To combat the threats posed by habitat loss, genetic impoverishment and potentially, climate change, the Small cow-wheat National Steering Group has set up a recovery project (coordinated by Forest Research) with the aim of decreasing the chances of extinction of small cow-wheat in UK by moving seed from natural populations to new sites.
We aim to:
- Increase the number of small cow-wheat individuals and populations in UK
- Reinstate populations to continuous habitat networks
- Increase the genetic diversity of the species.
The replacement sites were selected according to the habitat definition generated by surveys undertaken as part of a PhD, and are situated in the Highland Region and Perthshire, once key areas for this species.
The seeds were collected from populations at the Birks of Aberfeldy, Loch Ossian (Corrour Estate) and Glen Affric and mixed in equal parts to promote genetic crossing of material from across the species’ Scottish range. Extra seeds from donor plants have been sown in the Forest Research nurseries to grow more seed for future work without sampling donor populations again.
Leaf tissue samples were also taken from donor plants and will be genetically analysed.
The new populations have been set out and marked so that demographic and genetic monitoring programmes can be undertaken and the success of the project can be assessed. If successful, we will have five self-sustaining, genetically diverse populations within a protected habitat network; the species will be better equipped to cope with potential threats and have a much improved chance of survival.
