Genetic Scorecard Indicator - Raspberry

Scrub clearance is likely to have led to localised reductions in populations but given the remaining abundance and distribution of the species, any diversity losses are likely to be minimal. 

Population definitions:

Populations are defined based on management units. This species is widely and continuously distributed across UK in large numbers (Stroh et al., 2023; NBN, 2025). The four Great British Regions of Provenance (Herbert et al., 1999) were selected here to represent the major population groupings / management units (treating Northern Ireland as an additional region) as they broadly reflect the environmental variation across which the species is distributed and are likely to capture major patterns of genetic structure.

Ne500: The proportion of populations that have an effective population size of more than 500. 

• Proportion of populations with Ne > 500 in Scotland = 2/2
• Proportion of populations with Ne > 500 in UK = 5/5

PM: Proportion of populations that existed in 2000 that still exist in 2025.

• Proportion of populations maintained in Scotland = 2/2
• Proportion of populations maintained in UK = 5/5

Functional variation

There is some evidence for adaptive differences between populations (e.g., populations at high altitudes can have later bud-burst and shorter growth than other populations; Jennings, 1964). However, there is no evidence of declines that are leading to a marked loss of populations containing unique adaptive variants. 

Divergent lineages

Considered negligible risk. 

Hybridisation/Introgression

Low risk. Hybridisation has been recorded between raspberry and other Rubus species, but although gene flow occurs, it is infrequent and localised (Lusby & McNicol, 1995). Despite several decades of potential exposure to commercial clones in Tayside, gene flow between wild populations and cultivars is low (Graham et al., 2003).  

Low turnover - constraints on adaptive opportunities

No evidence for constraints on reproduction. 

Scotland

• Risk: Negligible
• Mitigation: Negligible

Great Britain/UK

• Risk: Not Required
• Mitigation: Not Required

Overall Genetic Health status explanation

The widespread distribution and low level of introgression with domestic cultivars indicate that the Scottish raspberry population is genetically healthy with no evidence for genetic problems. 

In situ genetic threat level

• In situ Risk for Scotland: Negligible
• In situ Risk for UK: Negligible

Extremely widespread species, limited threat from hybridisation. 

Confidence in in situ threat level

• Confidence score for Scotland: High
• Confidence score for UK: High

Direct genetic data available, abundant species. 

Promotion of pollinator-friendly management provides an opportunity for lowland populations of raspberry to increase. 

Population

Demographic

N pops assessed/monitored in Scotland = 2/2
N pops assessed/monitored in UK = 5/5

Genetic

N pops assessed/monitored in Scotland = 0/2
N pops assessed/monitored in UK = 0/5

Genetic surveys utilising the Darwin Tree of Life reference genome and subsequent resequencing across populations would provide more directly quantified insights into patterns of genetic diversity.

NBN Atlas Website

Nitrogen deposition - dwarf shrub heath

Graham, J., Marshall, B. & Squire, G.R. 2003. Genetic differentiation over a spatial environmental gradient in wild Rubus ideaus populations.  New Phytologist, 157, 667-675.

Graham, J. & McNicol, R.J. 1995.  An examination of the ability of RAPD markers to determine the relationships within and between Rubus species. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 90, 1128-1132.

Haskell, G. 1960. The wild raspberry in Britain. Watsonia, 4, 238-255.

Herbert, R., Samuel, S., & Patterson, G. (1999). Using Local Stock for Planting Native Trees and Shrubs. Forestry Commission Practice Note.

Lssby, J.J. & McNicol, R.J. 1995. Gene flow from cultivated to wild raspberries in Scotland: developing a basis for risk assessment for testing and deployment of transgenic cultivars.  Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 90(7-8), 1133-1137.

Stroh, P.A., Walker, K.J., Humphrey, T.A., Pescott, O.L. and Burkmar, R.J., 2023. Plant atlas 2020: mapping changes in the distribution of the British and Irish Flora. Princeton University Press.