Impact of Ecological Factors on the Distribution of Vanilla siamensis Rolfe ex Downie (Orchidaceae: Vanilloideae) in Tropical Forest at Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Sanctuary, Chantaburi, Thailand

Vinan Vince Chaipanich; David L. Roberts; Sasitorn Hasin

Authors

Vinan Vince Chaipanich Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, Marlowe building, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NR, UK
David L. Roberts Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, Marlowe building, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NR, UK
Sasitorn Hasin Innovation of Environmental Management, College of Innovative Management, Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University Under the Royal Patronage, Pathum Thani, 13180, Thailand

Keywords:

orchid, host specificity, epiphyte, natural forest

Abstract

Some species of the pantropical orchid genus Vanilla are widely used in a variety of industries, including food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, tobacco and traditional crafts. Vanilla siamensis Rolfe ex Downie is a leafy vine endemic to Thailand. Ecological factors affecting the distribution of V. siamensis are still unknown. This study aims to examine the distribution of V. siamensis in natural conditions as well as to investigate the impact of environmental factors on its distribution in forest ecosystems. In order to achieve the proposed objectives, a study was conducted in a tropical moist forest at Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Sanctuary. The plant community and environmental factors where V. siamensis occurs were assessed in two study sites. At each site, two plots (10 m×50 m) were set up near waterfalls (NWA) and in adjacent forest areas (AFA). A total of 66 species of woody plants were recorded in the study plots. Higher values for importance value index (IV) were found for Pterygota alata (Roxb.) R.BR., Diospyros defectrix H.R. Fletcher, Strombosia ceylanica Gardner, Alchornea rugosa (Lour.) Mull. Arg., and Diospyros transitoria Bakh. The highest number of tree species, number of individuals, Shannon diversity index and evenness were found at the NWA compared to the AFA. A total of 19 woody plant species act as support trees of V. siamensis in the plant families Malvaceae, Annonaceae and Achariaceae. The results showed that V. siamensis might possible well adapted in the NWA study zone which contained a higher level of soil moisture content compared to the AFA. All results revealed that the distribution of V. siamensis in the study areas could be impacted by tree hosts. All tree host species have a larger diameter at breast height and thicker and softer bark when compared with non-tree hosts.

References

Bergstrom, B.J. and Carter, R. 2008. Hosttree Selection by an Epiphytic Orchid, Epidendrum magnoliae Muhl. (Green Fly Orchid), in an Inland Hardwood Hammock in Georgia. SoutheasternNaturalist 7(4): 571–580.

Brown, W.H. 1920. Minor Products ofPhilippine Forests. Bureau of Forestry, Manilla.

Cameron, K. 2011a. Profiles of select Vanilla species. In: K. Cameron (ed.) Vanilla Orchids: Natural History and Cultivation, pp 41–56. Timber Press, Landon.

Cameron, K. 2011b. Vanilla plant structure. In: K. Cameron (ed.) Vanilla Orchids: Natural History and Cultivation, pp. 29–40. Timber Press, Landon.

Corbett, R.T. 1989. Frugivory and seed dispersal by vertebrates in the Oriental (Indomalayan) Region. BiologicalReviews 73: 413–448.

Corbett, R.T. 2002. Frugivory and seed dispersal in degraded tropical East Asian landscapes. In: Levey DJ, Silva WR & Galetti M (eds.). Seed Dispersal andFrugivory: Ecology, Evolution andConservation, pp. 451–466. CABI publishing, New York.

Harrison, R.D., A.A. Hamid, T. Kenta, J. Lafrankie, H.S. Lee, H. Nagamasu, T. Nakashizuka and P. Palmiotto. 2003. The diversity of hemi-epiphytic figs (Ficus; Moraceae) in a Bornean lowland rain forest. Biological Journal of theLinnean Society (78): 439–455.

Hernandez-Ruiz, J., B.E. Herrera-Cabrera, A. Delgado-Alvarado, V.M. Salazar-Rojas, Á. Bustamante-Gonzalez, J.E. Campos- Contreras and J. Ramírez-Juarez. 2016. Potential distribution and geographic characteristics of wild populations of Vanilla planifolia (Orchidaceae) Oaxaca, Mexico. Rev Biol Trop. 64(1): 235–246.

Köster, N., J. Nieder and W. Barthlott. 2011. Effect of Host Tree Traits on Epiphyte Diversity in Natural and Anthropogenic Habitats in Ecuador. Biotropica 43(6): 685–694.

Medina, J.D.L.C., G.C.R. Jiménes, H.S. García, T.L.R. Zarrabal, M.Á.G. Alvarado and V.J.R. Olvera. 2009. Vanilla: Post-harvestOperations. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Muñoz, A.A., P. Chacón, F. Pérez, E.S. Barnert and J.J. Armesto. 2003. Diversity and host tree preferences of vascular epiphytes and vines in a temperate rainforest in southern Chile. Australian Journal ofBotany 51(4): 381–391.

Nakashima Y., E. Inoue, M. Inoue-Murayama and A.B.D. Sukor, JR. 2010. Functional uniqueness of a small carnivore as seed dispersal agents: a case study of the common palm civet in the Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Sabah, Malaysia. Oecologia 164: 721–730.

Patel, A. 1996. Strangler fig–host associations in roadside and deciduous forest sites, South India. Journal of Biogeography 23: 409–414.

Pedersen, H.AE., H. Kurzweil, S. Suddee and P.J. Cribb. 2011. Flora of ThailandVol. 12 Part 1. The Forest Herbarium, Bangkok.

Wanachantararak, P. 2012. Estrogenic andosteoblast mineralization effect of Vanillasiamensis Rolfe ex Downie extract. PhD thesis. Graduate School, Chiang Mai University. 88 pp.

Wyse, S.V. and B.R. Burns. 2011. Do host bark traits influence trunk epiphyte communities? New Zealand Journal ofEcology 35 (3): 296–301.

Zimmerman, J.K. and I.C. Olmsted. 1992. Host tree utilization by vascular epiphytes in a seasonally inundated forest (Tintal) in Mexico. Biotropica 24 (3): 402–407.

Zhao, M., N. Geekiyanage, J. Xu, M.M. Khin, D.R. Nurdiana, E. Paudel et al. 2015. Structure of the Epiphyte Community in a Tropical Montane Forest in SW China. PLoS ONE 10(4): e0122210. https://doi. org/10.1371/journal.pone.01222.