Biogeographical patterns in the British and Irish flora

Preston, C.D.; Hill, M.O.; Harrower, C.A.; Dines, T.D.. 2013 Biogeographical patterns in the British and Irish flora. New Journal of Botany, 3 (2). 96-116. https://doi.org/10.1179/2042349713Y.0000000024

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/2042349713Y.0000000024

Abstract/Summary

The hectad (10 × 10 km square) distributions of the 1405 native British and Irish vascular plants were classified by the SPHERIKM cluster analysis program into 20 clusters, each of which is characterised by the key species used to initiate the cluster. The clusters reflect the influence of climate, altitude, geology and habitat on distribution patterns at this scale. Clusters with restricted distributions have high concentrations of threatened species, particularly the Medicago sativa cluster, centred on Breckland (55% of the species are threatened in Britain, although only 29% are regarded as priorities for conservation), and the Carex atrata cluster of montane species (45% threatened, and 49% conservation priority species). Some clusters are composed predominantly of species with similar European distributions whereas others are much more phytogeographically heterogeneous. A comparison with a similar analysis of the distribution of British and Irish mosses and liverworts reveals many similarities, especially between the vascular plants and the mosses, although there are many more common vascular plants than bryophytes and many more coastal species.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1179/2042349713Y.0000000024
Programmes:	CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Biodiversity > BD Topic 1 - Observations, Patterns, and Predictions for Biodiversity
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	UKCEH Fellows Pywell
ISSN:	2042-3489
Additional Keywords:	climate, cluster analysis, coast, geology, phytogeography, SPHERIKM, threat
NORA Subject Terms:	Botany
Date made live:	02 Oct 2013 11:30 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/503268

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1179/2042349713Y.0000000024

Programmes:

CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Biodiversity > BD Topic 1 - Observations, Patterns, and Predictions for Biodiversity

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

UKCEH Fellows
Pywell

ISSN:

2042-3489

Additional Keywords:

climate, cluster analysis, coast, geology, phytogeography, SPHERIKM, threat