A comparative analysis of decline in the distribution ranges of orchid species in Estonia and the United Kingdom
By T. Kull, M. Hutchings. 2006
195 citations recorded by the source corpus.
National databases were interrogated to analyse and compare proportional alterations in the distribution ranges of orchid species between two surveys in the UK (surveys completed in 1969 and 1999) and in Estonia (surveys completed in 1970 and 2004). Nearly every species declined between the surveys in both countries, and two species may have become extinct in the UK. Mean decline in distribution range for 49 species in the UK was 50% (range 14–100%), and 23 species declined by over 50%. The mean decline for 33 orchid species in Estonia was 25% (range 0–62%), and three species declined by over 50%. These results corroborate serious range declines recently reported for orchids in other regions of Europe (the Netherlands and Flanders, Belgium). In contrast with these other regions, we found that species associated with calcareous grassland and woodland habitats had suffered greater mean contractions in range than species of wet grassland habitats. Greater decline was recorded for species found on drier soils, and for species characteristic of open habitats. In addition, greater decline was found in species with short inflorescences, and in species that were short-lived, and clonal. Our results suggest that levels of decline shown both by groups of species associated with specific habitat types, and by particular species of orchid, depend strongly on local policies and specific conservation action, and indicate the habitat types on which conservation efforts may need to be concentrated in the future. The results suggest that grazing and mowing of competing vegetation, and avoidance of substrate disturbance, will produce the greatest rewards for the most vulnerable species.
Subfields: Ecological Modeling, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Nature and Landscape Conservation
View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/108d967d7c6e9ebbc408e889a9c2c76a4bdbfc10
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In Ecological Modeling
In Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
In Nature and Landscape Conservation
Citations in the corpus
- Ex Situ Conservation of Orchids in a Warming World (2010, background): “It has been suggested that the increase in H. hircinum may be due to climate change (see references in Kull and Hutchings, 2006).”
- The population biology of the early spider orchid Ophrys sphegodes Mill. III. Demography over three decades (2010, background): “…orchid species, O. sphegodes has declined significantly in range and local abundance in recent decades (Hutchings 1987a, 1989a; Dixon et al. 2003; Kull & Hutchings 2006), with habitat destruction, isolation of remaining populations, unsuitable management and eutrophication among the prime causes.”
- Orchid biogeography and factors associated with rarity in a biodiversity hotspot, the Southwest Australian Floristic Region (2011, background): “In Estonia, species associated with calcareous grassland and woodland habitats showed the greatest decline (Kull & Hutchings, 2006).”