Taxus baccata L.

Thomas, Peter A.; Polwart, Anthony

doi:10.1046/j.1365-2745.2003.00783.x

Cited by 225 publications

(219 citation statements)

References 157 publications

(422 reference statements)

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“…Therefore, as compared with other yew species, T. baccata has relatively high genetic diversity, which appears comparable to that in other gymnosperms (Hamrick et al, 1992). However, because of scant information on genetic variation and the high ecological diversity of English yew habitats (Thomas and Polwart, 2003), the latter conclusion should be treated with caution.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…Moreover, low rates of natural regeneration have been observed in remnant populations (Hulme, 1996;Mysterud and Østbye, 2004;Myking et al, 2009), leading to a continuous decline in population numbers (Thomas and Polwart, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A possible explanation could be low pollen concentration in the atmosphere because of the scattered distribution of yew populations in a landscape. In addition, English yew is typically an understory forest species (Thomas and Polwart, 2003), and its low height may limit pollen dispersal within and among populations. For example, results from pollen trapping suggest that in dense yew populations, pollen dispersal might be quite limited, with a majority of pollen grains falling on nearby male trees (Noryśkiewicz, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Increased inbreeding and strong kinship structure in Taxus baccata estimated from both AFLP and SSR data

2011

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Habitat fragmentation can have severe genetic consequences for trees, such as increased inbreeding and decreased effective population size. In effect, local populations suffer from reduction of genetic variation, and thus loss of adaptive capacity, which consequently increases their risk of extinction. In Europe, Taxus baccata is among a number of tree species experiencing strong habitat fragmentation. However, there is little empirical data on the population genetic consequences of fragmentation for this species. This study aimed to characterize local genetic structure in two natural remnants of English yew in Poland based on both amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and microsatellite (SSR) markers. We introduced a Bayesian approach that estimates the average inbreeding coefficient using AFLP (dominant) markers. Results showed that, in spite of high dispersal potential (bird-mediated seed dispersal and wind-mediated pollen dispersal), English yew populations show strong kinship structure, with a spatial extent of 50-100 m, depending on the population. The estimated inbreeding levels ranged from 0.016 to 0.063, depending on the population and marker used. Several patterns were evident: (1) AFLP markers showed stronger kinship structure than SSRs; (2) AFLP markers provided higher inbreeding estimates than SSRs; and (3) kinship structure and inbreeding were more pronounced in denser populations regardless of the marker used. Our results suggest that, because both kinship structure and (bi-parental) inbreeding exist in populations of English yew, gene dispersal can be fairly limited in this species. Furthermore, at a local scale, gene dispersal intensity can be more limited in a dense population.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Increased inbreeding and strong kinship structure in Taxus baccata estimated from both AFLP and SSR data

2011

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“…The English yew, Taxus baccata L., once widespread, is now a relict forest tree species in Europe (Thomas & Polwart, 2003). Over the past centuries, yew populations have been declining in number, size, and therefore in connectivity (Dovčiak, 2002;Linares, 2013), especially at the margins of its geographical range (Sanz, 2008;González-Martínez et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geographic consistency in the seed dispersal patterns of Taxus baccata L. in the Iberian Peninsula

Lavabre

García²

2015

For. syst.

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Aim of the study: Seed dispersal is a crucial process in tree population dynamics. In the case of yew, Taxus baccata L., seeds are dispersed by birds and mammals in a non-random, microhabitat-dependent way, a pattern constraining population renewal and expansion. While skewed dispersal has been frequently found, we lack knowledge on how consistent are spatial restrictions across time and yew’s geographical range. This sort of information is required for the development of trans-regional management tools for this species. Area of study: Three Taxus baccata stands across Spain, namely Cantabrian Range, Sierra de Gredos and Sierra de Cazorla.Material and methods: During two consecutive years, we have been studying the contribution of frugivorous animals to the seed dispersal patterns of Taxus baccata L., in three ecologically contrasted localities of the Iberian Peninsula. Main results: The spatial distribution of the seeds in the landscape was very heterogeneous, with the majority of the seeds consistently dispersed into forested microhabitats and almost none outside the forest. The main seed dispersers were always frugivorous birds, particularly thrushes (Turdus merula, T. viscivorus, T. philomelos and T. iliacus). Research highlights: The results highlighted the large-scale consistency of the seed dispersal system of Taxus baccata. We suggest that the generalized spatially-restricted dispersal contributes to the lack of regeneration and absence of population expansion of the species all over its range. As a trans-regional conservation strategy, we recommend measures aimed at maintaining as much as diverse assemblage of frugivores in order to provide complementary seed dispersal and therefore enhance population regeneration and expansion.Keywords: English Yew; frugivory; seed rain; microhabitats; Turdus spp.; carnivorous mammals; spatially-restricted dispersal.

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“…Palaeoenvironmental data show that, in southern Europe, yew was a declining tree as the climate has become less oceanic and as the activity of the Bronze agriculture increased. This decline has been attributed to different, possibly complementary, ecological causes including competition for light against Fagus and Carpinus, adverse soil conditions, poor soil water, fungal diseases, deforestation, selective cutting, heavy grazing, and transition from fen-carr environment to ombrotrophic bogs (Thomas & Polwart 2003;Deforce & Bastiaens 2007).…”

Section: The Contribution Of Aerobiological Data To Palaeoenvironmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Palynology and Mediterranean vegetation history

2013

Fl. Medit.

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The history of Mediterranean vegetation can be outlined using pollen grains contained in lacustrine, marine and other sediments. These sediments have recorded very important vegetation changes during recent geological times. For example, during the last 6 Ma (million years), the effects of different events acting at regional (e.g. the Messinian salinity crisis between 5.96 Ma and 5.33 Ma) and global (expansion of the Arctic ice at ca 2.6 Ma) scales produced a progressive decrease and final disappearance of tropical and subtropical taxa. However, prior to the start of the Quaternary the Mediterranean flora still included a consistent number of tropical and subtropical arboreal taxa accompanying deciduous and partly evergreen trees that have persisted until today. The most important features of the vegetation history of the Quaternary consist in the fact that vegetation adapted to climate changes due to changes in orbital cyclicity, alternating between glacial and interglacial periods. The more widespread vegetation types were steppe and grassland formations during the dry and cold glacial periods whereas either deciduous or evergreen forests were characteristic of interglacial periods. These cold-dry to warmhumid climate cycles became more and more intense towards the present. During the second half of the present interglacial, after the mid-Holocene, joint actions of increasing dryness, climate oscillations and human impact led to the present day Mediterranean plant landscape. It is however not clear how far the causation of this spread of evergreen taxa was climatic or human. One of the most exciting challenges is the prediction of the future course of Mediterranean vegetation. In this perspective a consistent help, not fully explored yet, can be found in aeropalynology, recording the pollen transported in the air. Together with modern surface samples, these data act as modern analogues. Though it probably does not represent the same past vegetational composition, the current pollen rain is the only basic reference on which our comparative approach can rely. Present trends are interpreted and future scenarios can be hypothesized just using a combination of aero-and archaeo-/palaeo-palynological approaches.

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Taxus baccata L.

Cited by 225 publications

References 157 publications

Increased inbreeding and strong kinship structure in Taxus baccata estimated from both AFLP and SSR data

Increased inbreeding and strong kinship structure in Taxus baccata estimated from both AFLP and SSR data

Geographic consistency in the seed dispersal patterns of Taxus baccata L. in the Iberian Peninsula

Palynology and Mediterranean vegetation history

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