British Endemism

Britain is an island.
However, in Britain we can find most of the plants that are widespread, at the same latitudes, in continental Europe.
A Primary School pupil could ask: "why is that ?
How managed the various seeds to cross the Channel helping to spread the continental Europe plants in Britain ???"
Sometimes we hear of "Endemism", meaning some forms that are unique of such isolated areas as islands or other areas cut off by the rest of the mainland by deserts, mountains, etc.
"Endemism" relates both to animals and plants.
Australia is an example of many "Endemismes" also when referring to such animals like the "marsupials" (and, on the other and, the lack of placental mammals).
Britain as well is an example of many "Endemismes".
For example, the british drivers are a "species" that drive on the right side whereas all the other european drivers drive on the left side...
:hehe: .
Pardon me. Just kidding :hehe:.
Actually, the British people do not consider England as an island of Europe but they consider Europe as an "island" of Britain and, when there is fog on the Channel they do not think that Britain is isolated from Europe but they think that EUROPE IS ISOLATED FROM ENGLAND... :hehe:
Enough. I stop kidding... Pardon me. Sorry.
Anyway how could we answer the Primary School pupil's question ???
Maybe most of the plants spread on Britain during the last Glacial period when the sea level was lower and Britain was a whole with Europe ???
But still: if so, only cold-weather-species should have spread as those times were glacial times.
Instead: why can we find in Britain most of those "mild climate" plants that we can also find in continental Europe ???
Can seeds overfly the Channel ???
Are they flown by the winds and storms ???
Maybe those seeds are "shipped" by birds ???
What is the case ???

 

Victorian explorers and horticulturalists brought back a lot of plants and seeds from their travels in far flung places. Not all of them good!

 

Personally I blame the Romans :lollol:

 

We were, physically, a part of Europe until relatively recent times. Many of the species grew across the whole area. When the English Channel opened the species were already here.
However, if I had the chance, I'd like a quiet word in an ancient Romans ear, (with the help of a cricket bat) about rabbits.
Wait until they ask why there are no snakes in Ireland.:lollol::lollol:

 

I was reading an interesting article about the Canary Islands, that have a lot of unique species. The writer commented that tree seeds are heavy and usually don't travel very far. But that flower seeds are light and can travel huge distances, either in the wind or with the aid of birds either inside or attached to their plumage. As a result the Canary Islands have a lot of plants that were originally herbaceous from Europe, but which have grown tree like as the warm weather means that they don't need to die down and hide below ground to survive the winter. In particular there are species of Sonchus which are small perennial weeds in Europe, but in the Canaries they have evolved into 12 feet high woody monsters!

I think in the case of Britain, we are so close physically to continental Europe, and had the land bridge for some time, that botanically speaking we really aren't an island.

 

Evolution never ceases to amaze me in the way living things adapt to their environment.

 

I'm still trying to adapt to mine.:lollol:

 

I don't think you will ever achieve that Pete.:hehe:

 

Yeah it's all cos we were linked innit. Now we're gonna split even smaller know what I mean? :lollol:

Just trying to understand how the youngsters of today get taught, what with all the 'facts' getting disproved. Who thought of the word 'Europe'?

cheers

 

Blame the Ancient Greeks - they came up with the name first...

 

Do you mean "Sonchus Palmensis" ???

 

They gave the name to the city, after all...:wink:
"LONDINIUM".
"LONDON" comes from "LONDINIUM".
Wikipedia says:
"The name Londinium is thought to be pre-Roman (and possibly pre-Celtic) in origin, although there has been no consensus on what it means. It was common practice for Romans to adopt native names for new settlements. A common theory is that it derives from a hypothetical Celtic placename, Londinion which was probably derived from the personal name Londinos, from the word lond, meaning 'wild'."

But I must admit that, according to that, the Celtics gave the name to the city:
"LONDINION" that became "LONDINIUM" by the Romans and "LONDON" by the Brits.

 

Maksim - that's the plant. There are a few different species with similar growth pattern. I am growing Sonchus congestus and S. acaulis. They are just giant Dandelions. :D

 

Well, coming from London from way back, I know why we call it "The Smoke".:wink: