conservation strategy mapping: terrestrial orchids

Species and Habitat Management

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

Species and Habitat Management

The Warburg Reserve, Oxfordshire

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

A heterogeneous mosaic of rich and diverse habitats –

BBOWT’s Flagship Reserve – SSSI.

265 acres (about 100 hectares).

Originally SSSI listed due to orchid diversity and abundance – 19 species have been recorded.

Also important for several other animal and plant species.

Species and Habitat Management

The Warburg Reserve, Oxfordshire

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

A heterogeneous mosaic of rich and diverse habitats –

Species and Habitat Management

Orchids at the Warburg Reserve, Oxfordshire

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

Bee Orchid – Ophrys apifera

Species and Habitat Management

Orchids at the Warburg Reserve, Oxfordshire

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

Broad-Leaved Helleborine – Epipactis helleborine

Species and Habitat Management

Orchids at the Warburg Reserve, Oxfordshire

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

Fly Orchid – Ophrys insectifera

Species and Habitat Management

Orchids at the Warburg Reserve, Oxfordshire

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

Military Orchid – Orchis militaris

Species and Habitat Management

Orchids at the Warburg Reserve, Oxfordshire

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

Pyramidal Orchid – Anacamptis pyramidalis

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

Warburg has unique collection of historical orchid data.• Hand drawn maps traced from OS Map.• Individual plants mapped for each species each year – 1988 to 2001.• 29 maps for 1993 orchid survey data.

All 29 maps scanned, georeferenced and rectified.

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

Locations of orchids digitised using a 2m x 2m grid

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

23

2005237

10

1993

91014

7

1208

818 26

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

1990 1995 2000 2005

Year

Num

ber o

f PYR

Flo

wer

Spi

kes

Species and Habitat Management

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid OccurrencePyramidal Orchid Study

Warburg has unique collection of historical orchid data.

This complete 10 year data set allowed for population trends to be determined.

Species and Habitat Management

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid OccurrencePyramidal Orchid Study

Design of the Study -AIM – To determine the habitat determinants of orchid dispersion.

If you look up pyramidal orchid habitat in a book it says –

“…dry, well drained grassland on chalk, limestone or other calcium rich soils…”

There are places where this is accurate and others where it is not.

SO…If you want to conserve them how do you know what to do?

Species and Habitat Management

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid OccurrencePyramidal Orchid Study

Design of the Study -AIM – To determine the habitat determinants of orchid dispersion.

Broad habitat type Soil Type

Aspect Footpath associations

Slope Light Levels - Spring

Soil pH Light Levels – Summer

I wanted to examine what other factors were effecting orchid dispersion.

• So I designed a method that used GIS and CART to find out.

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

HabitatSoil TypeAspectFootpathsSlopeSoil pHLight SpringLight Summer

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

HabitatSoil TypeAspectFootpathsSlopeSoil pHLight SpringLight Summer

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

HabitatSoil TypeAspectFootpathsSlopeSoil pHLight SpringLight Summer

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

HabitatSoil TypeAspectFootpathsSlopeSoil pHLight SpringLight Summer

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

HabitatSoil TypeAspectFootpathsSlopeSoil pHLight SpringLight Summer

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

HabitatSoil TypeAspectFootpathsSlopeSoil pHLight SpringLight Summer

3

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

HabitatSoil TypeAspectFootpathsSlopeSoil pHLight SpringLight Summer

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

HabitatSoil TypeAspectFootpathsSlopeSoil pHLight SpringLight Summer

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

HabitatSoil TypeAspectFootpathsSlopeSoil pHLight SpringLight Summer

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

HabitatSoil TypeAspectFootpathsSlopeSoil pHLight SpringLight Summer

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

HabitatSoil TypeAspectFootpathsSlopeSoil pHLight SpringLight Summer

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

HabitatSoil TypeAspectFootpathsSlopeSoil pHLight SpringLight Summer

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

HabitatSoil TypeAspectFootpathsSlopeSoil pHLight SpringLight Summer

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

HabitatSoil TypeAspectFootpathsSlopeSoil pHLight SpringLight Summer

4597patches

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

HabitatSoil TypeAspectFootpathsSlopeSoil pHLight SpringLight Summer

Orchid data combined with habitat variables

2085 Pyramidal orchid positive patches

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

HabitatSoil TypeAspectFootpathsSlopeSoil pHLight SpringLight Summer

Classification and Regression Tree Analysis

Classification and Regression Tree Analysis

Rules for terminal node 2

IFHABITAT = A 2.1.0. Scrub - Dense

B 2.2.0. Neutral Grassland B 3.1.0. Calcareous Grassland

AND SLOPE <= 5.5

ANDLIGHT JUNE > 3.5

THEN PYR = Present

Rules for terminal node 5

IFCANOPY = Open

ANDHABITAT = A 1.1.1. Broadleaved Woodland

ANDSOIL TYPE = 2

THEN PYR = Present

Rules for terminal node 5

IFCANOPY = Open

ANDHABITAT = A 1.1.1. Broadleaved Woodland

ANDSOIL TYPE = 2

THEN PYR = Present

Rules for terminal node 7

IFBUFFERDIST = 5

ANDSOIL TYPE = 1

ANDHABITAT = A 1.1.1. Broadleaved Woodland

A 1.3.1. Mixed WoodlandA 2.2.0. Scrub - Scattered

THEN PYR = Present

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

CART analysis also scores the importance of the variables…

Creating a Conservation Strategy Map Key variables used to create map of optimum habitat. Variables weighted according to importance scores derived from model.

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

Creating a Conservation Strategy Map Key variables used to create map of optimum habitat. Variables weighted according to importance scores derived from model.

Species and Habitat Management

Pyramidal Orchid Study

Using GIS to Examine the Key Determinants of British Native Orchid Occurrence

Colony growth after changed management

Colony growth after changed managementColony growth

after changed management

No prospect of colonisation –possible site for translocation

Colony growth after changed management

The End…