Orchids – a subject of study for some, a floral accessory for many. These evolutionarily headstrong plants maintain intricate balances in their respectful habitats. Orchidaceae is one of the largest and richest families of flowering plants found distributed across the globe. This family consists of 5 subfamilies, 880 genera and more than 25,000 species. About 1331 species of orchids belonging to 186 different genera are reported from India.
Why must we conserve orchids?
Many Orchid species are important in horticulture and hold immense economic importance apart from the ecological balances they maintain in various ecosystems. Few species are even reported to have medicinal values, especially in traditional Chinese medical science. Orchids depend on fungi and other insects to complete their life cycles, from germination to seed dispersal. Since Orchids have specificity in mycorrhizal and pollinator associations in addition to low germination rates, most of these plants are narrowly distributed in select few habitats. This makes them extremely vulnerable to habitat disturbance compared to other plants.
How are orchids faring?
Presently, the orchid populations have been decreasing rapidly, the main culprits being habitat loss, over-collection for ornament and medicine usage, illegal harvesting and critical factors like global climate change. Orchidacea has a higher proportion of threatened genera and species than most other families of plants. Limited distribution of Orchids and their sensitivity to environmental conditions may cause extinction events in Orchids in the onset of future climate change.
As of 2017, the global IUCN Red List assessments had been conducted for only 948 (3.3%) of the estimated 28484 orchid species worldwide, over half (56.5%) of these were found to be threatened with extinction. By the end of 2017, the IUCN Global Red List included 948 orchid species of which 56.5% were reported to be threatened.
The orchid treasuries of India
Today, nearly 1300 species of orchids are found in India distributed in different parts of the country. The maximum distribution of orchids are housed in the 2 major biodiversity hotspots of our country – The Western Ghats and the Eastern Himalayas. These hotspots encompass a variety of biomes that thrive in tropical, sub-tropical and temperate climate.
India houses 5 major phyto-geographical regions, namely, North Eastern Himalaya, Peninsular region, Western Himalaya, Western Ghats and Andaman Nicobar group of islands. About 60% of the species of Indian origin are epiphytic (plants that take support of larger trees to grow on), while the rest are terrestrials, lithophytes (plants that grow on rocks or stone) or saprophytes (plants that live on dead or decaying matter). However, there are certain genera of orchids that have both epiphytic as well as terrestrial species.
Where are orchids found in India?
The distribution of orchids across the country are as follows: North Eastern Himalaya -900, Eastern Himalayas -730, Eastern India-130, Peninsular India -267, Central and Gangetic plains -60 and Andaman and Nicobar Islands -117 species. Nearly 300 species belonging to 75 genera are endemic (found in only one particular location in the world and nowhere else). Due to the greater adaptability of orchids, there are a few species found in a range of climatic zones (for instance, the same species can be found in both tropical and sub-tropical zones).
Northeast India houses the highest number of orchids in the country, of which about 34 species are listed among the threatened plants of plants and around 85 species are endemic to this region. Nearly 876 orchid species from 151 genera have been reported from the Northeastern Himalaya region representing 70% of the orchid flora of India. Among the eight Northeastern states of India, the highest numbers of orchid genera have been reported from Sikkim (137 genera and 525 species) followed by Arunachal Pradesh (126 genera and 550 species). Arunachal Pradesh is thus recognized as the orchid paradise of India.
How are Orchids being conserved?
Orchid conservation is important both ecologically and economically. These plants are indicators of ecosystem and climate health. Orchid genes are essential in plant biotechnology to develop varieties of crops that are drought resistant, nutrient efficient and other desired characteristics that Orchids have developed. It is also essential to conserve these plants for the future generations.
Although extinction of orchids is an evolutionary process owing to natural selection and survival of the fittest, orchid extinction today has accelerated due to careless anthropogenic activities, habitat loss and rapid climate change. Global warming directly affects the structure, composition, growth, behavior, phenology and pollination of orchids. As orchid species are declining at a rapid pace, a protective measure should be taken to restore the species.
Conservation of orchids involves protecting their natural habitat, encouraging orchid biodiversity and ensuring the survival of rare and threatened species of orchids. There are three main methods of conserving orchids – in situ conservation which involves sanctuaries/reserves, ex situ conservation involving Orchidariums/Botanical gardens by cultivation and taking legislative measures to ensure protection of orchid species.
In-situ conservation
This method of conservation refers to the maintenance of orchid populations in their natural habitats. It is a method that tackles habitat loss of orchids. Orchids require certain habitats to thrive in due to the availability of certain fungi, host trees (for epiphytic interactions) and pollinators. Separating these plants from their natural habitats and transplanting them elsewhere forces orchids to adapt to foreign environments where the plant might not be successful in surviving.
In-situ conservation is the most desirable conservation strategy for orchids as it allows them to adapt to the environment without human interference. It ensures their natural growth, proliferation and perpetuation which allows the process of evolution to proceed naturally. This method requires the creation of orchid reserves. These reserves can also benefit various other species and biological communities.
India has an elaborate Protective Area Network (PAN) comprising 86 National Parks, 480 wildlife sanctuaries covering about 4.66% of total geographical area of the country. This network provides protection to species that are present in those forests. State governments like Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Karnataka and West Bengal have designated orchid rich areas as “Orchid Sanctuaries” under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. According to this arrangement, any attempt to remove the orchids form their natural habitat should be considered poaching or smuggling.
In-situ conservation includes the following:
Biosphere Reserves
These are internationally recognized protected areas aimed at preserving genetic diversity in representative ecosystems. India has 17 biosphere reserves for the conservation of endemic, endangered and vulnerable orchid species.
National Parks
These are areas owned by sovereign states. It has one or several ecosystems where conservation of wild life is practiced along with educational and recreational activities. Presently, there are 98 National Parks in India.
Sacred Grooves
A Sacred Groove is a special area where species related to any particular culture are protected by certain human communities, races or tribes in the name of their respective deities. About 13,270 of these Grooves are present in India and may be important for the conservation of orchid species of that locality.
A sacred groove in Meghalaya
Gene sanctuary
It is a protected area where a range of genetic variability is conserved as a reserve for future use. At present, India houses 480 wildlife gene sanctuaries. The Sessa orchid sanctuary of Arunachal Pradesh conserves about 200 species of orchids.
Individual Trees
Epiphytic orchid species are conserved on their host tress species In their natural habitats. Orchids attach themselves on the bark of trees or the surface of other plants.
Ex-situ conservation
Ex-situ conservation refers to the preservation of germplasm (the genetic material of plants in the form of seeds, plants, or plant parts) outside the natural habitat. In India, the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) maintains 3 National Orchidaria (an area in a park or botanical garden dedicated to orchids) and experimental gardens, situated in, Yercaud (Tamil Nadu), Howrah (West Bangal) and Shillong (Meghalaya). The Arunachal Pradesh State Forest Research Institute maintains a large number of orchid species as a measure of ex situ conservation of orchids. In Karnataka, three ex situ conservation centres have been established.
Ex-situ conservation involves Field gene banks, Botanical garden, Herbal Garden, In-vitro conservation, Cry-preservation and DNA conservation.
Field Gene Banks
In this facility, germplasm is collected from natural habitat or from other sources including commercial houses and nurseries and are maintained in the Field or protected structures. The field gene banks of TBGRI, Trivandrum, have nearly 600 different species and 150 hybrids of orchids are maintained; NRC for Orchids, Pakyong, Sikkim has nearly 90 different genera and a number of hybrids of commercial orchids, and Orchid house at Punjab University, Chandigarh maintains nearly 100 species of orchids and some hybrids of commercial importance.
TBGRI, Trivandrum
Botanical Gardens
These are protected areas where living plant specimens are conserved in fields or in protected structures providing significant information regarding their mode of reproduction, characters and life cycles. At present, there are 13 botanical gardens in India maintaining a number of orchid species. About 43 species of orchids are collected and displayed in the orchid house of Lloyd Botanical garden, Darjeeling, West Bengal.
Herbal Gardens
In these areas, medicinal plant genetic resources are reared in a protected area for maintaining them, generation after generation. Government of India has sanctioned funds for development of herbal gardens in 16 SAU’s and research institutions in different agroclimatic regions of the country with a view to conserving and maintaining regional medicinal plants and endangered species. In India, a networking among the herbal gardens is already developed at the Directorate of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research (DMAPR), where 83 such gardens with details of their species are registered.
Orchid Seed Gene Bank
A single orchid is capable of producing millions of seeds. However, they lack a functional endosperm (nutritive tssue for the seed) and require specific mycorrhizal associations for germination. Many orchids have been germinated through artificial techniques, with a high success rate. Thus, these seeds provide great scope for storage under low temperatures.
Grow racks in an Orchid seed bank
In vitro conservation
This type of conservation involves preserving plants or plant parts in flasks or tubes, nourished by artificial media. They are raised under controlled environments and sterile conditions.
Cryopreservation
This involves the long term storage of plant parts at subzero temperatures, under laboratory conditions, either in liquid nitrogen or in vapor phase. Orchid explants can be preserved in liquid nitrogen after proper treatment to ensure no damage occurs to the explant during storage. In India, the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) has created the facility of cryobank.
Plants arising from Cryopreserved buds
After preservation and mass multiplication of plans via methods like tissue culture, the plants may be returned or reinstated to their natural habitat, enabling establishment and propagation of the Orchid naturally.
Conclusion
Preserving orchid diversity in their natural habitats is the responsibility of people who interact with them and liver nearby, scientists and governments. Orchid trade and collection must be regulated to ensure threatened or endangered orchids do not go extinct. India is a rich garden or a plethora of orchid species that must be conserved to ensure healthy native ecosystems.
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Written by: Y.S.K Sivani