ANNALS OF AGRARIAN SCIENCE, vol. 11, no. 2, 2013 ИЗВЕСТИЯ АГРАРНОЙ НАУКИ, Том 11, Ном. 2, 2013
FORESTRY ЛЕСОВОДСТВО
RARE AND OTHER REMARKABLE TREES IN NATURE AND CULTIVATION IN GERMANY
P.A. Schmidt*, R. Tegeler** *German Dendrology Society; http://www.ddghttp://www.ddg web.deweb.de Coswig near Dresden, D 01640, Germany; [email protected] ******Hessen** Hessen State Representation of European Union Overijse near Brussels, B 3090, Belgium; [email protected] Received: 03.03.13; accepted: 07.05;13
According to the Red List of Germany only Acer opalus is classified in the category "Extremely Rare". But, there are several local endemic Sorbus species with a very limited distribution, some only with a single occurrence. They are apomicts originating from hybridization Sorbus aria × Sorbus torminalis (S. latifolia group) or Sorbus aria × Sorbus aucuparia (S. hybrida group). In the Red List they are classified as species for their conservation Germany is particularly responsible. Several of them were incorporated into the IUCN Red List (e.g. as Critical Endangered Sorbus decipiens, S. parumlobata ). In a federal research project 10 species were selected as rare for the investigation of genetic resources . Only two of them ( Quercus pubescens, Taxus baccata ) are classified by the German Red List as threatened. Among the worldwide very rare species that have been included in the IUCN Red List are some only rarely cultivated in botanical gardens and arboreta of Germany (e.g. Abies nebrodensis of Sicily, Picea maximowiczii and P. koyamae of Japan), while others (e.g. the Spanish fir A. pinsapo or the Serbian local endemic Picea omorika ) are popular ornamental trees. The only 1994 in Australia discovered Wollemia nobilis (less than 100 mature trees survived in nature) due to an Australian propagation program as well as international marketing is in culture since 2005, also in Germany. Examples for species which are extinct in the wild, but preserved by cultivation are Franklinia alatamaha (U.S.) and Sophora toromiro (Easter Island), also cultivated in some German botanical gardens and arboreta. S. toromiro survived only in some specimens in a few botanical gardens. After its discovering and propagation in the Botanical Garden Bonn, an attempt is made to re introduce it in its natural habitat on Easter Island. Furthermore the article is dealing with a Champion Tree project of the German Dendrology Society and the Society German Arboretum. In the project a systematic approach was started to register “tree champions”, individuals of native and introduced species and varieties with “thickest” stem (girth). Meanwhile on the project’s website 411 national champions are visible. On European level a so called European Champion Tree Forum was established 2010 in Belgium, to try also an European approach to remarkable trees in Europe.
1. Rare tree species The following article aims to examine both, native tree species with a limited natural distribution in Germany and introduced, in Germany non native tree species that are rare in Europe or worldwide but cultivated in botanical gardens or arboreta in Germany. Furthermore the article is pointing out some hybrid and cultivars of native and / or introduced species, originated in Germany, that are only rarely cultivated. The protection of rare and endangered species represents an essential contribution to promoting conservation of biodiversity. To protect and promote such species require comprehensive knowledge so about their current distribution, the long term development of their populations from a historical perspective, the short term population trends and the risk factors, that arise from their genetic reaction norms and the reasons for threats. The documentation of rare and endangered species of a country or worldwide is carried out in “Red lists” or “Red books”. The new versions of IUCN Red Lists [1] do not provide a category “Rare” any longer. For the classification of the threatened species into the different categories Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (E) and Vulnerable/VU) criteria as „Restricted geographic range“, „Small Population and decline“, and „Very small or restricted population“, are in use. Thus in addition to the criterion “population reduction” data take the rarity in a certain area (extent of occurrence, area of occupancy) into consideration. However, discussion in the literature shows that there are divergent views on how rarity is defined, e. g. when rarity be measured using the three metrics extent of occurrence, area of occupancy and population counts [2]. In Germany, the new classification system of IUCN was not directly adopted but rather modified [3]. So there still exists a category of “Extreme rare” for species, which are extremely rare and respectively very locally occurring and whose localities in the whole are neither in the long term nor in the short term declined. Species of this category are not currently under threat, but are particularly vulnerable against unforeseen hazards. Even with minor disturbances, these species could be at a very high risk or even threatened with extinction (IUCN: E, CR). In the forestry sector other criteria are used to determine a forest tree species as rare; e.g. generally or regional restricted as a percentage of all trees under 1% of the wood covered area [4 ]). In the project of the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food in 2010 2013, called “Collection and documentation of genetic resources of rare and endangered tree species in Germany” [5] was used the scheme of RABINOWITZ [6]. The analysis includes: geographic range (large/small), habitat specificity (broad/ restricted), population size (somewhere large/everywhere small). Rarity may subsequently arise in several ways: restricted geographical distribution, narrow habitat distribution and low local abundance. Beside the requirements of political and legal conditions for the protection of rare species an participating and adaptive management is necessary that comprises in situ conservation (protected areas, sustainable land use) as well as ex situ conservation (conservation by cultivation, gene banks). In this connection the botanical gardens play a prominent role. It starts with the organization of living collections of threatened species, the conservation and propagation culture with the objective of re introduction of individuals into their natural habitat, ranges to research in strategies and management of in situ conservation and the providing of knowledge about rare and endangered species in public relations.
1.1. Examples of natural tree species in Germany, which occur in nature very rarely Unfortunately, the new Red List for plants in Germany hasn’t been published yet. According to the current Red List [7] only one tree species is classified as "extremely rare": Acer opalus . Among the indigenous tree species in Germany it is the rarest one. This rarity is caused by the fact that this Sub Mediterranean species has just one single occurrence in Germany. The northernmost population of Acer opalus , a species that is widespread in southern Europe, ranges from Switzerland to southwestern Germany, here only with a few individuals. Also very rare are several endemic species (or “microspecies”) of two Sorbus species groups or agamospecies ( S. latifolia agg., S. hybrida agg.). These hybridogenous taxa are apomicts originating from S. aria × S. torminalis (S. latifolia group) or S. aria × S. aucuparia (S. hybrida group). They are local endemics of Bavaria and Thuringia with a very limited distribution, sometimes only with a single occurrence. Although they are not classified in the German Red List as "Extremely rare", but as species for their conservation Germany is particularly responsible. After reporting for "The World List of Threatened Trees” by one of the authors (SCHMIDT [8]) several of these Sorbus species were incorporated into the IUCN Red List (CR: S. decipiens, S. parumlobata ; EN: S. multicrenata , VU: S. badensis , S. franconica , S. heilingensis , S. pseudothuringiaca , S. subcordata ). Meanwhile other species have been described from Bavaria [MEYER ]. In the above mentioned research project [5] the following species were selected as rare for the investigation of genetic resources: Taxus baccata, Sorbus domestica and S. torminalis, Pyrus pyraster, Malus sylvestris, Prunus padus, Quercus pubescens, Acer campestre, Alnus incana and A. viridis . Two of them, Quercus pubescens and Taxus baccata , are classified by the German Red List [7 ] as vulnerable (VU). Other tree species of the German Red List (all of category VU) are Abies alba , Populus nigra (both in some states CR, where special programs for their protection were established) and Ulmus minor . The inclusion of species into the Red List in Germany does not automatically provide a certain protection by law, as it is the case in some other countries (e.g. Georgia). Only Taxus baccata is among the mentioned species especially protected.
1.2. Examples for global rare species, which are cultivated in Germany Among the very rare species in Europe at their natural habitats that have been included in the IUCN Red List Abies nebrodensis of Sicily (IUCN: CR; "one of the rarest conifers in the world, with only 29 individuals remaining in the wild in 2006" [9]) and the Spanish fir A. pinsapo (IUCN: VU) shall be mentioned. While A. nebrodensis is rarely found in culture (e.g. specimen from their natural site in the Botanical Garden Berlin Dahlem) A. pinsapo is more often planted in parks and gardens. As a popular ornamental tree Picea omorika , a local endemic of Serbia is much more frequently planted. In contrast, endemic spruces from Japan are rare and only in botanical gardens in cultivation: Picea maximowiczii (IUCN: VU) and P. koyamae (IUCN: E). The only 1994 in Australia (New South Wales) discovered Wollemia nobilis occurs in their natural habitat (Wollemi National Park) only in less than 100 mature trees. Due to an extensive propagation and cultivation program as well as marketing and PR this species can also be finding in culture since 2005 as a “living fossil” [9]. Unfortunately, Wollemia nobilis species are in Germany very frost susceptible, so that in the open ground of botanical gardens cultivated specimens freeze back again and again.
1.3. Examples for species which are extinct in their natural habitat and preserved by cultivation Franklinia alatamaha is the very first woody plant in North America that became extinct in the wild (last seen in its native habitat 1803), but survived in cultivation. This ornamental small tree is also in Germany in some botanical gardens and arboreta in cultivation. Another spectacular example for a species that became extinct in its natural habitat (Easter Island) but survived in culture is Sophora toromiro . It survived only in a few specimens in some botanical gardens in Europe, including Germany (Bonn, Mainz). After its discovering and propagation in the Botanical Garden Bonn, an attempt is made to re introduce it in its natural habitat on Easter Island.
1.4. Examples for hybrids and cultivars of native and/or introduced species originated in Germany A hybrid of two North American oak species ( Quercus palustris × Q. phellos ) originated 1884 in the rich in woody species park of Woerlitz (near Dessau) and was 1892 described as new taxon: Quercus ×schochiana . It is rare in cultivation. But it is very interesting that this hybrid that was first discovered and described in Germany later was also found in the natural range of the parental species in the United States [10]. The list of forms of species taken or occurred in culture, usually arisen from mutations is long and hardly manageable. Two examples of cultivars of tree species originated in German botanical gardens and arboreta are in the Forest Botanical Garden Tharandt, one of an indigenous species, Acer platanoides ‘ Tharandt’ (previously very rare in Germany in cultivation) and another of an introduced species, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Tharandtensis Caesia' (reached a certain importance as an ornamental plant).
2. Documentation of other remarkable trees in a DDG/GDA Champion Tree project Trees or shrubs could also be remarkable due to their presentation, their habits or unique form within the landscape. Not the tree species but the individual tree takes here centre stage. A remarkable individual could be a tree of a certain age, an extraordinary appearance, an unusual girth or a particular height. In a common project of the German Dendrology Society and the Society German Arboretum in 2009 a systematic approach was started to register tree champions in the federal states and on national level. A “champion tree” is defined as the “thickest tree” (because of girth) of a tree species and/or a cultivar in one of the German states; the national champion is the outcome of the comparison between the results of the states. Remarkable native trees are very often protected as natural monuments, but not systematically. On the other hand the oldest and most interesting introduced trees are growing in botanical gardens and public and/or private parks. For the measurement of the girth we take in Germany traditionally the so called breast height, which represents 1,3 m above the soil; in other countries (e.g. UK, Belgium) 1,5 m is used. In addition to the girth we like to receive information about height, crone diameter, age, vitality, and specifics, if there. Further specifications are location, geographic coordinates, access to public, protection status etc. These data are verified by a regional specialist before including in the publicly visible data base. Becoming a champion tree doesn’t result recently in special protection status, unfortunately. Meanwhile on the project’s website 411 national champions are visible [11]. The German National Champion is a tree of a native species, Tilia platyphyllos with a girth of 17,76m; this tree is growing in Heede (Lower Saxony, NW Germany). The national champion amongst non native, but introduced species is a Sequoiadendron giganteum in Calw Hirsau (SW Germany), with a girth of 9,0m [11] . The two above mentioned societies are organizing each year the occasion of the International Arbor Day, the 25 th April each year, somewhere in Germany the inauguration of yearly champion tree takes place. The first "Champion Tree of the Year" was a Ginkgo biloba close to Torgau (Saxony), according to our knowledge of today it is the specimen with the thickest stem (girth of 5,40m) in Germany. The objectives of the two societies to organize these events every year remain to disseminate knowledge about tree species, to raise awareness of the people of the value of old and remarkable trees, to promote biodiversity and also to give space to ornamental, non native trees. On European level a so called European Champion Tree Forum (ECTF) was established 2010 in Wespelaar, Belgium, to try also a European approach to remarkable trees in Europe. It is already yet interesting to compare some species, where possible: this year’s champion tree in Germany is Pinus bungeana in the Botanical Gardens Bonn with a girth of 1,45m and a height of 22m; champion of the same species in Belgium is located in the Botanical Garden Gent with a girth of 0,7m and a height of 7m [12] . If one day the data bases of many different countries are accessible and comparable a big step of mutual understanding and promoting of knowledge would have been achieved.
REFERENCES • IUCN. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012 // http://www.iucnredlist.org, 2013. • Hartley S., Kunin W. Scale Dependency of Rarity, Extinction Risk, and Conservation Priority // Conservation Biology, vol. 17, 2003, pp. 1559 1570. • Ludwig G., Haupt H., Gruttke H., Binot Hafke M. Methodik der Gefährdungsanalyse für Rote Listen // Naturschutz u. Biologische Vielfalt, Bundesamt für Naturschutz, vol. 70, 2009, pp. 23 71. • Weisgerber H., Holzberg H., Janssen A., Walter P. Erhaltung und Erweiterung der Genotypischen Vielfalt bei Seltenen Baumarten: Strategien, Ergebnisse und Perspektiven in Hessen. In Müller Starck, G. (ed.) // Biodiversität und Nachhaltige Forstwirtschaft. Ecomed, Landsberg, 1996, pp. 78 92. • Kaetzel R., Schroeder J. et al. Erfassung und Dokumentation Genetischer Ressourcen Seltener und Gefährdeter Baumarten in Deutschland. http://www.ble.de/DE/03_Forschungsfoerderung/ 04_BiologischeVielfalt/BV Erhebungen/BV_Erhebungen_node.html, 2013. • Rabinowitz D. Seven Forms of Rarity. In Synge, H. (ed.). The biological aspects of rare plant conservation // Wiley, Chichester, UK, 1981, pp. 205 217. • Korneck D., Schnittler M., Vollmer I. Rote Liste der Farn und Blütenpflanzen (Pteridophyta et Spermatophyta) Deutschlands // Schriften Reihe fuer Vegetationskunde, vol. 28, 1996, pp. 21 187. • Schmidt P.A. Sorbus badensis, S. decipiens, S. franconica, S. heilingensis, S. multicrenata, S. parumlobata, S. pseudothuringiaca, S. subcordata . In Oldfield, S. et al. (eds.). The World List of Threatened Trees // World Conservation Press, Cambridge, UK, 1998, pp. 520 522. • Farjon A. A Handbook of the World’s Conifers. 2 vols // Brill, Leiden Boston, 2010, 1111 pp. • Schmidt P.A. Quercus ×schochiana Dieck, Eine in Deutschland Entdeckte und Beschriebene Hybride Zwischen Nordamerikanischen Eichenarten (Q. palustris × Q. phellos ) // Ginkgoblaetter, Kurzmitteilungen der Deutschen Dendrologischen Gesellschaft, vol. 93, 2004, pp. 20 22. • DDG, GDA. Rekordbäume/Champion Trees in Deutschland // http://www.championtrees.de/ 5403879d900fef223/index.html, accessed, March, 2013. • Dendrology Society of Belgium // http://www.dendrologie.be/bdb.php?p=200, accessed March, 2013.
РЕДКИЕ И ДРУГИЕ ЗАМЕЧАТЕЛЬНЫЕ ДЕРЕВЬЯ В ПРИРОДЕ И КУЛЬТИВИРУЕМЫЕ В ГЕРМАНИИ
П.А. Шмидт, Р. Тегелер
По Красному Списку Германии только Acer opalus классифицируется в категории “Крайне редкие”. Есть несколько местных эндемиков видов Sorbus с весьма ограниченным распространением, некоторые только с единичной встречаемостью. Они апомикты и представляют результат гибридизации Sorbus aria × Sorbus torminalis (S. latifolia group) or Sorbus aria × Sorbus aucuparia (S. hybrida group). В Красном Списке они классифицируются как виды для их охраны в Германии с особой ответственностью. Несколько из них были включены в Красный Список IUCN (например, критически подвергаемый опасности Sorbus decipiens, S. parumlobata ). В федеральном исследовательском проекте 10 видов были отобраны как редкие для исследования генетических ресурсов. Только два из них (Quercus pubescens, Taxus baccata ) были классифицированы Красным Списком Германии как угрожающие. Среди международных очень редких видов, которые были включены в Красный Список IUCN, только некоторые редко выращиваются в ботанических садах и дендрариях Германии (e.g. Abies nebrodensis Сицилии, Picea maximowiczii и P. koyamae Японии и др.), в то время как другие (например, испанская пихта A. pinsapo или сербский локальный эндемик Picea omorika ) являются популярными декоративными деревьями. Только в 1994 в Австралии обнаружили новый вид Wollemia nobilis (меньше чем 100 зрелых деревьев) благодаря австралийской программы размножения, так же как международный маркетинг находится в культуре с 2005, также в Германии. Примерами видов, которые являются исчезнувшими в природе, но сохраненные культивированием, являются Franklinia alatamaha (США) и Sophora toromiro (Остров Пасхи), которые также культивируются в некоторых ботанических садах и арборетумах Германии. S. toromiro выжил только отдельными экземплярами в нескольких ботанических садах. После ее обнаружения и размножения в Боннском ботаническом саду, была предпринята попытка реинтродукции ее в естественную среду обитания на Острове Пасхи. Статья имеет дело с проектом „Деревья Чемпионы Германии“ Немецкого дендрологического общества и Общества германских арборетумов. В проекте систематическим подходом была начата регистрация “Деревьев чемпионов” как природных, так и интродуцированных видов и разновидностей деревьев с наибольшим обхватом ствола ("самый толстый"). Тем временем на веб сайте проекта было зафиксировано 411 национальных чемпионов. На Европейском уровне, так называемом европейский Форум “Деревья Чемпионы” был проведен в 2010 году в Бельгии.