An assessment of the conservation status of Restrepia (Orchidaceae) reveals the threatened status of the genus

Abstract

Background: The genus Restrepia occurs throughout Central and South America in areas of montane forest heavily affected by deforestation. Aims: The current study was designed to test the feasibility of using available online resources to establish the threats facing these orchids and their conservation status for later inclusion in the IUCN online database. Methods: Online resources were searched for primary data on the distribution of species of Restrepia. The Geospatial Conservation Assessment Tool (GeoCAT) was used to produce semiautomated IUCN Red List assessments. Locations of populations were examined in Google Earth to establish habitat loss. A comparison of the data produced a Red List assessment for each species. Results: The observed losses of Restrepia habitat were: Venezuela 45% of recorded locations for 15 species, Colombia 28% for 30 species, Ecuador 36% for 18 species, Peru 41% for eight species, Costa Rica 81% and Panama 32% for three species. This habitat loss coincided with the route of the Pan-American Highway in these countries. Conclusions: It was possible to establish the Red List Status of Restrepia species even with minimal data. The degree of threat facing these and other epiphytic orchid genera in these habitats was shown to be considerable.