Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid: The Possibility of Recovery...Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid: The...
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Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid: The Possibility of Recovery Sean N. Longabaugh 1 , Craig A, Annen 1 , John van Altena 2 1 Integrated Restorations, LLC, 2 Koshkonong Corners SNA Introduction The Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid (EPFO) (Orchidaceae: Platanthera leucophea (Nutt.) Lindley) is a Wisconsin-Endangered, Federally-Threatened, species that occupies various open-canopy wetland habitats. Causes for EPFO's decline and at-risk status include conversion of habitat to agricul- ture, invasion of exotic species, encroachment of shrub-carr, and poaching/over collecting (Beacham et al. 2001; USFWS 2003). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service outlines four Priority Recovery Actions for this species: 1. Provide legal protection of sites where 50 flowering EPFOs occurs, especially on sites larger than 125 acres, 2. Increase size of existing populations, 3. Monitor the status of existing populations, 4. Manage habitat in a manner conducive to EPFO survival and viability. Objectives The purpose of this project was to establish a viable satellite population of EPFO at the Swamplovers' Nature Preserve (Cross Plains, WI) by transplanting dormant EPFO plants from the highly viable population of the Jon van Altena and Connie Brouillette property known as Koshkonong Corners State Natural Area (Milton, WI). Methods Before any work was started, a WDNR Endangered and Threatened Species Permit was applied for and approved (permit #887). Transplants were dug to a depth of nine inches with a diameter of 0.5 meters around each plant, or cluster of plants. After transplanting at donor site, the specimens were protected from browsing by steel wire cages. To encourage pollination, a low density (10 seeds/square meter) of Common Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis L.) seeds were sown near transplants to help attract noc- turnal Hawk Moths. In 2007 and 2009, four soil plugs were collected (ca 1 dm3 ) from the donor site, which were spread at the recipient site to a depth of 15 cm and sown with EPFO seeds. From 2007-2014 79 EPFOs were transplanted into five demes at the Swamplovers Nature Preserve: 1. Bareground area created by ditch fill and scrape pond construction (‘Scrape’) 2. A restored wet prairie with a history of agricultural land use patterns (‘West Valley’) 3. A low spot near a waterfowl production pond in a sedge meadow remnant (‘Far Valley') 4. A calcium-rich low spot at the boundary between a sedge meadow remnant and mesic/ dry-mesic prairie remnant (‘Ice Age Trail’) 5. Frequently flooded area within a sedge meadow remnant ('Duck Pond Basin') Results The USFWS (1999) provides an index of EPFO population viability based on population size, trends in the number of individuals in a population, habitat size, protection status of habitat, successional status of habitat, and level of management required to maintain the population. The EPFO population at the Swamplovers Nature Preserve scored 14.5 out of a possible 21, meaning that this population has a moderate viability according to FWS standards. Increasing the population size above 50 individually flowering plants would result in a highly viable population, according to FWS criteria. From 2008 to 2012 we were not seeing substantial increases in the number of seedlings found in each deme. Almost all plants and seedlings were always inside the protective cages. It is unclear whether seedlings found inside the cages were from the donor soil seedbank or were from new seed production. A single non-flowering orchid was observed in 2010 but it later succumbed to a fungal infection. All three EPFO pollinators are documented at Swamplovers but we suspect the EPFO density is presently insufficient to attract pollinators to the plants. We tried planting com- mon evening primrose (shares pollinator with EPFO) to increase pollinator visitations, but this did not appear to improve seed production. In 2013 Cathy Pollack from the US- FWS Illinois Field Office came to the Swamplovers Preserve to demonstrate techniques for hand-pollination of Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid, (hand-pollination was also done in 2014). The following year, 2014, three flowering plants were found well outside the cages. Since we also found 13 blooming plants in one of the cages in the ‘Scrape’ deme, it is reasonable to assume that these results were from our hand-pollination efforts. Counting the orchids Blooming orchid found outside of a cage Conclusions 79 transplants have been attempted, with annual success rate ranging from 27.1% to 92.9%. Cohort survival varied greatly by year (presumably a response to annual differ- ences in growing conditions). Range from 0% to 100% survivorship. No clear pattern yet in cohort survival discernable, though contributing factors include annual weather (and growing condition) variations, age of EPFO perenniating bud at transplant, whether the site was burned (burning seems to stimulate orchid numbers and blooming rates). Browsing exclosures have kept browsing damage to a minimum (deer and voles). Through this experiment, five metapopulation demes have been established. Metapopu- lation management helps protect a small at-risk population from stochastic events that could wipe out a single population, because the population is spread out among different demes. References Beacham, W., F.V. Castronova, and S. Sessine. 2001. Beacham’s Guide to the Endangered Species of North America, volume 6: Dictos, Monocots, Glossary, Indexes. Gale Group Publishing, New York, NY. Pgs. 3270-3272. USFWS. 1999. Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid (Platanthera leucophaea) Recovery Plan. Fort Snelling, Minnesota. 62pp. Acknowledgements John van Altena and Constance Brouillette Swamplovers Foundation, Inc Dane County Environmental Council Community Partners Grant Cathy Pollack USFWS Gerald Goth Integrated Restorations, LLC Craig Annen David Cordray Amanda Budyak
Transcript of Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid: The Possibility of Recovery...Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid: The...
Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid: The Possibility of RecoverySean N. Longabaugh 1, Craig A, Annen1, John van Altena2
1Integrated Restorations, LLC, 2Koshkonong Corners SNA
IntroductionThe Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid (EPFO) (Orchidaceae: Platanthera leucophea (Nutt.)Lindley) is a Wisconsin-Endangered, Federally-Threatened, species that occupies variousopen-canopy wetland habitats.Causes for EPFO's decline and at-risk status include conversion of habitat to agricul-ture, invasion of exotic species, encroachment of shrub-carr, and poaching/over collecting(Beacham et al. 2001; USFWS 2003).The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service outlines four Priority Recovery Actions for this species:1. Provide legal protection of sites where 50 flowering EPFOs occurs, especially on
sites larger than 125 acres,2. Increase size of existing populations,3. Monitor the status of existing populations,4. Manage habitat in a manner conducive to EPFO survival and viability.
Objectives The purpose of this project was to establish a viable satellite population of EPFO at theSwamplovers' Nature Preserve (Cross Plains, WI) by transplanting dormant EPFO plantsfrom the highly viable population of the Jon van Altena and Connie Brouillette propertyknown as Koshkonong Corners State Natural Area (Milton, WI).
MethodsBefore any work was started, a WDNR Endangered and Threatened Species Permit wasapplied for and approved (permit #887).Transplants were dug to a depth of nine inches with a diameter of 0.5 meters around eachplant, or cluster of plants.After transplanting at donor site, the specimens were protected from browsing by steelwire cages.
To encourage pollination, a low density (10 seeds/square meter) of Common EveningPrimrose (Oenothera biennis L.) seeds were sown near transplants to help attract noc-turnal Hawk Moths.In 2007 and 2009, four soil plugs were collected (ca 1 dm3 ) from the donor site, whichwere spread at the recipient site to a depth of 15 cm and sown with EPFO seeds.From 2007-2014 79 EPFOs were transplanted into five demes at the Swamplovers NaturePreserve:1. Bareground area created by ditch fill and scrape pond construction (‘Scrape’)2. A restored wet prairie with a history of agricultural land use patterns (‘West Valley’)3. A low spot near a waterfowl production pond in a sedge meadow remnant (‘Far Valley')4. A calcium-rich low spot at the boundary between a sedge meadow remnant and mesic/dry-mesic prairie remnant (‘Ice Age Trail’)5. Frequently flooded area within a sedge meadow remnant ('Duck Pond Basin')
ResultsThe USFWS (1999) provides an index of EPFO population viability based on populationsize, trends in the number of individuals in a population, habitat size, protection status ofhabitat, successional status of habitat, and level of management required to maintain thepopulation. The EPFO population at the Swamplovers Nature Preserve scored 14.5 outof a possible 21, meaning that this population has a moderate viability according to FWSstandards. Increasing the population size above 50 individually flowering plants wouldresult in a highly viable population, according to FWS criteria.
From 2008 to 2012 we were not seeing substantial increases in the number of seedlingsfound in each deme. Almost all plants and seedlings were always inside the protectivecages. It is unclear whether seedlings found inside the cages were from the donor soilseedbank or were from new seed production. A single non-flowering orchid was observedin 2010 but it later succumbed to a fungal infection.
All three EPFO pollinators are documented at Swamplovers but we suspect the EPFOdensity is presently insufficient to attract pollinators to the plants. We tried planting com-mon evening primrose (shares pollinator with EPFO) to increase pollinator visitations,but this did not appear to improve seed production. In 2013 Cathy Pollack from the US-FWS Illinois Field Office came to the Swamplovers Preserve to demonstrate techniquesfor hand-pollination of Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid, (hand-pollination was also done in2014). The following year, 2014, three flowering plants were found well outside the cages.Since we also found 13 blooming plants in one of the cages in the ‘Scrape’ deme, it isreasonable to assume that these results were from our hand-pollination efforts.
Counting the orchids Blooming orchid found outside of a cage
Conclusions79 transplants have been attempted, with annual success rate ranging from 27.1% to92.9%. Cohort survival varied greatly by year (presumably a response to annual differ-ences in growing conditions). Range from 0% to 100% survivorship. No clear pattern yetin cohort survival discernable, though contributing factors include annual weather (andgrowing condition) variations, age of EPFO perenniating bud at transplant, whether thesite was burned (burning seems to stimulate orchid numbers and blooming rates).
Browsing exclosures have kept browsing damage to a minimum (deer and voles).
Through this experiment, five metapopulation demes have been established. Metapopu-lation management helps protect a small at-risk population from stochastic events thatcould wipe out a single population, because the population is spread out among differentdemes.
ReferencesBeacham, W., F.V. Castronova, and S. Sessine. 2001. Beacham’s Guide to the Endangered Species of North America,volume 6: Dictos, Monocots, Glossary, Indexes. Gale Group Publishing, New York, NY. Pgs. 3270-3272.USFWS. 1999. Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid (Platanthera leucophaea) Recovery Plan. Fort Snelling, Minnesota. 62pp.
AcknowledgementsJohn van Altena and Constance BrouilletteSwamplovers Foundation, IncDane County Environmental Council Community Partners GrantCathy Pollack USFWSGerald GothIntegrated Restorations, LLCCraig AnnenDavid CordrayAmanda Budyak
