relict plant - definition

Relict plant - definition

NordGen working definition

Plants that were once, but are no longer cultivated in a certain area, and where a part of the population still exists even though it is no longer actively maintained


Wikipedia:

“A relict is a surviving remnant of a natural phenomenon.”


Wikipedia:

In biology a relict (or relic) is an organism that at an earlier time was abundant in a large area but now

occurs at only one or a few small areas.

In ecology, an ecosystem which originally ranged over a large expanse, but is now narrowly confined,

may be termed a relict.

In geology, the term relict refers to structures or minerals from a parent rock that did not undergo

metamorphosis when the surrounding rock did, or to rock that survived a destructive geologic process.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology


Wikipedia:

In agronomy, a relict crop is a crop which was previously grown extensively, but is now only used in

one limited region, or a small number of isolated regions.

In historical linguistics, a relict is a word that is a survivor of a form or forms that are otherwise

archaic.

A relict was an ancient term for a widow, but has come to be a generic or collective term for widows

and widowers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agronomy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_linguistics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widow


Use in scientific publications:

•Remaining population of previously abundant species•Human or non-human causes•Wild species


Use on internet:

•Remaining population of previously abundant species•Human or non-human causes•Wild species


Conclusion:

Not enough for our needs.


Survey of expert opinions:

1.Plants that are found in places where they otherwise can no longer be found. 2. Plants that have been cultivated (in an undefined historic period) at a location that is more or less deserted and that can still be found at that location. 3. Remaining single individuals of plants that used to be more abundant – cultural plants. 4. An old cultivated plant that has been brought from another country because it was useful.



5. Cultivated plants that are left at a location that today has been taken over by nature’s own development. 6. A plant that has survived at a location during a long time where it is no longer cultivated or taken care of. It must have been “left” for at least 50 years or more, ot it will instead count as a historical trace of cultivation. I further define a relict plant as a “survivor” – strong and competitive. 7. To me, it is a plant that has been cultivated for a long time in Sweden, maybe at an old homestead, etc. As a botanist you sometimes find relict plants in the forest and then one starts thinking about those who used to live there and cultivate the ground there.



8. The same way you do. 9. Remaining plant that tells us something about a facility. 10. Genetic unit/plant material that remaining from an older time when it was cultivated for use. 11. Plant that has been deliberately cultivated and remained at the location.



12. Relict plant is a botanical term that for more than 100 years has been used about plants that had was more abundant during a previous geological period. Lately I have seen that the term has started to appear in a more cultural historical perspective. 13. Don’t know 14. Just like above. 15. Remaining plants at a certain locality where they were originally cultivated (a long time ago).



16. Need more space to answer this question. 17. It could e plants that are remaining at one location, after the use of the location has been altered, but it can also be plants that have just been left at one location. 18. Plants that used to be more common but that for different reasons have remained at certain locations. 19. Plants that have been used at historical facilities and are not used anymore, independently of a specified time (can be [MA] or 19th century).



20. Same as above. 21. Plants that have been cultivated at a location and have survived even though they are not taken care of anymore. 22. Remaining domesticated after active cultivation has ceased. 23. Original species partly preserved in its cultural historical context. 24. Remains of living plants that can be assumed to have survived at the locations since medieval times.



25. Living remains of plants from an earlier cultivation, usually old, e.g. medieval. 26. Kvarstånde, en gång planterad och odlad växt. Remaining once planted and cultivated plant. 27. A plant that grows at a location where it a long time ago has been cultivated. It can be an actual plant or seeds in the seed bank in the soil. 28. A taxon that during historical time (= after the glacial period) has been an important part of the vegetation including farmland, but that today is redlisted or rare.



29. A “remaining plant” from previous cultivation. 30. Forgotten and resurrected. 31. Relict from earlier time. 32. Cultural historical traces from previous cultivation. 33. A cultivated plant that has survived without being tended for a long time in a garden or a park.

34. A plant that tells cultural history about the place.



35. A plant that has grown for a long time (what ever that means) and that indicates some kind of cultural history about the place/plant/people who has owned it/lived there. Difficult to define. I don’t think the place has to be abandoned, so the 18th century oaks at Drottningholm are also relict plants. 36. A plant that has been imported and cultivates as food, medicine, fiber or ornamental and has managed to survive for centuries close to human settlement even though the cultivation has ceased.



37. Plants that are no longer for sale and are rarely mentioned in the literature, but has survived in gardens from generation to generation, plants that people do not know the name of, even though they know the plant. 38. Remaining species (not necessarily cultural plant) that originates from a different biotope. 39. Cultural plants that have been cultivated at a location for utility or beauty, but that for one reason or another is no longer in active cultivation, but that has survived at the location or as fugitives in the nearby area.



40. Plants planted by humans. (This is how we defined cultural plants in our inventories). 41. Plant that is planted/cultivated by humans and that continues to grow without human care. 42. A plant that remains afteer cultivation has ceased.


Survey of expert opinions:Summary

•Remnant of previously cultivated species or varietyoOften lower than species leveloUsually connected to a certain placeoSize of remnant less relevant

•Human or non-human causesoHuman caretaking terminated


Survey of expert opinions:Summary

•CultivatedoMost respondents only mention cultivatedoSome accept both wild and cultivatedoSeveral explicitly allow only cultivatedoNon-indigenous

•Time scale relevantoHesitation to specify

•InformativeoCultural historyoGenetics


Survey of expert opinions:Conclusion:

•Geographical restriction

•Anthropogenic restriction

•Temporal restriction

•Informative

relict plant - definition

Documents

relict plants

term relict

remaining plant

relict crop

old cultivated plant

cultivated plants

expert opinions

abundant cultural plants