Orchid-Restoration-Jntbgris-Efforts.Pdf
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Dr. S. William Decruse Sr. Scientist KSCSTE-Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Palode,Thiruvananthapuram-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 India notified 26 plant species from the Western Ghats region of Kerala 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 Karamana 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 Karamana river 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 Neyyar WLS in Kerala Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu 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