Patrolling the Scottish Border – plant migration history

Abstract

There have been successive waves of plant migration north across the Scottish Border since the end of the Ice Age. For those species that never penetrated far into Scotland and which lack specialised means of long-distance dispersal, the distinctive distribution patterns shown by BSBI’s tetrad mapping provide evidence of the likely dates and dispersal mechanisms of the migrations, separating out migration relating to man’s activities. Twelve distribution maps have been prepared for native or archaeophyte species that illustrate contrasting histories. Conclusions are drawn as to whether or not species which lack specialised means of long-distance dispersal are able to migrate north over fragmented natural habitats in response to climate change.