The role of botanic gardens in ex situ conservation of rare ...

The role of botanic
gardens in ex situ
conservation of rare
bryophytes – experiences
from Ireland
D R . N O E L E E N S M Y T H
M S . C H R I S T I N A C A M P B E L L
D R . G E R R Y D O U G L A S
D R . M A T T H E W J E B B

National Botanic Gardens of
Ireland
Established in 1795
to promote a
scientific approach
to the study of
agriculture

1838
Interest in
bryophytes
The Curvlinear
Range
1843 – 1849
Curvilinear
glasshouse Dublin
ironmaster, Richard
Turner

Bryophytes in an Irish context
Ireland - one of the richest
bryofloras in Europe
~50% of European Species
Hornworts & liverworts (239
species)
Moss flora very rich (596
species)
Strong Atlantic element
Important part of Irish
biodiversity
Bryoflora under threat
– 40 Irish extinctions, 23 Critically
endangered, 43 endangered etc..
(Lockhart, Hodgetts & Holyoak Rare and
threathened Bryophytes of Ireland 2012.)
Bryum uliginosum capsules

Herbarium NBG

Botanic Gardens – A new Age

Global and National Strategies

Selection of Species
EU Habitats Directive ANNEX II Species
2 selected
14 moss species
3 selected
4 liverwort species
3 selected

Collecting Material for
Culture
Needed a lot of expert
help and travel to a lot
of places in Ireland

Ex situ conservation

Living Collections –
difficult to Maintain

In vitro culture at Kinsealy Research Station

The spavind media mix
Nutrient Media
Mixes solidified
with 1% Agar
Good results with
Killarney fern
gametophyte so
used this media for
bryophytes
Klekowski.1969. Reproductive biology of the pteridophyta. III. A study of
the Blechnaceae. Bot Journal Linnaean Society 62:361-377.

Bryum uliginosum
Pioneering species
Once thought extinct
3 known populations found in:
Donegal in 2002
Mayo in 2003
Dublin in 2007
‘Endangered’

Fluorescent
illumination
with 16 hours
light and 8
hours
darkness at
20 (± 2) °C.

Bryum uliginosum in culture
4 different media trialled, 8 replicates each, 4 spores/plate
F1= ¼ Murashige & Skoog F3= ¼ M&S + 0.1mg/L cytokinin
F2= ¼ M&S + glucose (1%) F4= ¼ M&S + 0.5mg/L cytokinin
Murashige & Skoog (1962). A revised medium for rapid growth and bioassays with
tobacco tissue cultures. Physiol. Plant 15(3): 473-497.

Mean no of shoots
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Bryum uliginosum in culture
b
c
b
c
F1 F2 F3 F4
Media mix
a a
d d
35 days
70 days
Mean number of shoots (showing standard error bars) per media mix at 35
days and 70 days. Columns marked ‘a’ are statistically significantly greater
than columns marked ‘b’( p

Antheridia
plates with glucose produced significantly more antheridia (male
gametangia) (p

Species ex situ In Ireland
Genus Species Population Type Category
Liverwort Cephaloziella massalongi Ireland (4) T & L Vu
Liverwort Cephaloziella nicholsonii Ireland (6) T & L Vu
Liverwort
- FPO
Liverwort
- FPO
Leiocolea gillmanii Ireland (2) T & L Vu
Leiocolea rutheana
var.
rutheana
Ireland (3) T & L EN
Moss Bryum uliginosum Ireland (3) T,S & L EN
Moss - FPO Catascopium nigritum Ireland (5) T& L NT
Moss Ditrichum cornubicum Ireland (1) T CR
Moss - FPO Hamatocaulis vernicosus Ireland (10) T & L NT
EU Annex II
Moss - FPO Paludella squarrosa Ireland (1) T CR
Rowntree et al. 2010. In vitro conservation of European Bryophytes
In vitro Cell. Dev. Biology

Weaning onto natural
substrate for other
species
Long-term storage:
Cryopreservation
- Collaboration with
Kew Botanic Gardens

So how are we doing ???
Petalophyllum ralfsii still not cultured – difficulty in
cleaning material and contamination BUT grows
very well on its own natural substrate ex situ.
Modified Parker Media keeps infection low and
growth slow.
Media and methods developed could be expanded
to include more of the 252 Irish species in
threatened categories .
So far then we are a long way short of the
target 75 % expected under Target 8 with only
10 species (~4%) but on the road.

NPWS for this funding project
Dr. Neil Lockhart NPWS
Dr. Deirdre Lynn NPWS
Dr. Naomi Kingston NPWS
Identification and collecting
Dr. David Holyoak Consultant
PhD Supervision
Prof. Daniel Kelly Trinity College
Dublin
Advice
Mr. Donal Synnott Retired
Director NBG
Project Advice
Dr. Margaret Ramsay RBG KEW &
Dr. Jennifer Rowntree York
Acknowledgements