To learn more about the map elements, please download the "Pan-European strategy for genetic conservation of forest trees"
This distribution map has been developed by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (partly based on the EUFORGEN map) and released under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0)
Caudullo, G., Welk, E., San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., 2017. Chorological maps for the main European woody species. Data in Brief 12, 662-666. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2017.05.007
The following experts have contributed to the development of the EUFORGEN distribution maps:
Fazia Krouchi (Algeria), Hasmik Ghalachyan (Armenia), Thomas Geburek (Austria), Berthold Heinze (Austria), Rudi Litschauer (Austria), Rudolf Litschauer (Austria), Michael Mengl (Austria), Ferdinand Müller (Austria), Franz Starlinger (Austria), Valida Ali-zade (Azerbaijan), Vahid Djalal Hajiyev (Azerbaijan), Karen Cox (Belgium), Bart De Cuyper (Belgium), Olivier Desteucq (Belgium), Patrick Mertens (Belgium), Jos Van Slycken (Belgium), An Vanden Broeck (Belgium), Kristine Vander Mijnsbrugge (Belgium), Dalibor Ballian (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Alexander H. Alexandrov (Bulgaria), Alexander Delkov (Bulgaria), Ivanova Denitsa Pandeva (Bulgaria), Peter Zhelev Stoyanov (Bulgaria), Joso Gracan (Croatia), Marilena Idzojtic (Croatia), Mladen Ivankovic (Croatia), Željka Ivanović (Croatia), Davorin Kajba (Croatia), Hrvoje Marjanovic (Croatia), Sanja Peric (Croatia), Andreas Christou (Cyprus), Xenophon Hadjikyriacou (Cyprus), Václav Buriánek (Czech Republic), Jan Chládek (Czech Republic), Josef Frýdl (Czech Republic), Petr Novotný (Czech Republic), Martin Slovacek (Czech Republic), Zdenek Špišek (Czech Republic), Karel Vancura (Czech Republic), Ulrik Bräuner (Denmark), Bjerne Ditlevsen (Denmark), Jon Kehlet Hansen (Denmark), Jan Svejgaard Jensen (Denmark), Kalev Jðgiste (Estonia), Tiit Maaten (Estonia), Raul Pihu (Estonia), Ülo Tamm (Estonia), Arvo Tullus (Estonia), Aivo Vares (Estonia), Teijo Nikkanen (Finland), Sanna Paanukoski (Finland), Mari Rusanen (Finland), Pekka Vakkari (Finland), Leena Yrjänä (Finland), Daniel Cambon (France), Eric Collin (France), Alexis Ducousso (France), Bruno Fady (France), François Lefèvre (France), Brigitte Musch (France), Sylvie Oddou-Muratorio (France), Luc E. Pâques (France), Julien Saudubray (France), Marc Villar (France), Vlatko Andonovski (FYR Macedonia), Dragi Pop-Stojanov (FYR Macedonia), Merab Machavariani (Georgia), Irina Tvauri (Georgia), Alexander Urushadze (Georgia), Bernd Degen (Germany), Jochen Kleinschmit (Germany), Armin König (Germany), Armin König (Germany), Volker Schneck (Germany), Richard Stephan (Germany), H. H. Kausch-Blecken Von Schmeling (Germany), Georg von Wühlisch (Germany), Iris Wagner (Germany), Heino Wolf (Germany), Paraskevi Alizoti (Greece), Filippos Aravanopoulos (Greece), Andreas Drouzas (Greece), Despina Paitaridou (Greece), Aristotelis C. Papageorgiou (Greece), Kostas Thanos (Greece), Sándor Bordács (Hungary), Csaba Mátyás (Hungary), László Nagy (Hungary), Thröstur Eysteinsson (Iceland), Adalsteinn Sigurgeirsson (Iceland), Halldór Sverrisson (Iceland), John Fennessy (Ireland), Ellen O'Connor (Ireland), Fulvio Ducci (Italy), Silvia Fineschi (Italy), Bartolomeo Schirone (Italy), Marco Cosimo Simeone (Italy), Giovanni Giuseppe Vendramin (Italy), Lorenzo Vietto (Italy), Janis Birgelis (Latvia), Virgilijus Baliuckas (Lithuania), Kestutis Cesnavicius (Lithuania), Darius Danusevicius (Lithuania), Valmantas Kundrotas (Lithuania), Alfas Pliûra (Lithuania), Darius Raudonius (Lithuania), Robert du Fays (Luxembourg), Myriam Heuertz (Luxembourg), Claude Parini (Luxembourg), Fred Trossen (Luxembourg), Frank Wolter (Luxembourg), Joseph Buhagiar (Malta), Eman Calleja (Malta), Ion Palancean (Moldova), Dragos Postolache (Moldova), Gheorghe Postolache (Moldova), Hassan Sbay (Morocco), Tor Myking (Norway), Tore Skrøppa (Norway), Anna Gugala (Poland), Jan Kowalczyk (Poland), Czeslaw Koziol (Poland), Jan Matras (Poland), Zbigniew Sobierajski (Poland), Maria Helena Almeida (Portugal), Filipe Costa e Silva (Portugal), Luís Reis (Portugal), Maria Carolina Varela (Portugal), Ioan Blada (Romania), Alexandru-Lucian Curtu (Romania), Lucian Dinca (Romania), Georgeta Mihai (Romania), Mihai Olaru (Romania), Gheorghe Parnuta (Romania), Natalia Demidova (Russian Federation), Mikhail V. Pridnya (Russian Federation), Andrey Prokazin (Russian Federation), Srdjan Bojovic (Serbia) , Vasilije Isajev (Serbia), Saša Orlovic (Serbia), Rudolf Bruchánik (Slovakia), Roman Longauer (Slovakia), Ladislav Paule (Slovakia), Gregor Bozič (Slovenia), Robert Brus (Slovenia), Katarina Celič (Slovenia), Hojka Kraigher (Slovenia), Andrej Verlič (Slovenia), Marjana Westergren (Slovenia), Ricardo Alía (Spain), Josefa Fernández-López (Spain), Luis Gil Sanchez (Spain), Pablo Gonzalez Goicoechea (Spain), Santiago C. González-Martínez (Spain), Sonia Martin Albertos (Spain), Eduardo Notivol Paino (Spain), María Arantxa Prada (Spain), Alvaro Soto de Viana (Spain), Lennart Ackzell (Sweden), Jonas Bergquist (Sweden), Sanna Black-Samuelsson (Sweden), Jonas Cedergren (Sweden), Gösta Eriksson (Sweden), Markus Bolliger (Switzerland), Felix Gugerli (Switzerland), Rolf Holderegger (Switzerland), Peter Rotach (Switzerland), Marcus Ulber (Switzerland), Sven M.G. de Vries (The Netherlands), Khouja Mohamed Larbi (Tunisia), Murat Alan (Turkey), Gaye Kandemir (Turkey), Gursel Karagöz (Turkey), Zeki Kaya (Turkey), Hasan Özer (Turkey), Hacer Semerci (Turkey), Ferit Toplu (Turkey), Mykola M. Vedmid (Ukraine), Roman T. Volosyanchuk (Ukraine), Stuart A'Hara (United Kingdom), Joan Cottrell (United Kingdom), Colin Edwards (United Kingdom), Michael Frankis (United Kingdom), Jason Hubert (United Kingdom), Karen Russell (United Kingdom), C.J.A. Samuel (United Kingdom).
Status of Taxus baccata conservation in Europe
English yew has a high level of genetic variation, with 94% of genetic variation being within populations (Klumpp and Dhar, 2011). High genetic variation within populations is likely because the species is an obligatory outcrossing species, has a long lifespan and the ability to regenerate, and has high seed dispersal by birds and rodents (Klumpp and Dhar, 2011). However, some populations of English yew show high levels of inbreeding and genetic drift, which is surprising for a long-lived tree that is outcrossing (Myking, Vakkari, and Skrøppa, 2009; Dubreuil et al., 2010).
English yew has significant genetic differentiation between populations at the landscape level, such as in Norway (Myking, Vakkari, and Skrøppa, 2009). High differentiation is expected for yew due to its scattered distribution, although genetic distribution increases with distance between populations and shows clear geographical variation and structuring (Myking, Vakkari, and Skrøppa, 2009; Dubreuil et al., 2010). In Bosnian populations, there appears to be comparatively large genetic differences between populations and high genetic variation in individual populations, which may be due to the presence of glacial refugia (Tröber and Ballian, 2011).
Wind pollination and dispersal of seed far from source trees by birds eating the fleshy fruits contribute to maintaining high gene flow and genetic variation (Myking, Vakkari, and Skrøppa, 2009; Dubreuil et al., 2010). However, this may not be enough to counteract other factors such as the tree’s patchy distribution, variations in topography, and the tree’s tendency to grow in the forest understorey, where low wind velocity hampers pollen dispersal, all of which contribute to the genetic structuring seen in English yew (Myking, Vakkari, and Skrøppa, 2009; Dubreuil et al., 2010). In Norway, high gene flow was associated with populations at high elevations or in the far north of the species; range (Myking, Vakkari, and Skrøppa, 2009).
The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2024.
Populations in Norway at the northern limit of English yew’s range have lower genetic variation than central European populations, showing a central–marginal pattern in the species’ genetic variability (Myking, Vakkari, and Skrøppa, 2009). The authors note that these marginal populations may possess special genetic adaptations, making them a priority for conservation efforts. Despite fragmentation of English yew forests negatively impacting its genetic structure, patterns of isolation by distance suggest that the species’ current genetic structure is the result of a larger and more continuous distribution in the past (Dubreuil et al., 2010).
The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2024.
European populations of English yew have been in decline in many parts of its distribution over the last 4 000 years. This decline is the result of changing climate conditions, heavy grazing by livestock and game limiting natural regeneration, excessive felling, and competition for light from more commercially viable deciduous trees such as beech (Fagus sylvatica) (Myking, Vakkari, and Skrøppa, 2009; Dubreuil et al., 2010). Fragmentation is a threat to the species, especially as it relies on animal dispersal for its seeds (Dubreuil et al., 2010). The large increase in game species such as red deer (Cervus elaphus atlanticus) in Europe has significantly reduced regeneration of English yew in parts of its range (Myking, Vakkari, and Skrøppa, 2009). However, the authors note that the species’ genetic diversity is not under immediate threat because of its long lifespan.
The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2024.
Genetic Characterisation of Taxus baccata and its GCUs
Availability of FRM
FOREMATIS
Conifers Network: Report of the second and third meeting
Conifers Network: Report of the first meeting
Conifers Network: Report of the fourth meeting
Contacts of experts
NA
Further reading
N/A
References
Dubreuil, M., Riba, M., González‐Martínez, S.C., Vendramin, G.G., Sebastiani, F., and Mayol, M. 2010. Genetic effects of chronic habitat fragmentation revisited: strong genetic structure in a temperate tree, Taxus baccata (Taxaceae), with great dispersal capability. American Journal of Botany, 97(2): 303–310.
Myking, T., Vakkari, P., and Skrøppa, T. 2009. Genetic variation in northern marginal Taxus baccata L. populations. Implications for conservation. Forestry, 82(5): 529–539.
Klumpp, R. and Dhar, A. 2011. Genetic variation of Taxus baccata L. populations in the Eastern Alps and its implications for conservation management. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 26(4): 294–304.
Tröber, U. and Ballian, D. 2011. Genetic characterization of English yew (Taxus baccata L.) populations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. European Journal of Forest Research, 130: 479–489.
See details
Designed by Newtvision
