Erica Ciliaris Research Articles

Were the five rare heathers of the west of Ireland introduced through human activity? An ecological, genetic, biogeographical and historical assessment

Five rare Irish heather species have different disjunct ‘Lusitanian’ type distributions in Europe. They are confined in Ireland to the western coastal region and found elsewhere only, or principally, in the Iberian Peninsula. Two also occur in Britain, but only in the extreme southwest. None could have survived the last ice age in Ireland, and migration northwards, leaving hundreds of kilometre gaps en route, appears impossible. We assemble here the growing evidence that Erica ciliaris L. (Dorset Heath), E. erigena R. Ross (Irish Heath), E. mackayana Bab. (Mackay’s Heath), E. vagans L. (Cornish Heath) and Daboecia cantabrica (Huds.) K. Koch (St Dabeoc’s Heath) have been introduced inadvertently through human activity, along with another heathland Lusitanian species Simethis mattiazzii (Kerry Lily), if over a long period. We suggest that the proximity to the coast of extensive heathland habitats in northern Spain and western Ireland along with the cutting of heathland for bedding and packing in Spain is a probable cause of their inadvertent carriage on a direct maritime trade route which dates from prehistorical times. By considering them together, we suggest that until a precise date for the earliest arrival in Ireland of each species is established, they should all now be considered as naturalised archaeophytes.

Changes in the Erica ciliaris Loefl. ex L. peat bogs of southwestern Europe from the 17th to the 20th centuries ad

This paper analyses a reconstruction of changes from the 17th to the 20th centuries in peat bogs with Erica ciliaris Loefl. ex L. heathlands in southwestern Europe. The reconstruction is performed by means of a multidisciplinary method based on photointerpretation, the examination of historical sources (documentation and maps), and an analysis of microtopography. Historical sources and aerial photos from 1956 and 1987 have also been used to reconstruct the impacts of anthropic activity. In the study area, Doñana Natural Park (SW Iberian Peninsula), peat bogs currently occupy slightly more than 8% of the area that they covered at the beginning of the 17th century. A parallel analysis of anthropic activity in the area over the last four centuries reveals the key role of humans in the disappearance of these peat bogs. This drastic reduction of peat bog area during the 20th century is due to a lowering of the water-table as a result of the impacts of anthropic activity, primarily the establishment of monocultures of Eucalyptus spp. and Pinus pinea. An earlier lowering of the water-table, before these plantations, is attributable to a process of aridisation associated with post-‘Little Ice Age’ warming. Therefore, the impacts associated with climatic trends are synergistically superimposed on those derived from the intense anthropic activity that occurred during the second half of the 20th century. This synergy resulted in a reduction of the surface occupied by the studied peat bogs and their associated E. ciliaris heathlands by 91.1% in SW Europe.

LAND USE CHANGES EFFECT ON FLORISTIC COMPOSITION, DIVERSITY AND SURFACE OCCUPIED BY ERICA CILIARIS AND ERICA TETRALIX HEATHLANDS OF NW SPAIN

Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL ABSTRACT The extent of heathland decline is well documented in countries of the north and west of Europe, not so in southern European countries. In this paper, temporal changes produced in wet heathlands of Erica ciliaris and Erica tetralix in the last 26 years in NW Spain were analysed. Thirteen wet heathlands that had been studied in 1980 were again sampled in 2006. Plant species composition, cover, diversity, surface area occupied and soil pH were analysed in each sampling site. The results obtained showed changes in the management of almost all the sampling sites and in their surrounding area, with an increase in non-traditional practices (afforestation, repeated burning) with respect to 1980, resulting in a general decrease in the surface area occupied by these communities. A decrease of the woody cover and, as a result, an increase in the herbaceous cover was observed. Species richness did not show significant changes, but the identity of the species changed, with 73·9 per cent of the exclusive species of these communities declining or disappearing in favour of non-exclusive species. The pH values remained within the normal ranges for these communities, although a slight decrease was recorded. It was concluded that traditional management (cutting, grazing, sporadic burning) favoured the conservation of these ecosystems, with non-severe effects on the vegetation, and this should be noted by conservation planners. Management of the surrounding area should also be controlled to enhance preservation of these landscapes. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Citing Literature Volume25, Issue6November/December 2014Pages 532-540 RelatedInformation

Study of Some European Wild Hybrids of Erica L. (Ericaceae), with Descriptions of a New Nothospecies: Erica ×Nelsonii Fagúndez and a New Nothosubspecies: Erica ×Veitchii Nothosubsp. Asturica Fagúndez

Abstract Fagundez, J. (2012). Study of some European wild hybrids of Erica L. (Ericaceae), with descriptions of a new nothospecies: Erica ×nelsonii Fagundez and a new nothosubspecies: Erica ×veitchii nothosubsp. asturica Fagundez. Candollea 67: 51–57. In English, English and French abstracts. Wild hybrids issued from crossing European species of genus Erica L. are described. The close study of the type material of Erica ×lazaroana Rivas Goday & Bellot (Erica arborea L. × Erica umbellata L.) shows that it should be regarded as a new synonym of Erica arborea. Erica ×nelsonii Fagundez (Erica cinerea L. × Erica tetralix L.), a new nothospecies from Ireland, is described from herbarium material. Erica ×veitchii nothosubsp. asturica Fagundez (Erica arborea × Erica lusitanica subsp. cantabrica Fagundez & Izco) is also described. A study of seed micromorphology shows evidence of hybridization between Erica tetralix L. and Erica ciliaris L.

Conservation of Erica ciliaris and Erica tetralix Communities: The Role of Land Management and Physical Environment on the Composition, Species Richness and Presence of Endemic Taxa

In spite of their great ecological, economic and social importance, wetlands of all the continents present common problems of insularity, increased by fragmentation due to human action. Between the types of wetlands, some of the more widespread are the wet heathlands that, in the case of Europe, are dominated by Erica ciliaris and Erica tetralix. In this paper, we analysed the species composition of Erica ciliaris and Erica tetralix communities and their relationship to the patch area, as well as the effect of different environmental factors and management. We obtained data of altitude, water-logging degree, area and perimeter, and management type of 30 different sites. Species distribution and species abundance were calculated and the endemic and protected species were identified. We found that the species richness of these communities is related to the distance to the nearest patch and not related to its total area or shape and neither were the number and abundance of the specialist and generalist species, which could be due to the “extinction debt”. We also found that the species composition is influenced by both the degree of water-logging and the management of the site, as cutting prevents these communities from advancing to the woodland stage. These two parameters are therefore of great importance for the conservation of wet heathlands.

Structure and diversity of Erica ciliaris and Erica tetralix heathlands at different successional stages after cutting

In NW Europe, it is known that cutting is a useful tool for managers with regard to decisions about the conservation and management of wet heathlands. Nevertheless it is rarely described quantitatively in the international literature. In Spain, knowledge about this is scarce or lacking. In this study, twenty communities were selected in Galicia (NW Spain) that would represent from one to four stages of vegetation development after cutting. Two 5×5m plots were established for each stage to characterise the vegetation on the basis of its species composition, frequency values, vertical structure and linear cover features. The Diversity Shannon index was calculated and multivariate analyses were performed. As succession advanced, notable changes were produced in the cover of dominant species, Erica ciliaris and Ulex gallii in the first stages and Erica tetralix and Genista berberidea in mature ones. Also, the species richness decreased because of the reduced number of herbs species in the mature stages and, finally, the cover values are indicators of the degree of vegetation development, together with the other parameters of height, overlayering or diversity. Cutting is a useful tool for management of heathlands because the existence of vegetation units belonging to different succession stages increases the internal diversity of communities. On the other hand, the vertical and horizontal structure reflects the formidable resilience of the vegetation community to this practice. This study offers a global vision of the dynamics of wet heathlands after cutting, with very useful ecological information that can be used by the people responsible for their management.

The effects of hybridization on the small-scale variation in seed-bank composition of a rare plant species,Erica ciliarisL.

AbstractThe size and composition of the seed bank of a rare species (Erica ciliarisL.) was analysed.E. ciliarishybridizes with a common relative in southern England (Erica tetralix). The seed banks of these co-occurring species were measured at a number of sites with a range of vegetation types and different management histories. Additional sets of samples were taken from forestry plantations on former heathland sites, where these species were known to occur. Relatively few hybrid seedlings were found in any of the seed-bank samples, even though their vegetative abundance within the sampling areas was equal to that of the pure plants. However, the abundance in the vegetation of the two pure species was reflected in the seed-bank size on each of the vegetation types, both with and without burning management. The seed banks from the forestry plantations show that the numbers of seeds of bothE. tetralixand the hybrid were depleted, but that the seed bank ofE. ciliariswas not significantly different from that of open heathland seed banks. The long-lived nature of the seed bank indicates that there are opportunities for habitat restoration on former heathland sites.

Responses of Three Heathland Shrubs to Single or Repeated Experimental Trampling

In the last few decades, trampling has become a cause of major disturbance to natural areas. Trampling can occur regularly either seasonally or throughout the year, or as a single impact depending on a recreational activity or an event. This study, carried out on a coastal heathland in north Brittany (France), was based on the hypothesis that the vegetation response can differ depending on whether the trampling is repeated or due to a single event. The aim was to compare the resistance and the short-term recovery capacity of selected species in coastal heathland communities subjected to a trampling experiment, applied once or five times (with equal total number of passes from 0 to 800). The temporal distribution of the trampling did not affect the response of Erica ciliaris, whereas for Erica cinerea and Ulex gallii, trampling was slightly less damaging when applied once rather than five times. These differences could be linked to the lower resistance and the higher recovery capacity of E. ciliaris, compared with the two other species. This study also emphasized the influence of site location by comparing observations with previous studies. Plant resistance calculated here appeared to be lower than that calculated for a less stressful site. The relationship between plant traits and response to trampling was also investigated. The effects of the different times between disturbance application and observations of the short-term response of woody vegetation to experimental trampling is also discussed.

INVESTIGATING THE ROOTING POTENTIAL BY CUTTING PROPAGATION IN WILD POPULATIONS OF HEATHERS IN NW SPAIN (GALICIA)

Interest in native plants has been growing recently parallel to the demand for land reclamation. In Galicia one quarter of the wild vegetation is heathers. The objective of this work was to study the rooting potential by cutting propagation of wild populations of several species of heathers (Calluna vulgaris, Erica ciliaris, E. cinerea, E. tetralix, E. umbellata, E. vagans) to be used in revegetation and erosion control. The effect on rooting of provenance (coast or inland), hormonal treatment (0.1% and 0.4% K-IBA in water; 0.4% IBA in talc, control in water), cutting collection date (autumn, spring and summer) and genotype was tested. The dependent variables analysed were percent of rooting (PR) and visual rooting score (VRS). No differences were observed between provenances for most of the species, except for E. umbellata, in which coastal plants rooted better than inland plants. Differences were observed among species. Calluna vulgaris yielded the best results of all species for the three cutting dates tested in terms of PR and VRS. Summer cutting was the best timing for cutting propagation in all heaths studied. No differences were found in regard to hormonal treatment except for summer cutting of E. umbellata, where liquid formulation of K-IBA at both concentrations tested were the best treatments. In Galicia, the use of wild heather and heaths for production of nursery stocks can be a valuable asset.

Long-term effects of trampling on Atlantic Heathland in Brittany (France): resilience and tolerance in relation to season and meteorological conditions

In recent decades, human trampling has become an important factor in the degradation of Atlantic heathlands. In a previous paper we showed that short-term responses of heathland to trampling were dependant on environmental parameters such as season and weather conditions (Gallet, S., Rozé, F., 2001b. Resistance of Atlantic Heathlands to trampling in Brittany (France): influence of vegetation type, season and weather conditions. Biological Conservation, 97, 189–198). Here, long term responses of experimental trampling, characterised by the resilience and the tolerance of communities and plants appear also dependant on these parameters. Dry and mesophilous heathlands are more tolerant to trampling in winter than in summer. In the case of mesophilous heathland, this is linked to high plant resilience, especially of Erica ciliaris. In summer, influence of meteorological conditions at the time of trampling depend on the species; indeed wet conditions lead to lower tolerance of Erica cinerea but to higher tolerance of E. ciliaris. Management of tourist pressure on natural or semi-natural sites must take visitors on the more tolerant communities, so it must take into account the variability of tolerance to trampling of the different types of vegetation present and needs to be adaptable to environmental conditions.

Conservation of heathland by sheep grazing in Brittany (France): Importance of grazing period on dry and mesophilous heathlands

Heathlands are characteristic semi-natural ecosystems of western Europe. Nowadays they are threatened because of their lack of agricultural value. Management of the remaining heathland areas necessitates precise knowledge about different management tools that can be used, including grazing. The effects of sheep grazing on dry and mesophilous heathlands of Brittany were studied in relation to grazing season and duration. Management aims were to control shrubs and to maintain the dominance of heathers. The grazing pressures applied here were quite high, about 10–15 sheep ha −1 yr −1. Erica ciliaris appeared to be very sensitive to grazing at the end of summer. This implicates special care in the management of mesophilous heathland. In dry heathland, Erica cinerea did not show this sensitivity. Control of shrubs was achieved by most grazing regimes which led to a decrease of 11–22 cm in gorse height, except summer grazing which seemed to stimulate their growth.This study underlined the relevance of the use of sheep grazing as a heathland management tool but also the necessity of prior experiments to adapt these operations mainly in terms of grazing period to the type of heathland and the objectives put forward.

Resistance of Atlantic Heathlands to trampling in Brittany (France): influence of vegetation type, season and weather conditions

As a result of the large increase in tourist pressure, trampling has become an important factor in the degradation of natural areas and particularly Atlantic Heathlands. In this study, the resistance of dry and mesophilous heathlands was studied experimentally, under different environmental conditions. The trampling was applied in winter, and in summer in periods of wet and dry weather. The types of heathlands studied appeared to be moderately resistant to trampling. Mesophilous heathlands were on the whole more sensitive to trampling than dry heathlands. The resistance of these communities and of their component species varied greatly in relation to season and weather conditions. For example, Erica ciliaris was more resistant to trampling in summer than in winter, and in summer Erica cinerea was more sensitive to trampling in wet weather than in dry conditions. The analysis of the resistance of species showed that heather species were more sensitive than the rest of the plant cover. These heathers are characteristic species of the heathlands that were studied. The definition of acceptable visitor pressure thresholds must not be based on the index of resistance of the whole community, but on that of the characteristic species, in this case heathers. The aim of visitor pressure management must be to preserve the vegetation structure and not just simply plant cover.

Datos sobre la flora y vegetación del Parque Natural de Los Alcornocales (Cádiz-Málaga, España)

Se ha realizado un estudio de la flora, vegetación y paisaje vegetal del Parque Natural de Los Alcornocales, situado en las provincias de Cádiz y Málaga (SW de la Península Ibérica, Andalucía). La altitud máxima en el Parque es de 1091 m.; la litología dominante es a base de areniscas silíceas y arcillas salvo en el NW donde predominan las calizas. Las precipitaciones son muy abundantes (entre 800 y 1400 mm.) así como el régimen de nieblas causado por la cercanía al Estrecho de Gibraltar; se reconocen dos pisos bioclimáticos, termo y mesomediterráneo con oceanidad acusada. Como resultado se han catalogado unos 1300 taxones de plantas vasculares, destacándose en este trabajo las especies protegidas, endemismos o primeras citas para Andalucía Occidental, de entre ellas 9 son pteridófitos relícticos de gran valor fitogeográfico. Se han inventariado un total de 89 asociaciones y comunidades. Se realizan comentarios sobre sintaxones de rango superior a asociación. Se lectotipifica una subasociación y se neotipifica una asociación. Se describen como nuevos sintáxones un orden (Rhododendro pontici-Prunetalia lusitanicae), dos alianzas (Rhododendro pontici-Prunion lusitanicae y Salicion pedicellatae), 6 asociaciones, 4 subasociaciones y 6 combinaciones. Se reconocen 6 series climatófilas de las cuales es nueva una de quejigares sobre calizas (Oleo sylvestris-Querceto broteroi S), otras dos son de alcornocales sobre areniscas (Quereos suber), una de quejigares morunos en zonas más húmedas (Quereos canariensis), una de robledales en las cumbres (Quereos pyrenaica) y una de encinares sobre calizas en zonas basales (Quercus rotundifolia). Como serie mixta ligada a las condiciones de los vertisoles se desarrolla una serie de acebuchales (Oleo sylvestris). Como vegetación permanente sobre calizas aparecen algarrobales (Ceratonia siliqua), sobre areniscas aparecen enebrales (Juniperus oxycedrus), en cumbres azotadas por el viento reconocemos una comunidad con quejigueta (Quereos lusitanica) y una variante relictual edafoxerófila sobre areniscas con pino negral (Pinos pinaster). Como serie mixta ligada a las condiciones de humedad tanto ambiental como edáfica se desarrollan ojaranzales (Rhododendron ponticum) similares a las formaciones de laurisilva macaronésica. Las series edafohigrófilas del Parque son: las alisedas (Alnus glutinosa), las saucedas (Salix pedicellata), las choperas (Populus alba), las fresnedas (Fraxinus angusttfolia),los adelfares (Nerium oleander), los tarajales (Tamarix africana) y los brezales edafohidrófilos (Erica ciliaris). Existen así mismo mosaicos de comunidades ligadas a Corredores ecológicos, entornos humanos, rupícolas, epífitas, aerohalófilas, de medios acuáticos y salinos. Finalmente se presentan el esquema sintaxonómico comentado, las tablas fitosociológicas correspondientes a las novedades y un mapa de las series de vegetación del Parque.

On the water relations of four heath species

Four species of heath, occurring in the heathlands of Brittany, are compared regarding their water relations: Calluna vulgaris, Erica ciliaris, E. cinerea and E. tetralix.

Phenology and carbohydrate content of heathers of southern origin grown in Scotland

Summary Plants of Erica vagans, E. mackaiana and E. ciliaris from Spain or southern England were characterised by late flowering, tardy shoot extension, erect growth form and a susceptibility to winter damage when grown outdoors in Scotland. Although these characteristics are shared by plants of Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea and E. tetralix of similar provenance these latter species are known to be capable of producing forms suited to more severe climates. Differences in carbohydrate contents were not strongly related to origin although Erica ciliaris, E. vagans and E. erigena tended to accumulate relatively greater amounts of polysaccharides than the other species. Erica erigena combined early flowering with late and slow shoot extension and remained undamaged during winter.

The typification of Erica ciliaris L., of E. tetralix L. and of their hybrid, E. X watsonii Bentham

The type specimens of Erica Ciliaris, E. Tetralix and of E. × watsonii are located. The variant of E. ciliaris without glandular hairs on its stems and leaves is chosen as the lectotype of the species; the lecrorvpe of E. Tetralix ia glandular-haired, as is that of E. × watsonii.

Chemical and Ecological Studies of Heath Plants and Soils of the Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall

(1) Classification was made by normal and inverse association analysis of heath vegetation of the Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall. The vegetation types sampled were 'Rock Heath', 'Mixed Heath', 'Tall Heath' and 'Short Heath', all overlying serpentine rock and gabbro, and 'Short Heath' overlying Crousa Gravels. The analyses produced groups corresponding closely to those previously recognized by Coombe & Frost (1956a). (2) An Erica ciliaris heath near Truro was also sampled and included in the vegetation analyses; this heath showed closest affinity with 'Short Heath'. (3) Soils from all heath types were analysed for concentrations of total nickel and chromium, and of a range of exchangeable metal ions. (4) The results of the total Ianalyses, which indicated the contribution made by weathering serpentine to the soils, were consistent with the conclusions of Coombe & Frost (1956b) on the origin of Lizard soils. (5) 'Rock', 'Mixed' and 'Tall' Heath soils had higher concentrations of exchangeable potassium, magnesium and calcium than the more strongly acidic 'Short Heath' soils. 'Short Heath' soils had the highest concentrations of exchangeable iron. (6) It is postulated that the high concentrations of exchangeable cations, especially calcium and magnesium, in 'Tall' and 'Mixed Heath' soils are important in restricting the rare species E. vagans to these heath-types. This species was not found in the base-poor 'Short Heath' or the exposed 'Rock Heath'. (7) The chemical composition of Calluna vulgaris growing in soils of different chemical status remained relatively constant, whereas Erica vagans had higher concentrations of calcium and magnesium in the samples from 'Tall Heath'.

The Distribution and Composition of Hybrid Populations of Erica Ciliaris L. and Erica Tetralix L. in Dorset

Erica ciliaris L., the 'Dorset Heath', referred to in earlier Floras as the Fringe-leaved Heath, Ciliated Heath and Four Burrow Heath, has a Lusitanian distribution being found in north-west Morocco, the coastal regions of Portugal, Spain and France, the south of England and the west of Ireland (Hansen 1950). The first British record of E. ciliaris is generally attributed to the Rev. J. S. Tozer who found it near Truro, Cornwall in 1828 (Lindley 1829), although the plant was probably known before that date. A hybrid between E. ciliaris and E. tetralix L., later found growing near Truro, was named E. x watsonii Benth. At present E. ciliaris is less abundant in Cornwall than in south-eastern Dorset where it was first recorded by J. Woods in 1848, while the first Dorset record of E. x watsonii is dated 1891 (see Mansel-Pleydell 1895). Within the British Isles E. ciliaris occurs in the west of Ireland (Webb 1966; McClintock 1968), Cornwall, Devon (at one site on Dartmoor) and on the heathlands and valley mires of south-eastern Dorset. A distribution map of E. ciliaris was given by Good (1948) following his survey of the Dorset flora between the years 1932 and 1937, and he commented: 'The particular interest in this plant is that its local geographical limits follow no obviously recognisable edaphic or climatic boundary and are therefore presumably set by some unusually subtle factor or combination of factors. The rigidity of the limitation is further emphasised by the fact that although the species does from time to time occur as scattered individuals on the neighbouring heathlands, it never spreads there.' A map showing sites for E. ciliaris in Dorset was given by Moore (1962), who used the plant as an indicator species in his evaluation of the conservation interests of Dorset heathland sites (see Fig. 1 for a map of S.E. Dorset). Although the hybrid E. x watsonii is recorded in several County Floras, the distribution and relative composition of hybrid populations of E. ciliaris and E. tetralix have been analysed only by Gay (1957, 1960) using a modification of Anderson's Hybrid Index technique (Anderson 1949). The present paper provides a more detailed account of the current distribution of E. ciliaris in Dorset, characterizing hybrid populations and suggesting ecological implications of the observed patterns of distribution.