The orchids of the Natural Reserve of Vendicari (SE Sicily): an example of ex situ conservation supporting in situ intervention.

Daniela Cataldo, Rosario Galesi, & Pietro Minissale Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali

Università di Catania

ENSURING THE SURVIVAL OF ENDANGERED PLANTS IN THE MEDITERRANEANInternational Workshop 18 th - 20th April 2013 Catania Italy

Natural Reserve of Vendicari:

Total area :1512 ha

575 ha A zone (green line)

937 ha B zone (green line) A

A

B

Natura 2000 network (blue line): SCI ITA090002 Vendicari SCI ITA090027 Fondali di Vendicari SPA ITA090029 Pantani della Sicilia sud-orientale, Morghella di Marzamemi, di Punta Pilieri e Vendicari

Vendicari - vegetation and landscape

Inulo-Juncetum maritimi Schoeno-Plantaginetum crassifoliae

Arthrocnemo-Juncetum subulati

Sarcocornietea fruticosae Juncetea maritimi

Crithmo-Limonietea

Limonietum syracusani

Ammophiletea

Juniperion turbinatae

Ephedro-Juniperetum macrocarpa

Quercetalia calliprini

Myrto-Pistacietum lentisci

Cisto-Micromerietea

Chamaeropo-Sarcopoterietum spinosi

The orchids of Vendicari

The orchids flora of south-eastern Sicily is fairly well known; there are also specific surveys on the distribution of species in protected areas, such as for Vendicari. Many of these orchids, some of which are Sicilian endemic, are rare species and in some cases they are included in the regional or national red lists.

In Sicily there are no known specific conservation actions regarding orchids, aimed primarily at the reinforcement of the populations, based on a detailed knowledge of the distribution and consistency of populations. Therefore, in collaboration with the Regional Department of State Forests, the managing authority of the reserve, a research and conservation project of this particular taxonomic group was developed.

The first phase of the research has focused on the accurate mapping and census of populations. The positions of sub-populations have been georeferenced to points. The data is useful for the precise location, the monitoring of populations and the collection of germplasm, The data collected allow highlighting the species with the greatest probability of local extinction on which to focus conservation efforts.

The survey enabled highlighting for all entities identified (23 taxa) more or less fragmented distributions, despite the presence of suitable habitats, and considerable variability in the consistency of the populations of each species. In particular, Orchis papilionacea L. ssp. grandiflora (Boiss.) Baumann, Serapias parviflora Parl., Ophrys bombyliflora Link, O. sicula Tineo were fairly common. At the other extreme, only very few specimens of Ophrys lunulata Parl. and O. oxyrrhinchos (Tod.) Soo, were found and not previously reported for the area.

The need to collect the germplasm to develop the second part of the project, immediately indicated the considerable uncertainty of the pollination of orchids under observation.

Therefore, for most late-flowering species such as Ophrys calliantha Bartolo & Pulvirenti, we proceeded to perform the manual crossed pollination that has been successful since each intervention has had the next fruiting.

The collection of the capsules, completed at the beginning of the summer 2012, allowed keeping sufficient germplasm to start the testing of the propagation for most of the orchids present in the reserve. Particular attention was given to endemic Ophrys biancae (Tod.) Macchiati, O. calliantha Bartolo & Pulvirenti and O. lunulata Parl.

The second part of the project

In vitro techniques

Asymbiotic reproduction of Orchidaceae on the basis of the protocol developed by Pierce et al. (2010)

Date S pec ies

Number of P etri dis hes Notes

12.02.2013 O phrys tenthredinifera 49 steril seeds14.02.2013 O phrys fusca 487.02.2013 O phrys garganica 48

11.02.2013 O phrys incubacea 4720.02.2013 O phrys tenthredinifera 4020.02.2013 O phrys incubacea 1022.02.2013 O rchis lactea 48 some steril seeds28.02.2013 O phrys calliantha 501.03.2013 O rchis paplionacea 48

12.03.2013 O phrys speculum 12 petri 10 cm, H 2O 2

14.03.2013 O phrys lunulata 14 petri 10 cm, H2O 2

15.03.2013 S erapias orinetalis s sp. s iciliens is (Niscemi) 14 petri 10 cm, H2O 3

19.03.2013 S erapias parviflora 16 petri 10 cm, H2O 4

20.03.2013 S erapias bergonii 16 petri 10 cm, H2O 5

21.03.2013 O rchis collina 16 petri 10 cm, H2O 6

26.03.2013 O phrys apifera 18 petri 10 cm, H2O 7

27.03.2013 O phrys oxyrrinchos 4 petri 10 cm, H2O 8

27.03.2013 B arlia robertiana 12 petri 10 cm, H2O 9

S owing diary

Ophrys speculum Serapias orientalis ssp. siciliensis

Ophrys lunulata Ophrys calliantha

Sowing - results

C ONT R OL L O S E MINE

s pec ie data s emina data controllo I data di controllo II contaminazione cont.II germinazione res tantiO phrys tenthredinifera 12.02.2013 4.04.2013 5s u49 … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 44

O phrys fus ca 14.02.2013 3.04.2013 5s u47 s cars a 42O phrys garganica 7.02.2013 3.04.2013 6s u48 germinazione 100% 42O phrys incubacea 20.02.2013 4.04.2013 1s u10 germinazione 100% 9

O phrys tenthredinifera 20.02.2013 4.04.2013 10s u40 s cars a 30O phrys incubacea 11.02.2013 4.04.2013 2s u47 germinazione 100% 45

O rchis lactea 22.02.2013 26.03.2013 4.04.2013 4s u48 4s u44 nes s una-ma s emi gonfi I&II cont. 40O phrys calliantha 28.02.2013 26.03.2013 0 s cars a-s emi privi di embrione 50O rchis palionacea 1.03.2013 4.04.2013 3s u48 ottima 45O phrys s peculum 12.03.2013 17.04.2013 0 iniziale 12O phrys lunulata 14.03.2013 11.04.2013 3s u14 ottima 11

S erapias orinetalis s s p. s ic iliens is (Nis cemi) 15.03.2013 11.04.2013 17.04.2013 5s u14 0 buona 9S erapias parvifloraS erapias bergonii

O rchis collinaO phrys apifera

O phrys oxyrrinchos B arlia robertiana

The next step

Conclusions • In situ conservation is well supported by this study (precise

localization, knowledge of the consistence of populations) • Pollination do not always occur (it must be helped in order to

obtain a lot of capsules) • Ex situ conservation • High rate of seed germinations by in vitro asymbiotic

techniques • Growth rate very slow (probably more than three years to obtain plants for reintroductions)

SO, WE ARE LOOKING FOR NEW FINANCIAL SUPPORTTO CONTINUE THE PROJECT!

A special thanks to:

Renata Turco (field data collection)

Roberto Lo Turco (GIS cartography )

Dipartimento Regionale Azienda Foreste Demaniali

Office of Siracusa (financial and logistic support)

All the photos of orchids were shooted in the Vendicari Reserve

Thank you for your attention !

References: Bartolo, G., Pulvirenti, S., 1997.- Ophrys calliantha (Orchidaceae): una nuova specie dalla Sicilia. Cesiana 9, 41-47. Brullo C, Minissale P, Sciandrello S, Spampinato G (2011). Phytogeographic survey on the endemic vascular flora of the Hyblaean territory (SE Sicily, Italy). Acta Botanica Gallica, vol. 158 (4), 617-631. . Brullo S., Fagotto F., Marcenò C., 1980 - Carta della vegetazione di Vendicari. C.N.R. AQ/1/38. Cataldo D, Galesi R, Minissale P (2012). In situ and ex situ conservation of Orchidaceae of the natural oriented reserve "Oasi Faunistica di Vendicari" (south-east Sicily). In: 107° Congresso della Società Botanica Italiana Benevento, 18-22 Settembre 2012 Galesi R., Lorenz R., 2010. Le Orchidaceae della Riserva Naturale orientata Oasi Faunistica di Vendicari (Sicilia Sud-orientale). J. Eur. Orch. 42(1):149-166. Minissale P, Sciandrello S (2010). Flora e vegetazione terrestre della Riserva Naturale di Vendicari (Sicilia sud-orientale). In: PETRALIA A.. Atti del convegno "L'area protetta di Vendicari" - 25-26 ottobre 2008. p. 131-194, NOTO:ENTE FAUNA SICILIANA Pierce S., Ceriani R.M., Villa M., Cerabolini B., 2006. Quantifying relative extinction risks and targeting intervention for the Orchid Flora of a Natural Park in the European Prealps. Conservation Biology, 20, 1804-1810. Pierce S., Ferrario A., Cerabolini B., 2010. Outbreeding and asymbiotic germination in the conservation of the endangered Italian endemic orchid Ophrys benacensis. Plant Biosystems 144(1)121-127 .