Trip report Outer Hebrides

(North Uist, Berneray, Benbecula, South Uist)

27th June-7th July 2018

Figure 1 The beginning of canal (An lige Mor) from Loch Ollay to Loch Ceann a'Bhaigh, South Uist.

January 2021

Ron Mes, John Bruinsma

Koninklijke Natuurhistorische Vereniging, Royal Dutch Natural History Society, Moeraswerkgroep, Moor working group Contact: [email protected] Introduction A small group of naturalists of the Moor working group of the Royal Dutch Natural History Society visited the Outer Hebrides (North Uist, Berneray, Benbecula, South Uist) from the 27th June to 7th July 2018. We focused our trip on waterplants and stonewort’s (charophytes). We stayed at Nunton house – Benbecula, a perfect place for a small group, in the centre of the study area. Our trip was prepared in 2017 with the help of Paul Smith, VCRecorder Outer Hebrides of the BSBI and in 2018 by Chris and Christine Johnson of the OHBR Outer Hebrides Biological Recording. During our trips in the field by car and walking we were joined by Simon Davis, Chris and Christine. Their help was a great opportunity for us in discovering these beautiful islands and people. We thank them very much for the information, the binocular-microscope, their hospitality and nice company in the field.

2018 was an extremely dry summer on the continent but also at the Outer Hebrides, so our working conditions were excellent. But … the mires and bogs were very dry. Access was rather easy.

Figure 2 Nunton house, Benbecula Participants KNNV Moeraswerkgroep (Mire-working group) Betty Van Leeuwen Emma van den Dool Ellen Pont * John Bruinsma Koos Meesters Ron Mes * (Simon Davis, OHBR) (* organising committee)

Figure 3 At Baleshare

Figure 4 Valella spec.(Bezaantje) at the shores of Balivaghan and Baleshare.

Figure 5 John Bruinsma meets Simon Davies at the machair.

Figure 6 Christine and Chris Johnson Determination issues (Chara cf. intermedia; Chara cf. horrida) The field determination of both Chara cf. horrida and Chara cf. intermedia (papillosa) were hesitatingly. Both species are part of a species-complex in which the separation of species is unclear. Hopefully, genetic analysis would give extra arguments for the determination. Fortunately, Petra Novak, of university of Rostock, Germany was able to add our specimens to her research. In appendix 5 Petra Novak explains her findings.

Our conclusions are: Chara cf. horrida → most likely Chara hispida (Loch Brushda, Berneray). In this lake are two populations of C. hispida, one of which has much more spine cells and more intricate stipulodes than the other one has. Chara cf. intermedia (papillosa)→ Chara contraria (Loch Nureivil, Balnarald, North Uist). The width of the main axes of these plants is in the upper part of the range of this species.

Table 1 Schedule of fieldtrips 2018.

28-6-2018 North Uist Baleshare

29-6-2018 South Uist Loch Grogarry; Loch Stilligary

30-6-2018 South Uist Loch an Eilein; river Howmore; Loch Ollay → canal An lige Mor → Loch ceann a’Bhaigh 1-7-2018 Benbecula Nunton house; shore Balivaghan (seeweeds) 2-7-2018 South Uist From Cille Phaedair → Loch Hallan

3-7-2019 North Uist Loch Oban a Clachain, Loch fairy tale, Loch an Duin,

3-7-2018 Berneray Loch Bruisda

4-7-2018 North Uist Loch Scairy, Loch nan Feichnean, Loch a’Rhoe, Loch an Reivil

5-7-2018 Benbecula Nunton house, Loch na hÁirde faide, Loch na Liana Moire

Species lists In Appendix 1 we present: • waterplants (incl. Characeae). At each location we tried to make lists as complete as possible • flora of drier circumstances • birds • butterflies, damselflies and dragonflies • miscellaneous fauna The maps below show the locations at which these lists were made.

Appendix 2 contains incidental observations of remarkable plant species (Carex diandra, Oenanthe lachenalli, Isoetes, Utricularia stygia. etc.).

Appendix 3 contains desmids One participant Koos (J.) Meesters was especially interested in desmids (Desmidiaceae). Chris Johnson (OHBR) publishes on desmids in http://www.outerhebridesalgae.uk/desmids.php .

Appendix 4 contains the records of charophytes in 2017 and 2018 by Ron Mes.

Appendix 5 contains communication John Bruinsma - Petra Novak on Chara cf. horrida and Chara cf. intermedia (edited).

Figure 7 Overview of locations with a species-list North Uist and Berneray. Numbers refer to the locationnumbers in the MS Excel-file (see Appendices).

Figure 8 Overview of locations with a species-list Benbecula, mainly behind our residence Nunton house. Numbers refer to the location numbers in de MS Excel-file (see Appendices).

Figure 9 Overview of locations with a species-list at South Uist. Numbers refer to the location numbers in the MS Excel-file (see Appendices).

Appendix 1 (separate attachment). MS Excel-file with waterplants (including charophytes) and other species groups MS Excel-file 2018 Outer Hebrides Locations&species.xlsx

Appendix 2 (separate attachment). MS Excel-file with incidental observations (inter alia Carex diandra, Oenanthe lachenalli). MS Excel-file 2018_OuterHebrides special species Emma.xlsx

Appendix 3 (separate attachments). Desmids (Koos Meesters) MS Excel-file OH-Specieslist_Desmids 2018-10-15.xlsx MS Excel-file OH-Specieslist_Desmids 2018-10-15-Locations.xlsx KML-file Outer Hebrides Desmids 2018 locations.KML

Appendix 4 Characeae Outer Hebrides Ron Mes 2017 2018 MS Excel-file “Characeae Outer Hebrides Ron Mes 2017 2018.xlsx”.

Appendix 5 Communication John Bruinsma - Petra Novak on Chara cf. horrida and Chara cf. intermedia (edited).

Petra Novak: „Also: ich habe von beiden Proben Sequenzierungen von matK und rbcL, und auch von der 18S angesetzt. Davon hat matK ganz gut funktioniert. rbcL nur von einer Probe. Und die 18S habe ich auch nur in Teilen sequenzieren können. Alles in allem konnte ich aber die Fragen der Zuordnung so weit klären, wie mit der Genetik bisher möglich ist.

Chara cf. horrida → Chara hispida-group (hispida / intermedia / subspinosa) Die Probe, die von dir als C. horrida bestimmt war (Loch Nureivil, Balnarald, N- Uist, GB; 57.61252, -7.51293) heißt bei mir GB-JB18/08. Im matK-Stammbaum (Anhang) clustert die eindeutig zusammen mit anderen Arten der Hartmania- Gruppe. Da rbcL nicht funktioniert hat, kann ich das damit nicht absichern. Die 18S-Sequenz mache ich i.d.R. bei der Hartmania-Gruppe, weil das bisher das einzige Gen war, deren Unterschiede mit der Ökologie in Verbracht werden konnten. Bei matK gibt es zwar kleine Unterschiede, die scheinen aber in keinerlei Bezug zur Morphologie oder etwas anderem zu stehen. Die Ergebnisse der 18S von GB-JB18/08 deuten eher darauf hin, dass die Probe mit den Süßwasserarten näher verwandt ist. Deine Chara zeigt den grünen Haplotyp (fig. 3 in Novak, P. & H. Schubert 2019). Allerding muß ich dazu sagen, dass ich die C. horrida aus diesem paper "nur" aus Schweden und von Hiddensee habe.

Chara cf. intermedia → Chara contraria Die zweite Probe von dir, die du als C. intermedia bestimmt hast (Loch Bhrusda, Berneray, N-Uist, GB; NF 91.8 / 82.7) heißt bei mir GB-JB18/09 und clustert im matK-Stammbaum zusammen mit C. contraria/filiformis. Dieses Ergebnis konnte ich mit rbcL und auch mit der 18S bestätigen. Ist also keine Chara intermedia sondern eher eine Chara contraria.“

Dr. Petra Nowak (Universität Rostock, Institut für Biowissenschaften, Aquatische Ökologie, 18059 Rostock)

Petra Novak and Hendrik Schuibert 2019 Genetic variabiliy of charophyte algae in the Baltic sea area. Botanica marina 2019; 62(1):75-82. https://doi.org/10.1515/bot-2018-0021