Abstract
Koenigia islandica (Iceland purslane) is an annual arctic-subarctic species that is found in only two locations in the UK. On the Isle of Mull, Argyll, Scotland, it grows at the southerly limit of its W.European distribution. The habitat requirements of Koenigia are specialised. It is predicted that an annual species at the limit of its geographical range is potentially sensitive to climatic change. The abundance of the plant has been monitored annually since 1994 and fluctuations in population levels have been compared with meteorological data over the same period. Preliminary results indicate that Koenigia populations are sensitive to temperature and rainfall during the growing season. Analysis of trends in the Scottish climate suggests an increased frequency of higher air temperatures in the spring and a decrease in summer precipitation. The implications of this for Koenigia are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Burtt B.L., Koenigia islandica in Britain, Kew Bulletin (1950) 173.
Cannell M.G.R., D. Fowler, and C.E.R. Pitcairn, Climate change and pollutant impacts on Scottish vegetation, Botanical Journal of Scotland 49 (2) (1997) 301–313.
Godwin H., The History of the British Flora, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1997
Grabherr G., M. Gottfried and H. Pauli, Climate effects on mountain plants, Nature 369 (1994)448
Harrison S.L., Changes in the Scottish climate, Botanical Journal of Scotland 49 (2) (1997) 287–300.
Hultén E., The Circumpolar Plants II Dicotyledons, Almquist and Wiskell, Stockholm, 1994, p64.
Huntley B., How plants respond to climate change: migration rates, individualism and the consequences for plant communities, Annals of Botany 67 (1991) 15–22.
Jermy A.C. and J.A. Crabbe (Eds) The Island of Mull — a survey of its flora and environment, The Natural History Museum, London, 1978.
Lusby P. and J. Wright, Scottish Wild Plants, The Stationery Office, Edinburgh, 1996.
Lusby P., Scottish Rare Plant Project, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, pers comm.
Meatyard B.T., In M. Price (Ed) Global Change in the Mountains, Parthenon, New York and London, 1999.
Pauli H., M. Gottfried and G. Grabherr, Effects of climate change on mountain ecosystems - upward shifting of alpine plants. World Resource Review 8 (1996) 382–390.
Ratcliffe D.. Koenigia islandica in Mull, Trans. Proc. bot. soc. Edinb. 39 (1960) 115–116
Rodwell J.S. (Ed) British Plant Communities, Vol. 2, Mires and Heaths, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1991, pp 329–330.
Sætersdal M. and H.J.B. Birks, A comparative ecological study of Norwegian mountain plants in relation to possible future climatic change, Journal of Biogeography 24 (1997) 127–152.
Stace C.A., New Flora of the British Isles, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1997
Wigginton M.J., British Red Data Book I, Vascular Plants, JNCC, Peterborough, 1999.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Meatyard, B. (2001). Koenigia Islandica (Iceland Purslane) — A Case Study of a Potential Indicator of Climate Change in the UK. In: Visconti, G., Beniston, M., Iannorelli, E.D., Barba, D. (eds) Global Change and Protected Areas. Advances in Global Change Research, vol 9. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48051-4_20
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48051-4_20
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-90-481-5686-3
Online ISBN: 978-0-306-48051-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive