Abstract
Literature data and new records of members of the orchid family (Orchidaceae) in the Occupied Palestinian Territories were reviewed and updated with field data. Using data from the Palestine Museum of Natural History (PMNH), data from fellow botanists, and the Biodiversity databases (BioGIS and GBIF), the distribution patterns were analyzed with the QGIS package. Twenty-three taxa of eight genera were found in this preliminary study. For two species, no recent data from the last 20 years were available and in some cases likely declined due to human activity. Most species are from the Mediterranean phytogeographical zone, Epipactis veratrifolia Boiss. & Hohen was found in the Sudanian-Ethiopian zone (Dead Sea valley). The majority of the species found prefer semi-open shrublands (garrigue). Nine species had fewer than 20 records overall. Trends observed from the historical data, and current spatial data revealed major threats, including habitat fragmentation, urbanization, intensification of agricultural land use, afforestation and reduced precipitation due to global warming. We noted the proximity to thorny shrubs in many species indicating pressure by grazing animals during field visits. As recent data is scarce, surveys of sites where rare species have been encountered in the past are recommended, and measures to protect vulnerable populations are discussed.
Highlights
The Mediterranean region is one of the 25 global biodiversity hotspots with many endemic species (Cuttelod et al, 2009)
The distribution of Orchidaceae in these areas was studied based on collections from the Palestine Museum of Natural History (PMNH) from twelve locations (Figure 1, Table 1, localities no 9, 19, 30, 39, 46, 50, 51, 52, 55, 56, 58, 60), the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the records of Banan Alsheikh who worked as botanist in the area for more than 15 years
Twenty species and three subspecies belonging to eight genera were listed in Flora Palaestinae as occurring in historic Palestine (Danin, 2004)
Summary
The Mediterranean region is one of the 25 global biodiversity hotspots with many endemic species (Cuttelod et al, 2009). Many aspects of the Palestinian flora remain unstudied, including updating the status of many families and groups. While some orchids were studied before in Palestine (Dafni et al, 1987; Al Sheikh & Mahassneh, 2017), the most comprehensive work on the flora of the region, the “Distribution Atlas of Plants in the Flora Palaestina Area” by Danin (2004) has not included any updates in orchid distribution for the West Bank (Palestinian Occupied territories) since the previous edition from 1985. Due to the paucity of recent data, especially from many key areas, rapid changes due to urbanization, and the importance to gather data for environmental monitoring, this study aims to provide an overview of the current status of orchids in the areas of the West Bank
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