Changes in the abundance of Danish orchids over the past 30 years

TY - JOUR

T1 - Changes in the abundance of Danish orchids over the past 30 years

AU - Damgaard, Christian

AU - Moeslund, Jesper Erenskjold

AU - Wind, Peter

PY - 2020/6/1

Y1 - 2020/6/1

N2 - Orchid abundance data collected over the past 30 years (1987-2016) from 440 sites within the National Orchid Monitoring Program were analyzed to quantify the population trends of orchids in Denmark, and the underlying reasons for the observed population trends were analyzed and discussed. Of the 45 monitored Danish orchids, 20 showed a significant decrease in abundance over the past 30 years (16, if only orchids with at least 50 observations each were selected), thus corroborating the previous observations of declining orchid abundances at the European scale. Generally, there was a significant negative effect of overgrowing with tall-growing herbs and shrubs on the abundance of Danish orchids, mainly caused by change of farming practices, as extensive management, such as grazing or mowing of light-open grassland areas, has decreased.

AB - Orchid abundance data collected over the past 30 years (1987-2016) from 440 sites within the National Orchid Monitoring Program were analyzed to quantify the population trends of orchids in Denmark, and the underlying reasons for the observed population trends were analyzed and discussed. Of the 45 monitored Danish orchids, 20 showed a significant decrease in abundance over the past 30 years (16, if only orchids with at least 50 observations each were selected), thus corroborating the previous observations of declining orchid abundances at the European scale. Generally, there was a significant negative effect of overgrowing with tall-growing herbs and shrubs on the abundance of Danish orchids, mainly caused by change of farming practices, as extensive management, such as grazing or mowing of light-open grassland areas, has decreased.

KW - Citizen science

KW - Danish orchid database

KW - Danish orchid species

KW - Danish red list

KW - Farming practice

KW - National orchid monitoring program

KW - Orchid monitoring

KW - Plant abundance

KW - Plant diversity

KW - Population size

KW - Population trend

KW - Pressures on orchid sites

KW - Vegetation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85087498955&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/d12060244

DO - 10.3390/d12060244

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1424-2818

VL - 12

JO - Diversity

JF - Diversity

IS - 6

M1 - 244

ER -