Western Prairie Fringed Orchid Monitoring
The western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara) is a perennial orchid native to tallgrass prairies from south-central Canada through the western central lowlands and eastern Great Plains of the United States (USFWS 1996). In 1989, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The orchid is classified as imperiled or critically imperiled in eight states (61 counties) and one Canadian province (NatureServer 2005). Approximately 90% of all extant plants in the U.S. occur in North Dakota, Minnesota, and Manitoba, Canada (USFWS 1996; Sheviak and Bowles 1986). Population size in these locales ranges from tens to thousands of plants. Most remaining populations are much smaller, however, consisting of fewer than 50 individuals (USFWS 1996). The orchid's decline is linked with prairie conversion and alteration of hydrological regimes associated with agricultural modification in the mid-continent (USFWS 1996).
Reports
Monitoring Questions and Approach
- How does the abundance and distribution of flowering individuals change over time and in relation to precipitation and fire?
- Annual census and mapping of flowering individuals.
- What percentage of the flowers on individual plants form fruits?
- From a sample of the flowering plants, count flowers and revisit the plants to count fruits and categorize their condition.
Protocol
- Young, C. C., G. D. Willson, M. D. DeBacker, L. W. Morrison, H. J. Etheridge, and J. L. Haack. 2007. Western Prairie Fringed Orchid Monitoring Protocol for Pipestone National Monument. Natural Resource Report NPS/HTLN/NRR–2007/013. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. Download protocol (NPS Only).
- Willson, G.D. 2000. Western prairie fringed orchid monitoring protocol for Pipestone National Monument. U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Missouri Field Station, Columbia, MO. 18 pp. Download protocol (NPS Only).
Reports
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Go to the Reports page
References
- Bowles, M. L. 1983. The tallgrass prairie orchids Platanthera leucophaea (Nutt) Lindl. and Cypripedium candidum Muhl. ex Willd.: some aspects of their status, biology, and ecology, and implications toward management. Natural Areas Journal 3: 14-37.
- NatureServe. 2005. NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. Version 4.2. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available http://www.natureserve.org/explorer. (Accessed: February 1, 2005).
- Sheviak, C.J. and M.L. Bowles. 1986. The prairie fringed orchids: a pollinator-isolated pair. Rhodora 88: 267-290.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1996. Platanthera praeclara (western prairie fringed orchid) recovery plan. USFWS, Ft. Snelling, MN. vi+101 pp. (PDF)
Presentations
- Ten years of western prairie fringed orchid flowering monitoring at Pipestone National Monument, MN (PPT)
- History and management of a western prairie fringed orchid population at Pipestone National Monument, MN (PPT).
- Precipitation and fire effects on western prairie fringed orchid flowering at Pipestone National Monument, MN (PPT).
Links
- Environment Canada
- Minnesota DNR: Western Prairie Fringed Orchid Conservation
- Missouri Department of Conservation
- Manitoba Conservation
- North Dakota State University: Management Considerations
- Native Orchid Conservation, Inc.: Photographs
- US Fish and Wildlife Service
- US Forest Service-Rocky Mountain Research Station: Carol Hull Sieg’s publications with links
- USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center North Dakota species profile and Wetland plants of MN and WI
- WASO NR GIS Data Store
Contact Information
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Craig Young
Botanist (417-732-6438 ext. 281)