Dr. S. William Decruse Sr. Scientist

KSCSTE-Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Palode,-695562

Endangerment

Natural reasons Part of evolution -reproductive problems-genetic reasons Natural selection- Directional selection

Man made reasons Destructive harvesting- Eg. Coscinium fenestratum Habitat destruction -loss of habitats due to agriculture and other developmental activities -Habitat fragmentation-limit spread of species Over-exploitation Unscientific collection- collected at juvenile stage

Conservation of endangered plant species

 Existence of genetic diversity is fundamental to meet unforeseen challenges of future generations  Food and medicine  The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation signed by more than 180 countries in 2002, aims to reduce the loss of genetic diversity by setting targets for understanding and conserving them.  Government of notified 26 plant species from the region of as endangered inviting proper attention for their effective conservation and prohibited/ regulated collection from the wild (Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, Notification dated 15th April 2009)

In situ - ex situ methods Conservation translocation

IUCN Species Survival Commission(SSC) Reintroduction Specialist Group (RSG) and Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) Guidelines for Conservation translocations

Conservation translocations consist of two components

1. Population restoration 2. Conservation introduction 1.Population restoration Conservation translocation to within indigenous range, and comprises two activities: a. Reinforcement intentional movement and release of an organism into an existing population of conspecifics  aims to enhance population viability by  increasing population size,  increasing genetic diversity,  by increasing the representation of specific demographic groups b. Re-introduction intentional movement and release of an organism inside its indigenous range from which it has disappeared.  aims to re-establish a viable population of the focal species within its indigenous range 2. Conservation introduction is the intentional movement and release of an organism outside its indigenous range. The indigenous range of a species is the known or inferred distribution generated from historical (written or verbal) records, or physical evidence of the species’ occurrence.

Where direct evidence is inadequate to confirm previous occupancy, the existence of suitable habitat within ecologically appropriate proximity to proven range may be taken as adequate evidence of previous occupation. Why conservation translocation ?

Commendable genetic diversity may be present in inhabited land or vulnerable forest segments (Eg. V. wightii) Risk of genetic loss is high Conservation in the in situ localities not practical  Vulnerable habitats (Eg. V. thwaitesii) Natural populations are scattered, fragmented and poorly distributed Natural regeneration is low due to poor fruit set -due to habitat fragmentation

Enhancement of populations in the native localities are thus essential for their conservation for sustainable utilization -as underutilized ornamental or medicinal orchid JNTBGRI

Mandate Conservation and sustainable utilization with special reference to wild plants

 Restoration of endangered plant species of Western Ghats  Restoration of endangered orchids  Western Ghats’ orchids

 267 species- 72 genera

Includes  endemic genera (3)  endemic species (118)  Species with their distribution extended to Eastern Ghats  Species having shared occurrence with Sri Lanka

Examples…… Endemic Endemic species Endemic to WGS Genera and Sri Lanka

Cottonia Smithsonia maculata Vanda wightii Aenhenrya Paphiopedilum druryi V. thwaitesii Smithsonia Ipsea malabarica Phaius lurides Dendrobium jerdonianum Seidenfadeniella rosea Eulophia cullenii Aerides crispa Aerides maculosa

During the last century Western Ghats as a whole has undergone severe environmental degradation and many orchids became endangered

 Habitat Loss  Establishment of plantations  Extension of cultivations  Developmental activities  Tree Felling  Vanda wightii  V. thwaitesii  Eulophia cullenii  Over-collection Paphiopedilum druryii

Threat to Orchid Taxa of Western Ghats (CAMP Workshop 2001) Threats Taxa affected Habitat loss 87 Human interference 43 Decline of Host species 13 Over-exploitation 7 Reproductive problems 6 Man made reasons: 150 Natural reasons: 6

Conservation efforts of JNTBGRI Successful pioneer attempt during 1990-1994 Smithsonia maculata an epiphytic orchid Endemic to Western Ghats Distributed in narrow pockets in Agasthyamalai, Wayanad and Hassan Dist of Karnataka Natural regeneration poor Treated as Threatened

9 month old capsule Establishment of micropropagated and reinforced seedlings of Smithsonia maculata Reinforcement river basin, in Peppara WLS August 1993 Number of plants planted : 154

Number of Plants established after one year : 74

% establishment : 48 Plants located after 14 years : 32 Plants with inflorescence : 4 Near Flowering : 7 Early stages : 12 Poor growth : 9 Smithsonia maculata After one year of planting at Propagated through Seed culture Peppara WLS

Established plants after 14 years of reinforcement at basin of Peppara WLS Native plant

Reinforced plants

Poor growth exhibited by Direct comparison of reinforced some seedlings, even after 14 years seedlings close to a natural plant Case reports JNTBGRI’s efforts on restoration and ex situ conservation Paphiopedilum druryii Vanda wightii V. thwaitesii 3 notified endangered orchids from the Western Ghats  Eulophia cullenii a terrestrial orchid, critically endangered regionally Status- Critically endangered due to over-collection Distribution Agasthiamalai of Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary and WLS in Kerala  Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Risk of native population Population of P. druryi in Agasthyamala studied in 1993 Vs in 2018

Criteria under Total 2018 investigation in1993 No. of plants 1126* 456* appx No. of individuals 4792 Fruits 14 Seedlings 7

* Plant group with 2-7 individuals Plot 1 Plot 1 803 plants observed in 1993 declined to less than 100 plants when re-visited in 2019

Natural locality of P. druryii

1993 April 2019 April

Natural propagation is through rhizome branching and seeds But, seedlings are negligible in the native habitat

Fruits Mature and viable seeds Conservation measures

 Seed culture  Rearing in the nursery  Entry of symbiotic fungus  Reintroduction/reinforcement  Establishment of ex situ conservatory  Hand pollination and seed production  Seed culture

Easily propagated through seed culture in Mitra et al medium +0.05% CH Seedlings showed luxuriant growth in the nursery in potting mixture containing sand (collected from JNTBGRI forest pavements) + dry leaf powder

Seedlings after 1-2 years in the nursery

Seedlings after 3-4 years in the nursery Confirmation of mycorrhizal association in roots of seedlings Restoration As part of Kerala State Biodiversity Board’s restoration program of notified endangered plant species of Western Ghats

320 seedlings of P. druryii planted at Agasthyamalai with prior approval from Kerala State Forest Department in 2018 -in location where it disappeared completely during 1974-1979 and in location where small population still exists Total 320 plants 3 Size categories Uprooting, packing in newspaper, transporting to restoration localities, in bags with aeration Planted in 10 locations in groups of 7-20 plants

Planting in small pits made in ideal locations  without much removing natural vegetation  in May 2018, after getting summer showers  with the participation of edc members of Peppara WLS

 Severe flood followed by early withdrawal of monsoon and long dry period (about 5 months) during 2018-19

 Even the natural populations were struggling to survive

Natural population at Agasthyamala in April 2019 118 out of 320 (36.8%) survived after one year in 2018 Ex situ conservation at JNTBGRI

Adult plants maintained in the conservatory of JNTBGRI (open field), flowered in January 2019

Fruit produced through hand pollination

Distribution of V. thwaitesii

Populations identified in PTR Idukki WLS, Thirunelli and Silent Valley are in protected forests

Rich population identified in Wayanad are in inhabited land mainly on Dalbergia latifolia trees Population information

Total plants scored in all localities= 1183

Plants scored in protected forests: 111 (12.7%) (Gavi (PTR), Silent Valley, Idukki WLS, Thirunelli)

Decline and threat Scored population in inhabitant land : 86.5% mostly in Wayanad  No reproductive problems as Fruits and new recruits observed in significant numbers  Habitat destruction and fragmentation is the main cause of delimiting spread of the species Conservation measures

 Propagation through seed culture -Seeds from different populations  Infection with symbiotic fungus  Reinforce more diversity into protected area in protected native habitats -Idukki Wildlife sanctuary -Reserve forest in South Wayanad

Methods 1. Propagation through seed culture

Mitra+CH Mitra + CH

NDM+CH NDM+ 5%Banana Pulp 2. Infection with a compatible symbiotic fungus Co-culture with symbiotic fungus

Control Enriched medium + endomycorrhizq 3. Rearing in the nursery in presence of symbiotic fungus 4. Restoration Preparation 1. Tying on dried bark and rearing for one year in open field condition

2. Seedlings detached from medium to tie directly on trees 3. Selection of planting sites Protected forests in Kuttiyamvayal of south Wayanadu and Keezhukkanam section of Idukki WLS -Based on existing populations of V. thwaitesii 4. Selection of hosts Natural hosts only Gmelina arborea, Dalbergia latifolia, Cinnamomum veerum, Persea macrantha, Careya arborea Mangifera indica

Approved site for reinforcement of V. thwaitesii and V. wightii 5. Planting Tying on host trees using Jute/coir or polypropylene thread

Polypropylene thread Jute Direct tying on tree trunk 6. Monitoring  Monitor yearly intervals  Re-fix if required  Remove the synthetic threads, after establishment of seedlings with firmly attached roots  70-95% establishment/ survival after 1-2 years  Total 694 individuals survived in Wayanadu and Idukki WLS Seedlings planted on bark and used For restoration 70% survival after 2 years

Direct Planting; 95% survival after one year

Conservation introduction at JNTBGRI (Altitude 180m) Planting: October 2015 Monitoring: June 2020 104/296 plants (35%) survived after 5 years Status: Endangered; notified by Govt. of India Distribution of V. Wightii 70-870m altitudes Population information

Total plants observed in 4,847+ Sanctuary/Reserve forests in Kasargod (80% of the and Idukki total scored) Total plants observed in inhabited 1,155 (20%) land/road side trees in Kannur, Palakkad and Malappuram Districts Total 6,002+ Diversity of floral characters from Populations in inhabited land in Kannur, Palakkad , Kasargod and Malappuram Decline and threat  Fruit set and seedling recruitment very rare  Habitat destruction and fragmentation  Drastic decline outside protected forests Conservation measures

 Propagation through seed culture -Seeds from different populations mainly inhabitant land  Infection with symbiotic fungus  Reinforce more diversity into protected area in protected native habitats -Idukki Wildlife sanctuary

Propagation and nursery establishment Seedlings co-cultured with Symbiotic fungus

+endomycorrhiza Control (no mycorrhiza) Nursery establishment in presence of Symbiotic fungus

+Symbiotic fungus Control Restoration Seedlings from different populations in inhabited land were prepared for reinforcement

Planting method Big seedlings: Direct tying on tree trunks Small seedlings: Planted on dry bark and reared for one year in open field condition before taken for restoration Approved restoration site Host trees Terminalia paniculata Tectona grandis Dalbergia latifolia

Tying Poly propylene threads After one year of planting at JNTBGRI campus Established seedlings after 5 years of reinforcement at Idukki WLS Conservation introduction at JNTBGRI campus (180m) Planted in Oct 2015 Monitored in June 2020 Seedling establishment at Idukki WLS: 156/357 (42.6%) after 2 years

Establishment of conservation Introduction at JNTBGRI campus

201/319 (63%) after 5 years Eulophia cullenii

A terrestrial orchid with rhizome

Status: Endangered Regionally (FRLHT)

Distribution

 Type locality of the species is in Chittavurai of Idukki District, Kerala and Palani Hills of Madhura district, Tamil Nadu.

 A few records from Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Wayanad district

 Our collection from both Peppara and Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary.

 E. flava, close relative of E. cullenii (merged with E. flava) also have distribution in Himalayas and Eastern Ghats

Population information

 307 individuals including new recruits could be located in the surveyed area in Peppara and Neyyar WLS in Thiruvananthapuram Dist, Kerala  80% were in forests and 20% in tribal hamlets.  90 seedling (new recruits) observed Habit and Habitat  a terrestrial orchid  lemon yellow flowers  inhabit dry deciduous forests, in grassland with small trees and humus rich soil.  It perennates via condensed underground rhizomes. Decline and threat

 Natural populations in Kerala and Tamil Nadu are represented by less than 250 individuals, and highly vulnerable to continuous decline (CAMP 2001).  Habitat loss main reason  307 individuals scored during 2010-14 periods  at least 20% of the population disappeared during 2011-2015.  Exploited for ornamental and medicinal use

Conservation measures

 Seed culture  Rearing in the nursery with the presence of soil from natural locality  Confirmation of endomycorrhiza in the seedlings  Restoration through planting in native localities  Ex situ conservation through cultivation at JNTBGRI

Seed culture to produce seedlings Rearing in the nursery in presence of forest soil Confirmation of endomycorrhiza in the roots

TS of roots showing colonization of symbiotic fungus Planting of seedlings into forest segments in its native habitat

Immediately after planting After one year of planting Seedlings cultivated in a conservatory at JNTBGRI Conclusion  In general, the restoration attempts are still at learning phase Paphiopedilum druryii A continuous plant production system could be established through an ex situ conservatory at JNTBGRI Vanda thwaitesii A viable population of diversity from vulnerable localities could be established in protected forests Conservation introduction at JNTBGRI is at learning phase Vanda wightii Seedlings from vulnerable localities introduced into JNTBGRI campus seems to acclimatize there. Eulophia cullenii  A continuous plant production system could be established through an ex situ conservatory at JNTBGRI