Andean orchid conservation and the role of private lands: a case study from Ecuador.

摘要

Orchids represent ca. 10% of the world's flowering plant species, and their diversity and endemism reach their maximum in the montane forests of the Andes. In Ecuador, nearly 80% of the 700 orchid species endemic to the country are found at 300-3000 m elevation. Microclimatic specialization and geographic isolation of elevational bands in montane regions have favored orchid speciation and the evolution of restricted-range species. With 75% of montane forests destroyed, and only 15% of species protected within existing reserves, fully a third of Ecuador's endemic orchid species are at risk of extinction. Private reserves in the Andes can play a major role in the conservation of orchids. After outlining existing legal mechanisms for conservation of habitat on private lands, we present a case study of the application of a conservation easement to the protection of the El Pahuma Orchid Reserve in the Ecuadorian Andes..