The Role of Botanic Gardens in Species Recovery :

The Oblong Woodsia as a Case Study

Authors

  • Phil Lusby Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
  • Adrian Dyer University of Edinburgh / Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
  • Stuart Lindsay Harvard University / Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24823/Sibbaldia.2003.88

Abstract

A translocation experiment to reintroduce the rare fern Woodsia ilvensis (L.) R.Br. to former sites in England and Scotland is described. The demands of this kind of conservation work brings the work of scientists and horticulturists together. High losses of transplants are to be expected and in order to gradually build up populations in the wild, translocation programmes may have to adopt a multi-phased approach. The facilities at botanic gardens are well suited to this type of conservation work.

Author Biographies

  • Phil Lusby, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
    Philip Lusby is the Year Tutor in the School of Horticulture at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE). At the time of the Woodsia translocation project he was Head of RBGE's Scottish Rare Plant Project
  • Adrian Dyer, University of Edinburgh / Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
    Adrian Dyer has retired from the University of Edinburgh but he is a Research Associate at RBGE and, at the time of the project, was an Honorary Fellow of the University of Edinburgh, having previously been a Senior Lecturer
  • Stuart Lindsay, Harvard University / Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
    Stuart Lindsay is a Research Fellow at Harvard University. At the time of the project he was a Leverhulme Scholar working at RBGE

References

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CRAWLEY, M. J. (Ed.) (1986). Plant Ecology. Blackwell.

DYER, A. F. (1994). Natural spore banks — can they be used to retrieve lost ferns? Biodiversity and Conservation 3: 160-175.

DYER, A. F. & LINDSAY, S. (1992). Soil spore banks of temperate ferns. American Fern Journal 82: 89-122.

DYER, A. F., LINDSAY, S. & LUSBY, P. (2001). Woodsia ilvensis in Britain — last chance or lost cause? Pteridologist 3: 134-137.

FLEMING, V. & SYDES, C. (1997). Genetics and rare plants: guidelines for recovery programmes. In The role of genetics in conserving small populations: Proceedings of a BES symposium'. Ed. TEW, T. E., SPENCER, J. W., STEVENS, D. P., USHER, M. B. & WARREN, J. JNCC, Peterborough.

LUSBY, P. S., LINDSAY, S. & DYER, A. (2002). Principles, practice and problems of conserving the rare British fern Woodsia ilvensis (L.) R. Br. Botanic Journal of Scotland. 53. (in press).

WHITTEN, A. J. (1990). Recovery: A proposed programme for Britain's protected species. Nature Conservancy Council, CSD Report, No. 1089.

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Published

2003-10-31

Issue

No. 1 (2003)

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How to Cite

The Role of Botanic Gardens in Species Recovery :: The Oblong Woodsia as a Case Study. (2003). Sibbaldia: The International Journal of Botanic Garden Horticulture, 1, 5-10. https://doi.org/10.24823/Sibbaldia.2003.88