Regional vegetation change and implications for local conservation : An example from West Cornwall (United Kingdom)

Abstract

This study tracks local vegetation change in West Cornwall (South West England) within regional context, using historic herbarium (pre-1900) and recent vegetation records (post-1900). The focus centres on species lost from the region over the past century. For this study we used a collection of herbarium records published in 1909 (Davey’s “Flora of Cornwall”) and contemporary records from the “New Atlas of British and Irish Flora” downloaded from the National Biodiversity Network (NBN), online database. Both data sets were spatially analysed using ArcGIS in order to detect local scale species loss. Our results showed that species loss was highest in the south (11 plant species), compared to the loss from middle areas (6 plant species) and in the northern area (8 plant species) of West Cornwall. Results on species change at the local scale were different to the changes that are happening at the national scale. Loss from West Cornwall was detected for two plant species, Mountain Melick (Melica nutans) and Field Eryngo (Eryngium campestare). These key results amplify the importance of local scale research and conservation in order to protect ecosystems functioning, genetic diversity, ecosystem services and regional identity.