Botanical exploration in the Canadian Arctic

Lynn Gillespie

Eastern Arctic

Soper River valley, Baffin Island

Western Arctic

Victoria Island

High Arctic

Expedition Fiord, Axel Heiberg Island

Canadian Arctic • > 2 million km2

• Arctic Islands 1.42 million km2

Botanical exploration in the Canadian Arctic

outline

1. Arctic flora 2. Research3. Fieldwork

Arctic bioclimatic zones(vegetation zones)

# plant species

102 220507980

2180

DiversityDensityHeight

Based on mean July

temperature

S

N

Total 2218

Subzone EArctic shrub tundra zone

• Densely vegetated• Erect shrubs (willow and birch)

Saarela

Subzone CMiddle arctic tundra zone

• well vegetated, but interrupted by frost features

• Prostrate to dwarf shrubs• Sedges and Fabaceae on non-acid

sites, Cassiope on acid sites

Dryas integrifolia hummock tundraMountain heatherCassiope tetragona

Subzone AArctic polar desert zone

above the shrub line!

• shrubs absent • often with <5% cover of

vascular plants• vascular-plant flora extremely

depauperate, ca. 50-60 species

lichens, bryophytes, cyanobacteria, and scattered forbs (Papaver, Draba, Saxifraga and Stellaria)

Arctic21 floristic provinces

BERINGIAN

CANADIAN

W SIBERIAN

NORTH ATLANTIC

EUR RUSSIA & E SIBERIAN

Ellesmere – N Greenland199 species (9%)

W Alaska825 species (37%)

N Alaska732 species (33%)

Hudson-Labrador 769 species (35%)

Central Canada640 species (29%)

BERINGIAN CANADIAN

North American ArcticFloristic provinces

Arctic flora

• Low diversity: 91 families, 420 genera, 2218 species

• Low species diversity / family8 families account for >50% spp. diversity

• Low species diversity / genus

• Young flora with distinct phytogeography

• Intact native floralittle influence by aliens

• Many circumarctic species

• High levels of polyploidy

Arctic Biodiversity Assessment – PlantsDaniels, Gillespie & Poulin 2013

Checklist of the Panarctic Flora - Vascular PlantsElven et al. 2010

Bull Saarela

Arctic floraSpecies rich genera

Artemisia borealis

Carex 152 speciesRanunculus 40

Salix 72

Oxytropis 58

Potentilla 50

Draba 41

Papaver 39

Saxifraga 35 Artemisia 33

Poa 36

Bull

• 106 species endemic to the arctic

• 5% endemism

• 5 families account for 70% endemics: Poaceae, Papaveraceae, Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Asteraceae

Arctic floraEndemic species

Symphiotrichum pygmaeumPygmy aster

Mertensia drummondiiDrummond’s bluebells

• No woody plants

• 39 spp. Beringian, 23 spp. Circumarctic

Parrya nauruaq

Natural Heritage Building, Gatineau, Quebec

Victoria Memorial Museum Building, Ottawa, Ontario

CMN Arctic Botany Team

Jennifer Doubt Roger Bull Paul Sokoloff Jeff Saarela

Laurie Consaul1960-2012

1. floristicsArctic Flora of Canada and Alaska

2. molecular systematic studies3. barcoding

Botanical exploration in the Canadian ArcticResearch

A.E. Porsild –1955, 1957, 1980 (Porsild & Cody)

Major publications in North American Arctic botany

Flora of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago

Interactive CD identification guide

“. . .this flora of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago will provide a basis for much more research on arctic plants in Canada in the coming years. There are many potentially very interesting areas that have never been botanised. In these sites, certainly new records, as well as interesting new species to the Arctic Archipelago, are waiting to be discovered.”

Aiken et al. 2007

Available at nature.ca

http://arcticplants.myspecies.info/

Anthoxanthum monticolaHelictotrichon convolutumHelictotrichon sempervirensAgrostis mertensii

Sesleria caeruleaCatabrosa aquaticaPuccinellia stricta P14544Puccinellia glaucescens S7152Puccinellia poacea 5744Phippsia algida 6253Milium vernale S3770Phleum pratenseBeckmannia syzigachne S3513Alopecurus borealis 6576Bellardiochloa variegata USDADupontia fisheri 6589Dupontia fisheri 6699Arctophila fulva A99230 TFArctagrostis latifolia 6586Festucella eriopoda J9128 TFHookerochloa hookeriana J9127Hookerochloa hookeriana2 J9127P andina S7182P subenervis S7334P pungionifolia S7336P chonotica S7309P robusta S7358P marcida S5974P tibetica S5481P eminens S6022P saltuensis 7043 TFP wolfii S5800P autumnalis S4680P sylvatica S4678P alsodes 6467P kellogii S5962P bulbosa C132000P badensis Stone2004 12 tfP alpina 6299P molinerii SH13P alpina 6749P flabellata W4NCDP supina S5950P annua 6284P annua S7456 TFP infirma C32000 TFP vereszaginii OL03 34Eremopoa songarica narrow S416Eremopoa songarica large S4165P bulbosa introgressed S5958P media SH17P media Stone04 11 TFP stenantha S6068P secunda juncifolia S5809P hartzii 6623P secunda secunda S5812P ammophila 5851P curtifolia S6347P cenisia SH19P cenisia Stone04 5 TFP trivialis S4681 1 TFP crassicaulis CFP papuana CFP languidor cfP abbreviata 5957P lettermanii S7434 TFP leptocoma S6040P leptocoma S6100P fernaldiana 7015P pseudoabbreviata S6032P flexuosa B 2000 3P palustris 6461P margilicola DBP nemoralis Stone04 18P compressa 6457P hartzii 5725P laxa Sch9040 1P pannonica SH11 TFP interior S6136P glauca 5963P riphaea MK1P faberi S7454 TFP reverdattoi OLO03 29P altaica OL03 25 TFP attenuata OL03 16 TFP dahurica OL03 55 TFP remota StonePB3A TFP sibirica olo1P sandwicensis PW17690 TFP stiriaca PS10P ircutica K7P pratensis alpigena 5801P macrocalyx S6059P mariae Olo7P malacantha OL03 85 TFP arctica 5701P pratensis pratensis 6291P pratensis pratensis 6310P pratensis irrigata S6044 tfP pratensis angustifolia CsnAnthochloa lepidula P15604Austrofestuca pubinervis P1451P porphyrroclados P14476 TFP drummondiana P14504P fawcettiae S5919P labillardieri S5921P sieberiana J8482 tfP poiformis S5911 tfP cockaynaiana KML1234 TFP hesperia KML2134 TFP colensoi KML1524 FP astonii KML24404 TFP sikkimensis S5676 tfP cusickii S5829P nervosa S5849P wheelerii S5825P macrantha S5861P fendleriana 6292P porsildii S6147P nepalensis S7455 TFP acroleuca S7453 TFP subvestita KML2134 TFP mathewsii KML24 4 4 TFDissanthelium peruvianum P1574P androgyna P15707 tfP inconspicua CFP laetevirens P15641P atropidiformis S7364P howellii S5964P chaixii S4677P paucispicula S6169P paucispicula S6033P acinaciphila S7169P arachnifera S5801P stuckerii S7132P holciformis S7166P scaberula P15575P kurtzii P15654P lilloi P15676P gymnantha P15656 tf

Strict

P gymnantha P15730 tf

Dactylis hispanica S3682Deschampsia brevifolia 6810Festuca baffinensisFestuca sp J9126 tf

PoacpDNA

Helictotrichton sempervirens SAnthoxanthum monticolum 6859 IAF498395Agrostis capillarisL36510Briza minorAF478480Festuca hystrixAF478499Ctenopsis delicatulaAF478485Vulpia bromoidesAF532960Helleria fragilisAF532956Festuca californicaAF478492Vulpia unilateralisAF393013Dactylis glomerataL36512Dactylis glomerataAF532940Catapodium rigidumAF532951Schedonorus arundinaceAF532947Lolium rigidumAF521900Deschampsia antarcticaAJ867446 Colpodium versicolorAJ867445 Colpodium versicolorAY497472 Colpodium versicolorAJ428836 Zingeria biebersteini

Catabrosa aquatica S7150 ITSAY862811Catabrosella variegataAF532933Sclerochloa duraPucc vahliana 6682Pucc vahliana 5808Pucc poaceae 5744 ITSPucc glaucescens S7152 ITSAF532934Pucc distansPhippsia algida 6913 1 ITSPhippsia algida 6253 ITSAJ389163Beck erucifoBellardiochloa variegata USDAAF498396Phleum phleoides ITSPhleum pratense usda its

P saltuensis 7043 ITSP wolfii S5800 ITSP sylvestris S4678 ITSP alsodes 6467 ITSP autumnalis S4680 ITS

P pungionifolia S7336 itsP flabellata W4NCD itsAY686655Pramosissima ITS

P remota PB3A ITSAY686662Plitorosa ITSAY686669Pcita ITSP cita KML15704 ITS rev06P cockaynaiana KML21304 ITSAY686665Pchathamica ITSAY686666Panceps subsp polyphP phillipsiana2 7369 ITSP phillipsiana1 7346 ITSP labillardieri2 S5921 itsP labillardieri1 7318 ITSP sieberiana2 7322 ITS rev06P sieberiana2 J8482 ITSP sieberiana1 7319 rev06P billardieri P14510 ITS rev06AY327791Austrofestuca littoraP fawcettiae S5919 ITSP fax J9339 ITSP drummondiana P14504 ITSP porphyroclados P14476 itsP sibirica1 OL02 01 itsP sibirica2 OL45 ITS rev06P stiriaca PS10 ITSAY237834Ppralpigena00AY237833Ppralpigena00P alpigena 6790 1P ircutica K7 ITSAF171183PpmidnightAF171182Ppmidnight12P irrigata3 S6044 itsP irrigata1 6797 1 itsP irrigata2 7005 itsP angustifolia1 Catalan ITSP pratensis1 6458 itsP pratensis2 OL42 itsP angustifolia2 OL02 22P porsildii S6147 ITSP abbreviata1 5818 ITSP abbreviata2 5957 ITSAY237835Pabbreviata5816P nervosa S5849 ITS rev06P howellii s5964 ITS rev06P chaixii S4677 itsP fendleriana 6292 ITSP macrantha S5661 ITSAnthochloa lepida P15604 ITS rP gymnantha P15656 ITSP scaberula P15575 its rev06P atropidiformis S7364 ITSP holciformis S7166 ITS rev06P stuckerii S7132 ITSP arachnifera S5801 ITSP androgyna P15707 ITSP lilloi P15676 itsP kurtzii P15654 itsP laetevirens P15641 ITSP acinaciphylla S7169 itsDissanthelium peruvianum P1574

P bulbosa2 S5958 ITSP bulbosa3 S5952 ITSP trichophylla S7508 ITSP dolosa S7495 ITSP pirinica SH18 ITSP media Sto04 11P cenisia2 SH19 ITSP cenisia1 S7493 ITSP dahurica OL03 55 ITSAY237841Phartzii3 5945P hartzii1 5725 ITSAY237840PammophilaP ammophila 5851 ITS rev06P secunda S5809 itsP secunda S5812 ITSP curtifolia S6347 itsP palustris 6461 itsP reverdattoi OL03 29 ITSP faberi S7454 ITS rev06P papuana S506L its rev06P altaica OL03 25 ITSP nemoralis 2004 18 ITSAY237839Pglauca5804P glauca 5963 ITSAY237838Pflexuosa primersP pseudoabbreviata s6032 1 ITSP lettermanii S7434 ITSP laxa 90401 itsP laxa ssp nov 6731 5 ITSAY237838Pflexuosa96 1 20P fernaldiana 7015 3 itsP stenantha S6068 1 ITS rev06P stenantha S6107 copy2 ITSP stenantha S6107 copy1 its waP stenantha S6107 copy1 ITSP compressa 6457 ITSAY686659Pnovaezelandiae ITSP acroleuca S7453 ITSP nepalensis S7455 itsAY686658Pimbecilla ITSAY686667Pacicularifolia subsAY686671Psubvestita ITSAY686657Pkirkii ITSAY686654Pbuchanani ITSAY686656Pbreviglumis ITSAY686668Pspania ITSAY686670Pdipsacea ITSAY686664Pcolensoi ITSAY686663Pcolensoi ITSAY686660Pcolensoi ITSP colensoi KML15204 ITSAY686661Pastonii ITSP astonii KMLP leptocoma2 S6100 ITS rev06P leptocoma1 S6040 ITS rev06P paucispicula1 S6033 rev06P paucispicula2 S6169 rev06P arctica1 5701 ITSP arctica2 arctica S6018 2 itsAY237842Parctica5842P macrocalyx norbergii s6318 1P macrocalyx S6089 1 ITSP malacantha ol03 85 itsP mariae OL02 07 ITSP subvestita KML21 3 4 ITS

Eremopoa songarica s4165 ITS

AF393012Pinfirma ITSP infirma C3 2000 1 ITSAF521901Pannua ITSP annua 6284 ITS rev06P supina S5950 ITSP veresczaginii OL03 34 itsP badensis Sto04 12 itsP chaixii Stone15 ITS alp rev0AY237837Palpinaalp96 1 4AY237836Palpinavivipara96 1P molinerii SH13 ITSP trivialis S4681 ITSAF532932PtrivialisAJ240161PtrivialisAF171186Ptrivialis ITSAF171185Ptrivialis ITSAF171184Ptrivialis ITSP cenisia triv St04 5 its

AY237843Arctagrostis latifoliaArctagrostis latifolia 6586 ITP andina S7182 ITSP robusta S7359 ITSP subenervis S7434 ITSAY559123 Hookerochloa hookeriaHookerochloa hookeriana J9127Festucella eriopoda J9129 ITSAY559122 Festucella eriopoda

Beckmannia syzigachne S3513 reZ96920Alopecurus vaginatusZ96922Alopecurus vaginatusAlopecurus borealis 6576 ITSArctophila fulvaA99230 ITSAY237831Arctophila fulva ITSAY237832Arctophila fulva ITSAY237869Dupontia fisheric56954AY237885Dupontia fisheric12008Dupontia fisheri 6589 ITS rev0P eminens2 S6022 ITSP eminens1 7010 3 ITS missing9P tibetica1 S5481 ITSP tibetica2 OL2003 7 ITS

Strict

AF532931Sesleria argentea

6x

nrDNA

Short bluegrass Poa abbreviata

6n

Origin and Evolution of

Arctic grasses

Soreng & Gillespie 2010

sect.Abbreviatae

2n

sect.Homalopoa

4n

an intersubgeneric polyploid hybrid

New species of Puccinellia based on AFLP and morphology

Puccinellia banksiensis Consaul Banks Island Alkaligrass

Consaul, Gillespie & Waterway 2008

Pedicularislouseworts

P. albolabiata

P. arctoeuropea

P. hirsuta

P. langsdorfii P. lanata

Pedicularis hirsutaHirsute lousewort

Pedicularis langsdorfiiArctic lousewort

MP - nrITSColin Chapman 4th year honours project

PCA - morphology

?

?

Pedicularis hirsutaHirsute lousewort

Pedicularis langsdorfiiArctic lousewort

P. lanataMP - nrITS MP - atpI-atpH

• two distinct species• hybridization and chloroplast

introgression in the High Arctic

Parrya

??

??

Parrya arcticaArctic parrya

Parrya nudicaulisNaked-stemmed

parrya

?

Samantha Godrey

4th year honours thesis

Parrya Parrya arcticaArctic parrya

Parrya nudicaulisNaked-stemmed parrya

• 2 distinct species, equally morphologically variable• P. nudicaulis genetically variable, 3 major haplotypes• P. arctica genetically uniform, likely recently derived

from P. nudicaulis

MP - plastid

Parrya arctica

Parrya nudicaulis

• all central Canadian Arctic populations

• Closest to P. nudicaulis haplotype 3 – N alpine

3 major genotypesDo these correspond to 2-3 subspecies?

MP - plastid

Plastid haplotype groups

Parrya

MP - nrITSMP - plastid P. arctica 2x

P. nudicaulis2x, 4x

Barcoding the Arctic Flora

Barcoding Arctic Island Sedges (Carex & Kobresia) A Regional Approach to DNA Barcoding

SW Victoria Island, 2008

matK

20 spp.85-95% success

Le Clerc-Blain et al. 2010, Mol. Ecol. Res.

Tested seven plastid regions- matK was the best

Salix niphoclada

Salix arctica Salix hastata

No plastid variation in Salix

matK

Salix richardsonii

Rhododendron lapponicum

Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Rhododendron tomentosum

Cassiope tetragona

Empetrum nigrum

Arctous rubra

Ericaceae heath family

Andromeda polifolia

Fieldwork

Fieldwork

Fieldwork

Fieldwork

Banks Island

VictoriaIsland2009

2008

Tuktut Nogait National Park

Cody, W.J., Scotter, G.W. & Zoltai, S.C. (1992) Vascular plant flora of the Melville Hills region, Northwest Territories. Canadian Field-Naturalist 106: 87-99.

1. Canoe trip 2. Base camp on the

Lower Brock River

1

2

Paulatuk

Paulatuk to upper Hornaday River

Tuktut Nogait NP - mesic sedge-low shrub tundra Red bearberryArctous rubra

Mountain avensDryas integrifolia

Lapland rosebay Rhododendron lapponicum

Arctic lupineLupinus arcticus

upland dry tundra Purple saxifrageSaxifraga

oppositifolia

Mountain avensDryas integrifolia

Rock-jasmine Androsace chamaejasme

Arctic oxytropeOxytropis arctobia

mesic dwarf birch-heath meadow

Two-flower cinquefoil Potentilla biflora

Snow arnica Arnica frigida

Bog rosemary Andromeda polifolia

Labrador lousewortPedicularis labradorica

esker

CinquefoilPotentilla spp.

drabaDraba oligosperma

Lewis’ flax Linum lewisii

Ostenfeld’s bladder campion

Silene ostenfeldii

Sandy habitats Moss campionSilene acaulis

Northern coralrootCorallorhiza trifida Northern groundsel - Packera hyperborealis

Oxytropis arctica - a giant Arctic Oxytrope!

Riparian willow thicket

Variegated horsetail -Equisetum variegatum

Kotzebue’s grass-of-Parnassus Parnassia kotzebuei

WillowSalix

Lower Brock River ValleyWillowSalix

Lower Brock River and canyon

Brock River canyon

Wallflower - Erysimum coarctatum

Pallas’ wallflowerErysimum pallasii

Shrub tundra

Lower Brock Riversand cobble beach

Horned dandelion - Taraxacum ceratophorum Hood’s phlox - Phlox hoodii

Arctic Oxytrope Oxytropis arctica

Lower Brock River

sand cobble beach

MoonwortBotrychium lunaria

Northern range extension

coastal habitats

Egede's silverweedPotentilla anserina subsp. groenlandica

coastal habitats

White water-crowsfootRanunculus subrigidus

Mare’s-tail Hippuris lanceolata

Slender-leaved pondweed Stuckenia filiformis

coastal habitatscoastal habitats – moist meadow

ButterwortPinguicula vulgaris

Star gentianLomatogonium

rotatum subsp. rotatum

Northern seaside buttercupHalerpestes cymbalaria

Arctoeuropean lousewort Pedicularis arctoeuropaea

Marsh arrow-grass Triglochin palustris

coastal habitatsgabbro outcrop & tussock meadow

Dwarf Labrador teaRhododendron tomentosum subsp. decumbens

Fragrant wood fern Dryopteris fragrans

First record!

Horned sea-blite Suaeda calceoliformis

annual plant

2008 – first record for Arctic Islands2009 – second record for Melville

Hills region2010 – northern-most record for

North America

Balsam poplar - Populus balsamifera

upper Hornaday River – camp 4

New distribution records

stands of Balsam poplar far above treeline

Discoveries

Juniperus communis

Lower Brock River, near Tuktut Nogait National Park

Saarela et al. 2012. Arctic 65: 1-12.

Soper River valleyBaffin Island

2010

Eastern Arctic

VMC

J. Dewey Soper – first botanical exploration of the river

40 collections by Soper (1931)27 collections by Aiken (2002)

Gillespie

Soper River Baffin Island

Gillespie

Mount Joy

0KM

Google

Sokoloff

Cabin 7

9KM

Sokoloff

Livingstone Falls

20KM

Sokoloff

Big Bend

35KM

Sokoloff

Soper Falls

49KM

Sokoloff

Kimmirut 60KM

Sokoloff

36 vascular plant families

20% Cyperaceae 13% Poaceae 7% Salicaceae

898 collections – ca. 250 vascular plant species

BullSalix planifolia – tea-leaved willowBullBull

NEW DISCOVERIES7 species new to the

Canadian Arctic Archipelago

• Cryptogramma stelleri (Pteridaceae) * • Carex brunnescens (Cyperaceae)• Triglochin palustris (Juncaginacaeae) *• Platanthera obtusata (Orchidaceae)• Primula egalikensis (Primulaceae)• Utricularia ochroleuca (Lentibulariaceae)• Coptidium ×spitsbergense (Ranunculaceae) * new families for

the Arctic Islands

BullTriglochin palustris – marsh arrowgrassBullBull

Platanthera obtusata – northern bog orchidBull

Gillespie

Cryptogramma stelleri (Pteridaceae) – Steller’s rockbrakeGillespie

Primula egaliksensis – Greenland primroseGillespie

Coptidium × spitsbergense – Svalbard buttercupGillespie

Coptidium × spitsbergense Svalbard buttercup

Cody, Blondeau & Cayouette1988 Rhodora 90: 27-36

sterile triploid hybrid between C. lapponicum and C. pallasii

Gillespie

Utricularia ochroleuca (Lentibulariaceae)

Yellowish-white bladderwort

NEW DISCOVERIES4 species new to the

Eastern Canadian Arctic Archipelago

• Andromeda polifolia (Ericaceae)• Orthilia secunda (Ericacae)• Calamagrostis stricta subsp. stricta

(Poaceae) • Salix fuscescens (Salicaceae)

• accurate information on species distributions• complete floristic inventories

NEW ARRIVALS OR LONG ESTABLISHED?

Most new records likely long established species

Cryptogramma perhaps recent natural spread N?

Bull

Hordeum jubatum subsp. jubatum – foxtail barley

High Arctic

Ellesmere IslandQuttinirpaaq National Park

Acknowledgements