Biogeography of UK Cirsium species
This study investigated whether current-day patterns of distribution, productivity and reproduction across a species’ latitudinal range are reflected in the predicted patterns in its population genetic structure.
Four Cirsium (thistle) species were studied throughout their range in the UK. Three of these (Cirsium heterophyllum - melancholy thistle, C. acaule - stemless thistle and C. eriophorum - woolly thistle) reach range limits in the UK and the widespread C. arvense (creeping thistle) occurs throughout the country.
Cirsium eriophorum - wooly thistle
Related publications
Jump AS, Woodward FI (2003). Seed production and population density decline approaching the range-edge of Cirsium species. New Phytologist 160, 349-358.
Jump AS, Woodward FI, Burke T (2003). Cirsium species show disparity in patterns of genetic variation at their range-edge, despite similar patterns of reproduction and isolation. New Phytologist 160, 359-370.
Jump AS (2003). Plant species at the edge of their geographical range: Reproduction, isolation and genetic diversity of range edge populations of Cirsium species in the Peak District. Report to: Peak District National Park Authority (Ecology Service) and English Nature (Peak District and Derbyshire Team).
Jump AS (2003). Plant species in core areas of their geographical range: Reproduction, population density and genetic diversity of Cirsium acaule and C. eriophorum populations on Salisbury Plain. Report to: Defence Estates (Conservation Office, Salisbury Plain).
Jump AS (2002). Geographic patterns in the distribution, productivity and population genetic structure of Cirsium species across their UK geographic range. PhD thesis, University of Sheffield, UK.
Jump AS, Dawson DA, James CM, Woodward FI, Burke T (2002). Isolation of polymorphic microsatellites in the stemless thistle (Cirsium acaule) and their utility in other Cirsium species. Molecular Ecology Notes 2, 589-592.
The most striking patterns were seen in C. acaule and C. heterophyllum. Both species become rarer toward their range-edge (i.e. populations decline in frequency) and both species show poor seed production in range-edge populations. Consequently it was expected that the range-edge populations of both species should be low in genetic variability and be genetically divergent. This was not found to be the case.
Population genetic analysis revealed that only in C. acaule were range-edge populations low in genetic diversity and genetically divergent, a finding that suggests it may be misleading to make assumptions about the genetic diversity of plant populations based only on their present day distribution and reproduction.