How to Protect Natural Habitats of Rare Terrestrial Orchids Effectively: A Comparative Case Study of Cypripedium calceolus in Different Geographical Regions of Europe

Abstract

In this article we present and discuss the main factors that threaten natural populations of Cypripedium calceolus (lady’s slipper orchid) in Europe, and we propose conservation strategies and directions for protective actions of its population on a regional scale. European C. calceolus populations have decreased significantly in the last two decades, in both number and size. A key result of the present study is an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Natura 2000 network across the European Union (EU) countries. Northern and/or mountainous countries present higher percentages of potentially suitable areas within the Natura 2000 network. Finland and the United Kingdom are the exceptions to this rule. It is predicted that, due to global warming, the coverage of niches suitable for C. calceolus will decrease in countries in which now-healthy colonies exist. However, as plant species can occur in micro-sites with suitable environmental conditions (e.g., microclimate, vegetation, soil factors) which cannot be predicted as suitable at coarser spatial resolutions, conservation efforts should be focused on management of local healthy populations. For the effective protection of C. calceolus in Natura 2000 sites, the participation of experts in botany, including orchid biology, is necessary at several stages.

Genetic History of the Remnant Population of the Rare Orchid Cypripedium calceolus Based on Plastid and Nuclear rDNA

“…C. calceolus is an allogamous plant [ 22 ], and insufficient data about a facultative autogamy in this orchid were reported from the Far East [ 23 ]. C. calceolus is sensitive to drought; it grows in lightly shaded deciduous and mixed woodlands and in meadows, mostly on calcareous soils, as well as in deciduous and coniferous forests and in bushy hillsides [ 3 , 9 ]. The chromosome number is more or less constant, with most diploid genets having 2n = 20 (22) [ 3 , 24 , 25 ].…”

“…This orchid is regarded as a species of least concern according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) [ 5 ]. Nevertheless, in some countries, including Poland, it is listed in the red list and red books as a threatened species [ 6 ] because it is now critically endangered [ 2 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. It has a large distribution area covering most of Eurasia, but in Europe it has suffered a dramatic decline (despite rigorous protection by law) over recent decades, due to over-collection.…”

“…Most surviving populations today consist of a few plants, and only in a few locations can thousands of plants be found [ 2 , 8 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]. This situation may be mainly explained by climate changes, habitat destruction and alternation, as well as improper forest management [ 5 , 9 , 13 ].…”

“…Although the population in north-east Poland and the Pomerania region has been well studied [ 6 , 12 , 15 ], little is still known about the genetic variability within other populations. In Lower Silesia (SW Poland), a gradual disappearance of C. calceolus has been observed since the beginning of the 20th century [ 8 , 9 , 16 , 17 , 18 ]. Unfortunately, as a result of deforestation and improperly implemented conservation, a few populations of this rare orchid in Lower Silesia have been destroyed in the last few years, rendering most of the local subpopulations of C. calceolus in Lower Silesia unique [ 9 ].…”

Orchids of Mongolia: Taxonomy, Species Richness and Conservation Status

“…Moreover, there are numerous publications on regional assessments of orchid species using IUCN categories and criteria [7][8][9][10]. For example, the lady's slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus L.) is classified of least concern on a global scale [11], whereas as endangered or vulnerable in many European and Asian countries on a national scale [8,9,[11][12][13][14].…”