, wordt gekenmerkt door een vrij groot aantal soorten (o.a. Provincie Drenthe 2010; Van de Beek et al 2014); deze regionale biodiversiteit draagt bij aan de natuurkwaliteit van terreinen;…”

Concealed diversity : taxonomical, phytogeographical and phytosociological notes on brambles (Rubus L. subgen. Rubus) in north-west Europe

“…As long as the state of taxonomy and the mapping of the Rubus flora in the Central Atlantic Biogeographical region in Europe (Metzger et al 2005), especially Belgium and France, is not at level, and no phytosociological treatment from larger areas in these countries is available, an ultimate classification cannot be given. As was concluded by Haveman et al (2016), more data on the evolutionary background of separate Rubus species is needed to fully understand the general distribution patterns in this genus, and this touches on phytosociological patterns too. Besides, Rubus dynamics in urban as well as abandoned rural areas might very well result in community patterns not congruent with the current phytosociological classification.…”

“…In contrast, R. lindleianus, R. macrophyllus, and R. geniculatus are frequently occurring, next to Rubus confusidens, R. egregius, R. winteri, R. conspicuus en R. stereacanthos (Haveman & De Ronde in press). At the time of the publication of De vegetatie van Nederland, it was thought that this difference between the regions could be attributed to a gradual subsequent turn-over of species from east to west, but from chapter 5 it is clear now that these differences are founded in a relatively fundamental, evolutionary-historical difference between the Rubus floras of the Southeast Continent territory (SEC) and the Northwest-Continent territory (NWC; Haveman et al 2016).…”

“…An example is the Rubetum sciocharitis Weber in Pott 1995, which is considered to be a vicariant association of the Rubetum silvatici Weber in Pott 1995 of more Atlantic regions of north-west Germany (Weber 1998a(Weber , 2003b. Rubus sciocharis tends to dominate the vegetation, even in regions where it was introduced unintentionally (De Ronde & Haveman 2016), thus forming scrubs indistinguishable from the Rubetum sciocharitis even in climatically different regions than Sleswig-Holstein, the locus classicus of the association.…”

“…Although abandonment of traditionally managed agricultural landscapes following rural depopulation is considered an almost Europe-wide problem for the conservation of biodiversity Noteworthy is that all declining species are characteristic for the Southeast-Continent flora (SEC) as defined by Haveman et al (2016), whereas several of the increasing species mentioned by Loos (2008) are characteristic for the Northwest-Continent flora (NWC), e.g. R.…”