FossilPlants: Floating water plantain Project Luronium natans (L.) Raf.

About FossilPlants is a small, private, botanic garden and conservation research nursery, based in Llanberis, North Wales and Bangor, North Wales, owned and managed by Robert Blackhall-Miles and Ben Ram. Its main aim is that of conservation, education and to promote the study of evolution, paleobotany, and plant sciences for all. FossilPlants is an institutional member of BGCI (Botanic Gardens Conservation International).

Background Luronium natans is a species of commonly known as the floating water-plantain. It is the only recognized species in the genus Luronium, endemic to western and central Europe. L. natans is native to the UK and is protected by UK and European law under Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive, Appendix I of the Bern Convention, Schedule 4 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc.) Regulations 1994, and Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. It is also listed as UK priority BAP species and the current distribution is restricted to less than 100 hectads in the UK and therefore it is classed as nationally scarce (Lockon 2014). The main stronghold for the species is in the oligotrophic lakes of central Wales and Cumbria, as well as some canals in Wales and Shropshire (Preston et al. 2002). Due to its, often, deep-water habit, L. natans is easily overlooked and although this may have resulted in it being under-recorded in some locations, there is also evidence of it having been lost from some lowland sites in recent years (Preston & Croft 1997)(extracted from Goldsmith et al. 2014). Floating water-plantain L. natans occurs in a range of freshwater situations, including nutrient-poor lakes in the uplands (mainly referable to 3130 Oligotrophic to mesotrophic standing waters with vegetation of the Littorelletea uniflorae and/or of the Isoëto-Nanojuncetea) and slowly-flowing lowland water bodies. L. natans occurs as two forms: in shallow water with floating oval , and in deep water with submerged rosettes of narrow leaves. The plant thrives best in open situations with a moderate degree of disturbance, where the growth of emergent vegetation is held in check. Populations fluctuate greatly in size, often increasing when water levels drop to expose the bottom of the water body. Populations fluctuate from year to year, and at many sites records of L. natans have been infrequent, suggesting that only small populations occur, in some cases possibly as transitory colonists of the habitat. Populations tend to be more stable at natural sites than artificial ones, but approximately half of recent (post-1980) records are from canals and similar artificial habitats. Its habitat in rivers has been greatly reduced by channel-straightening, dredging and pollution, especially in lowland situations. (JNCC 2005) The ‘core’ natural habitat is considered to be lakes in Snowdonia and in mid-Wales, where L. natans has a very long and consistent history of occurrence. Snowdonia in North Wales is an example of a montane lake habitat supporting floating water-plantain Luronium natans. Records date back to the 18th century, indicating that habitat conditions are particularly favourable for this species. Luronium is held ex-situ in 9 institutions worldwide with four being: Chester Zoo, Ness Botanic Garden, The Millenium Seed Bank and Genebank Bayern Arche. Details of the other institutions are not known. (BGCI PlantSearch 2018, Plant Network 2008). The Royal Botanic Garden, Kew’s Millenium Seed Bank holds 481 seeds (just under the minimum threshold of 500 set by the Millenium Seed Bank Partnership) that have not yet been tested for viability in germination trials (Millenium Seed Bank Partnership, 2018). Luronium in Llyn Padarn In Llyn Padarn, L. natans was first recorded in 1848 (Kay et al. 1999), and more recently is known to have been relatively common with records from at least 4 distinct locations reported by Andy Jones in 1997. Survey data since 1997 was less complete until the most recent complete site survey commissioned by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and undertaken by Ensis Ltd. (Environmental Change Research Centre University College London Pearson Building, Gower St. London, WC1E 6BT) ‘Floating Water Plantain Luronium natans (L) Raf.: Current distribution and status in Llyn Padarn and Llyn Cwellyn, Wales’ (Goldsmith et al. 2014). Llyn Padarn is a glacially formed lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd, north Wales, and is an example of a moraine dammed lake. The lake is approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) long (about 240 acres) and at its deepest point is 94 feet (29 m) deep; it is one of the largest natural lakes in Wales. Llyn Padarn was Wales’s first designated freshwater bathing lake and is used extensively for fresh water recreational activities (NRW 2014). Goldsmith et al’s (2014) survey showed that Luronium is still found in four distinct populations within Llyn Padarn: Population 1 - the largest population, at the South East shore of the lake Population 2 – a small, degraded population on the west shore of the lake Population 3 – separated from pop. 2 by a peninsula and in the vicinity of (and directly below) the floating pontoon used by kayakers and recreational users of the lake. Population 4 – a degraded population on the west of the lake at the northern most end of the area known as ‘the lagoons’ by recreational lake users. All four populations are found in areas used regularly for recreational activities such as swimming, kayaking and stand up paddle boarding. Project details This project aims to bring into cultivation several individuals of the Llyn Padarn ecotype of this species for both educational and conservation purposes. The will form part of the botanical collection at FossilPlants. The people of Llanberis, on the western shore of Llyn Padarn, and recreational users of the llyn, maybe aware of the scientific importance of the lake, through information in the mainstream media and initiatives such as ‘Loving Our Lake’ http://www.loving-our-lake.org/ , and the lakes flagship species; Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) and algal blooms that have occurred in the lake waters historically. They are, however, little aware of the presence of Luronium in the lake and Snowdonia’s global importance for this species (Blackhall-Miles, Pers. obs.). Engagement and interaction have been proven to foster a greater sense of caring towards the natural environment and individual species within it (Masucci 2017). Due to its aquatic nature, as with the Arctic Char, Luronium is not an easy species to physically show people in its natural environment. However, other members of its family, , are easily grown as a garden pond plants and Floating Water plantain has proven to be no different (Philip Esseen, Chester Zoo, Pers. Coms.). Thus, the species has potential to make a good subject to facilitate engagement and foster awareness of the Llyn Padarn SSSI and the environmental importance of Snowdonia’s upland lakes. FossilPlants aims to facilitate engagement with this species, by the local community and lake users, through cultivation of Luronium and the creation of a number of educational activities and resources surrounding it. The plants will also be utilised in education on the ecology of North Wales with visiting students and scientists, from institutions across Britain and Europe. FossilPlants also aims to produce a cultivation protocol for the species; as per the guidelines of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission Guidelines on the Use of Ex situ Management for Species Conservation. This protocol would provide background information that could inform potential future restoration or translocation initiatives. Collection method statement Summer high winds and storms (particularly North Westerly winds) occasionally affect populations of Luronium within Llyn Padarn with the outcome of multiple plants being uprooted and found along the South Eastern shoreline or floating at the water surface (Blackhall-Miles Pers. Obs.). Initially focus for collection would be on these naturally uprooted plants and would be carried out under an NRW Protected Species Licence. In the instance of a suitable weather system causing the uprooting of plants of Luronium daily walks along the shoreline would be made to collect enough material. Data collection (size, root mass, damage to plant) will be carried out for each individual plant sample taken and a GPS location will be noted (although for this collection type GPS data would not link plants to an individual population within the lake). 5> to a maximum of 20 plants will be collected to provide a sufficient sample of material for cultivation. A voucher specimen would also be collected and stored for future verification purposes. This form of collection is dependent on the weather during the collection period. Snorkel collection would be used in the event of insufficient disturbed plant material being available on the Llyn Padarn shoreline. Plants would be collected from Llyn Padarn SSSI, Grid ref. SH5820760269, using 5 mm wetsuit, inclusive of 3 mm hood and gloves as required and be carried out under an NRW Protected Species Licence. When in the water, the diver (Robert Blackhall-Miles) will always be attached to dive-line fixed to a surface marker buoy. The diver will be supported in the water by a dive partner on a semi-rigid inflatable stand up paddle board. All dives would be expected to be less than 5 m in depth and be more like <1m in depth. Data collection will be carried out for each individual plant sample taken and GPS location, Water depth, water temperature and underwater photographs will be collected at the time of collection. 5> to a maximum of 20 plants will be collected to provide a sufficient sample of material for cultivation. A voucher specimen would also be collected and stored for future verification purposes. Plants would then be transferred to and cultivated at both ‘FossilPlants’ 10 Goodman Street, Llanberis, Gwynedd, LL55 4HL and ‘FossilPlants’ Conservation Research Nursery, Treborth, Bangor, LL57 2NX where its ex situ management would be observed, documented and subsequently published to aid future ex-situ management and potential restoration initiatives. References BGCI PlantSearch database. https://www.bgci.org/plant_search.php , accessed July 2018.

Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, The Convention on Biological Diversity, 2010. https://www.bgci.org/policy/gspc/

Goldsmith, B., Shilland, E., Shilland, J. and Turner, S. (2014) Floating Water Plantain Luronium natans (L) Raf.: Current distribution and status in Llyn Padarn and Llyn Cwellyn, Wales. ECRC Research Report Number 161, Ensis Ltd. Environmental Change Research Centre University College London Pearson Building, Gower St. London, WC1E 6BT

IUCN Species Survival Commission Guidelines on the Use of Ex situ Management for Species Conservation Version 2.0, IUCN Species Survival Commission, 2014.

Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) (2005) Common Standards Monitoring Guidance for Freshwater Habitats and Species (Standing Water), 1st version. ISSN 1743-8160(Online). Available online at http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-2232

Kay, Q.O.N., John, R.F. & Jones, R.A. (1999). Biology, genetic variation and conservation of Luronium natans (L ) Raf. in Britain and Ireland. Watsonia, 22: 301– 315

Lockton, A.J. (2014). Species account: Luronium natans. Botanical Society of the British Isles, www.bsbi.org.uk. Accessed November 2014

Millennium Seed Bank Partnership, http://brahmsonline.kew.org/msbp, accessed July 2018.

Masucci, M. (2017) A Cure for Nature Deficit Disorder. URL https://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/idaho/blog/a-cure-for- nature-deficit-disorder.xml

Natural Resources Wales (2014) Mid-season results show excellent water quality for Wales’s first designated bathing lake Natural Resources Wales Press Release

PlantNetwork, Target 8 Species accounts (2008) available at https://plantnetwork.org/target8- species/luronium-natans/

Preston, C.D. & Croft, J.M. (1997) Aquatic Plants in Britain and Ireland. Harley Books, Colchester.

Preston, C. D., Pearman, D.A. and Dines, T. D. (2002) New Atlas of the British and Irish Flora: An Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Britain, Ireland, The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. OUP, Oxford.