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CONSERVATION OF THE ENDEMIC OPHRYS GRAVINENSIS (ORCHIDACEAE) IN ITS LOCUS CLASSICUS (ALTA MURGIA NATIONAL PARK, ITALY)
F. D'Alonzo, M. Biagioli*
The Italian Research Group on the Orchids of Europe, Italy *e-mail: biagiolimauro50@gmail.com
The Alta Murgia National Park is in the central part of the Apulia Region (South Italy), in the highest territory of the Murgia plateau, a karst landscape with dry grasslands and oak or coniferous woods. In these habitats the occurrence of Orchidaceae is plentiful, as a number of both species and plants. This area has been explored for years, and continues to be methodically so, by one of the Authors (F.D.). The most important result of his searches was the discovery of a new endemic orchid species, Ophrys gravinensis, described by F.D. in 2015. Some populations of this new species were found, but the largest is that placed in its locus classicus (one hundred plants), along the edge of a forest track. In May 2017, being the plants in full bloom, this population was completely mown, due to the "cleaning" of the road sides for fire risk prevention. A real in-situ conservation action was immediately carried out by F.D., trying to make the responsibles aware of high environmental value of these plants, and suggesting to proceed with mowning by postponing it to the end of their flowering period (late May - early June). So it happened in the following years, and now the consistency of this rich population is still confirmed with a hundred plants, blooming every year.
Key words: Alta Murgia National Park, Apulia, Ophrys gravinensis, Orchid conservation in-situ, South Italy.
Introduction
The Alta Murgia National Park was established with Decree nr. 152 of the President of the Italian Republic 10.3.2004 (G.U. 1 July 2004). The Alta Murgia National Park covers an area of km2 677 in the central part of the Apulia Region (Puglia, in italian), in the Metropolitan City of Bari and in the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani (Fig. 1). Coordinates of the Alta Murgia National Park the following extreme limits: North (41.156110° N, 273 m a.s.l., 40.780800° N, 427 m a.s.l.; 16.072552° E, 401 m a.s.l., 16.761284° E, 446 m a.s.l.).
The Park lies in the highest part of the Murgia plateau, called Alta Murgia (i.e. High Murgia). Its landscape is an evocative sequence of highlands, rocky outcrops, dolines and sinkholes, karst caves, escarpments and gorges («gravine»). The heights are hilly (the highest points touche ab. 680 m a.s.l.), the climate is less arid than in the lower and coastal Apulia, often cold in winter, with average temperatures in the 1-6 °C range; in summer, they rise up to 30 °C. The average rainfall is one of the highest in Apulia (annual average 950 mm). For more informations, visit its website (Parco Alta Murgia 2020).
Fig. 1. Geographical position of the Alta Murgia National Park in Apulia and of this Region in Italy (in the box). From https://www.paesaggiopuglia.it/pptr/scenario-strategico.html (with modifications).
The dominating vegetal landscape consists of extensive dry pasture grasslands, residual oak woods and coniferous plants. In these habitats the occurrence of Orchidaceae is plentiful, as a number of both species and plants. From 2004 to 2013 one of the Authors (F.D.) listed 60 orchid taxa within the Park and its immediate vicinity (D'Alonzo, 2013). But in the following years, thanks to continuous explorations carried out by F.D., the number of new taxa (especially of hybrids, also new ones) has greatly increased (GIROS Indici, 2020).
The open clearings in the woods and the edges of the forest tracks (Fig. 2) represent an ideal habitat for several orchid populations. Right here, an apulian orchid endemism was recently described: Ophrys gravinensis D'Alonzo 2015 (Fig. 3). This little orchid had been observed occasionally by F.D. since 2009, but only in 2013 he found a large population (one hundred plants) along a dirt road, around the large doline called «Pulicchio» (Fig. 4), in the territory of Gravina in Puglia, the headquarters of the Park (D'Alonzo, 2015).
Several other orchid plants occur here along with it (total of 20 taxa), confirming the high biodiversity value of this site: Anacamptis coriophora subsp. fragrans, A. papilionacea; Neotinea ustulata; Ophrys bertolonii, O. crabronifera subsp. biscutella, O. exaltata subsp. mateolana, O. fusca subsp. lucana, O. holosericea subsp. apulica, O. holosericea subsp. parvimaculata, O. incubacea, O. lutea subsp. sicula (e/o subsp. corsica), O. passionis subsp. garganica, O. promontorii, O. sipontensis, O. sphegodes s.l., O. tenthredinifera subsp. neglecta; Serapias lingua, S. vomeracea.
Fig. 2. Locus classicus of Ophrys gravinensis Fig. 3. Flower of Ophrys gravinensis (Alta (Alta Murgia National Park) (photo F. Murgia National Park) (photo F. D'Alonzo, D'Alonzo, 30.04.2016). 23.04.2016).
Fig. 4. The large karst sinkhole (doline) «Pulicchio», in the territory of Gravina di Puglia (Alta Murgia National Park) (photo F. D'Alonzo, 31.07.2016).
Threats and in-situ conservation action
Many orchidologists came there, even before 2015, from Italy and abroad, with the aim of seeing and taking pictures of Ophrys gravinensis. But during
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an excursion in May 2017, we realized that all the plants had been cut off, just in the moment of full bloom for several of them (May is precisely the month of maximum flowering for this new species, but for many others). The «cleaning» of the road edges, applied in 2017 for the first time, had been made at the disposal of the competent forestry authorities (ARIF) in order to prevent the risk of fire, by cutting the herbaceous vegetation with manual means before the beginning of the period of risk of forest fires (usually in June).
It was clear that this operation, periodically repeated, might seriously endanger the existence of several plants and in particular of this orchid endemism, since in the long run it hinders their dissemination and hence reproduction. It was necessary to intervene promptly, and so F.D. tried to make the ARIF Manager aware of high environmental value of these plants, not to be confused with the weeds to be eliminated with mowing. He suggested proceeding with this operation by postponing it to the end of the flowering period, when the fertile ovaries are enlarged and the seeds, now ripe, are ready to be dispersed in the surrounding environments.
In essence, a real in-situ conservation action was carried out by F.D. And, with our great satisfaction, things went on as promised. The workers' teams start mowing the grass along the roads not before late May or early June, when the flowering period of almost all orchid is over, thus guaranteeing them a regular reproduction cycle every year.
So, as a result, the subsequent monitoring found that the population of Ophrys gravinensis at Pulicchio (locus classicus) remained fairly stable, constantly occurring with one hundred plants each year. Meanwhile, thanks to continuous searches of F.D., five more sites was found where this species occurs in the territory, each of them with about twenty flowering plants. Therefore, the population of O. gravinensis at Pulicchio is still the largest of all those found so far.
In conclusion, dangerous environmental situations or damages in the flora, due to mismanagement by public subjects are always possible. Nevertheless, we are convinced that it is due, in most cases, not to indifference or unwillingness, but to the lack of knowledge and correct information about nature and sustainability. In the case of private companies or individuals, it is more difficult for us to intervene. Anyway, it is up to us to raise awareness those in charge on such situations, and we have to say that most of the time their response is very positive, at least in cases where public subjects (owners or managers of green management) are involved.
References
D'Alonzo F. 2013. Le orchidee della Murgia barese e materana // GIROS Notizie. Vol. 54. P. 24-37.
D'Alonzo F. 2015. Ophrys gravinensis, nuova specie endemica della Puglia // Orchidee Spontanee d'Europa. Vol. 58(1). P. 98-106.
GIROS Indici. 2020. Available from: http://www.giros.it/giros.html. «Indici di GN e OSE da 1 a 62-2».
Parco Alta Murgia. Acc. 2020. Available from: https://www.parcoaltamurgia.gov.it
СОХРАНЕНИЕ ЭНДЕМИКА OPHRYS GRAVINENSIS (ORCHIDACEAE) В ЕГО LOCUS CLASSICUS (НАЦИОНАЛЬНЫЙ ПАРК «АЛЬТА-МУРГИЯ», ИТАЛИЯ)
Ф. д'Алонзо, М. Биагиоли*
Итальянская группа по изучению орхидей Европы, Италия *e-mail: biagiolimauro50@gmail.com
Национальный парк «Альта-Мургия» в центарльной части региона Апулия (Южная Италия), в верхней части плато Мургия, представляет собой карстовый ландшафт с суходольными лугами и дубовыми и хвойными лесами. В этих местообитаниях, наряду с общим разнообразием растением, наблюдается высокое разнообразие орхидных. Эта территория исследовалась многие годы и исследования продолжаются со стороны первого автора (В.д'А). Наиболее важный результат настоящего исследования - это изучение нового эндемичного вида орхидей, Ophrys gravinensis, описанного в 2015 г. д.' Алонзо. Некоторые популяции этого вида были обнаружены, но наиболее крупная была отмечена в locus classicus этого вида (сотня экземпляров), будучи расположенной на обочине лесной дороги. В мае 2017 г находясь в состоянии цветения, вся популяция была полностью скошена в связи с установкой очистки обочин дорог в связи с противодействием опасности лесных пожаров. Действительная in-situ акция была незамедлительно проведена д' Алонзо, пытаясь довести до сведения ответственных лиц высокую экологическую ценность Ophrys gravinensis и предлагая приступать к покосу только после окончания периода цветения растения (конец мая - начало июня). Эта установка была соблюдена в последующие годы, и в настоящее время последовательность этой обширной популяции все еще подтверждается сотнями растений, цветущих каждый год.
Ключевые слова: Ophrys gravinensis, Апулия, национальный парк «Альта-Мургия», сохранение орхидей in-situ, Южная Италия.
