What's the meaning of local? Using molecular markers to define seed transfer zones for ecological restoration in Norway

Abstract

According to the Norwegian Diversity Act, practitioners of restoration in Norway are instructed to use seed mixtures of local provenance. However, there are no guidelines for how local seed should be selected. In this study, we use genetic variation in a set of alpine species (Agrostis mertensii, Avenella flexuosa, Carex bigelowii, Festuca ovina, Poa alpina and Scorzoneroides autumnalis) to define seed transfer zones to reduce confusion about the definition of ‘local seeds’. The species selected for the study are common in all parts of Norway and suitable for commercial seed production. The sampling covered the entire alpine region (7–20 populations per species, 3–15 individuals per population). We characterised genetic diversity using amplified fragment length polymorphisms. We identified different spatial genetic diversity structures in the species, most likely related to differences in reproductive strategies, phylogeographic factors and geographic distribution. Based on results from all species, we suggest four general seed transfer zones for alpine Norway. This is likely more conservative than needed for all species, given that no species show more than two genetic groups. Even so, the approach is practical as four seed mixtures will serve the need for restoration of vegetation in alpine regions in Norway.

The European Native Seed Industry: Characterization and Perspectives in Grassland Restoration

“…Associations of native seed producers and native seed certification systems were found in two (Austria and Germany) and three countries (Austria, Germany and France), respectively, while seed zones were identified in seven countries ( Figure 2; Table 2). [25]; France [26]; Germany [27]; Great Britain [28]; Norway [8]; Switzerland [29].…”

“…National seed zones currently available in Europe. Sources: Austria [24]; Czech Republic [25]; France [26]; Germany [27]; Great Britain [28]; Norway [8]; Switzerland [29].…”

“…Re-seeding degraded grasslands is now a widely-used restoration method in conservation practice [7], especially for areas where spontaneous regeneration is slow, the risk of erosion is high [8] and potential propagule sources are too distant to be effective in "recolonizing" an area [7].…”

“…It has already been stressed that governments are in need of practical and efficient tools for ecosystem management and preservation [8].…”

Do seed transfer zones for ecological restoration reflect the spatial genetic variation of the common grassland species Lathyrus pratensis?

“…To avoid these problems that have been recognized worldwide in restoration ecology, seed zones, seed production areas, or seed transfer zones have been defined to provide local seed material for restoration, e.g. in the United States, Australia, France, and Norway (Millar et al ; Malaval et al , ; Bower et al ; Jørgensen et al ; Nevill et al ). The delineation of these zones may be either based on geomorphological and climatic conditions, like in Australia and the United States (Miller et al ; St. Clair et al ; Bower et al ), or on the genetic structure of plant species, like in Norway and France (Malaval et al ; Jørgensen et al ).…”