Conservation biology and genetic diversity of the Alpine clematis (Clematis alpina, Ranunculaceae)
The Alpine clematis (Clematis alpina L., Ranunculaceae) is the only liana growing at high altitudes in the Alps. It grows from 800 m.a.s.l. up to more than 2000 m.a.s.l., where it prefers semi-shady sites such as sparse coniferous forests or alpine rose bushes. Taking into account the Central European and East-Asiatic subspecies (C. alpina subsp. sibirica and subsp. ochotensis), the Alpine clematis has a range that extends all the way from Europe to Japan. In Switzerland, the distribution of the species is disjunct: C. alpina is mainly found in the southeastern part of the country (Grisons and Ticino), whereas only a few populations are known to exist in the cantons of Fribourg and Bern, and there are no records of its occurrence in between. The Alpine clematis populations in Western Switzerland seem therefore to be a relict and mark the north-western limit of the species worldwide. Such edge populations have great conservation value, as they are often genetically distinct and better adapted to environmental changes. The distribution and phylogeographic pattern of C. alpina in Switzerland have never been studied in detail. Our project aims to dive into these topics in order to assess the conservation status of the Alpine clematis in the cantons of Fribourg as well as Bern and to deliver a well- founded basis for its long-term conservation.