Restoring a critically endangered grassland orchid by co-planting to improve pollination and selecting sites based on pollinator availability

doi:10.3389/fpls.2025.1566543

. 2025 May 23:16:1566543.

doi: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1566543. eCollection 2025.

Restoring a critically endangered grassland orchid by co-planting to improve pollination and selecting sites based on pollinator availability

Noushka Reiter^{1

2

3}, Richard Dimon^{4

5}, Björn Bohman^{6

7}, Michael Batley⁸, Alex McLachlan¹, John Woodward¹, Ryan D Phillips^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Science Division, Cranbourne, VIC, Australia.
² Department of Ecological, Plant and Animal Sciences, and Research Centre for Future Landscapes, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
³ Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
⁴ Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience, Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁵ Queensland Alliance of Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
⁶ School of Molecular Sciences, the University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.
⁷ Department of Plant Protection Biology, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lomma, Sweden.
⁸ Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

PMID: 40487223
PMCID: PMC12141344
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1566543

Restoring a critically endangered grassland orchid by co-planting to improve pollination and selecting sites based on pollinator availability

Noushka Reiter et al. Front Plant Sci. 2025.

. 2025 May 23:16:1566543.

doi: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1566543. eCollection 2025.

Authors

Noushka Reiter^{1

2

3}, Richard Dimon^{4

5}, Björn Bohman^{6

7}, Michael Batley⁸, Alex McLachlan¹, John Woodward¹, Ryan D Phillips^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Science Division, Cranbourne, VIC, Australia.
² Department of Ecological, Plant and Animal Sciences, and Research Centre for Future Landscapes, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
³ Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
⁴ Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience, Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁵ Queensland Alliance of Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
⁶ School of Molecular Sciences, the University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.
⁷ Department of Plant Protection Biology, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lomma, Sweden.
⁸ Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

PMID: 40487223
PMCID: PMC12141344
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1566543

Abstract

In many geographic regions grasslands have been heavily cleared and degraded, which represents a challenge for translocating threatened flora back into these landscapes. As most plant species require animals for pollination, pollinators are potentially a key limitation for re-establishing populations. For the Critically Endangered orchid Diuris fragrantissima, we identify the pollinator(s), survey for pollinators at candidate translocation sites, test if remnant size affects bee species richness, and test if pollination rates can be enhanced through co-planting with rewarding plant species. We found that D. fragrantissima is visited by ten species of bee but is only effectively pollinated by two native species, Lipotriches (Austronomia) sp. (Halictidae) and Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) orbatum (Halictidae), and the introduced honeybee Apis mellifera (Apidae). Interestingly, A. mellifera was responsible for the greatest number of pollinia removals and depositions. Pollinators of D. fragrantissima were not detected at some candidate translocation sites, with bee species richness and overall abundance significantly increasing with grassland remnant size. The pollination of D. fragrantissima was significantly enhanced through the presence of Wahlenbergia stricta (Campanulaceae) within 30 cm of plants, but not Arthropodium strictum (Asparagaceae) or Dianella reflexa (Asphodelaceae). We recommend that prior to conservation translocations of Diuris that pollinator surveys are undertaken, with preference given to larger grassland remnants. Apis mellifera may serve to buffer D. fragrantissima against loss of native pollinators from remnant grassland but could have adverse effects on other native species. We show that co-planting with rewarding species may be an effective approach for improving pollination success of threatened orchids.

Keywords: APIs; Diuris; bee; conservation; orchid; pollinator; reproduction; restoration.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The handling editor declared a past co-authorship with the authors RP, NR.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Map of study sites. Black square = the only remaining natural site (which has been supplemented) of *D. fragrantissima*. Black star = translocation sites of *D. fragrantissima*. Black circles= potential translocation sites of *D. fragrantissima*.

**Figure 2**
Species used to test if the addition of co-flowering species increases pollination in *Diuris fragrantissima*., **(A)** *Dianella reflexa* **(B)** *Wahlenbergia stricta*, **(C)** *Arthropodium strictum*, **(D)** the flower of *D. fragrantissima* (P = petal, D = dorsal sepal, L = labellum, LS = Lateral sepals) **(E)** inflorescence of D. *fragrantissima*.

**Figure 3**
Floral visitors and pollinators of *Diuris fragrantissima* **(A)**: *Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) willsi* collecting pollen and **(B)** dislodging pollen onto the stigma; **(C)** *Lipotriches* (*Austronomia*) sp. entering D. *fragrantissima* flower contacting column and **(D)** *Apis mellifera* with pollinia on head.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

1. Ackerman J. D. (1981). Pollination biology of Calypso bulbosa var. occidentals (Orchidaceae): a food-deception system. Madroño 28, 101–110.
1. Ackerman J. D., Phillips R. D., Tremblay R. L., Karreman A., Reiter N., Peter C. I., et al. . (2023). Beyond the various contrivances by which orchids are pollinated, global patterns in orchid pollination biology. Botanical J. Linn. Soc. 202, 295–324. doi: 10.1093/botlinnean/boac082 - DOI
1. Andrade B. O., Bonilha C. L., de Abreu Ferreira P. M., Boldrini I. I., Overbeck G. E. (2016). Highland grasslands at the southern tip of the Atlantic Forest biome: management options and conservation challenges. Oecologia Australis 20, 37–61. doi: 10.4257/oeco.2016.2002.04 - DOI
1. Archer S. R., Davies K. W., Fulbright T. E., McDaniel K. C., Wilcox B. P., Predick K. I., et al. . (2011). “Brush management as a rangeland conservation strategy: a critical evaluation,” in Conservation benefits of rangeland practices: assessment, recommendations, and knowledge gaps. Ed. Briske D. D. (US Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC: ), 105–170.
1. Austrheim G., Gunilla E., Olsson A., Grøntvedt E. (1999). Land-use impact on plant communities in semi-natural sub-alpine grasslands of Budalen, central Norway. Biol. Conserv. 87, 369–379. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3207(98)00071-8 - DOI

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[1] Ackerman J. D. (1981). Pollination biology of Calypso bulbosa var. occidentals (Orchidaceae): a food-deception system. Madroño 28, 101–110.

[2] Ackerman J. D. (1981). Pollination biology of Calypso bulbosa var. occidentals (Orchidaceae): a food-deception system. Madroño 28, 101–110.

[3] Ackerman J. D., Phillips R. D., Tremblay R. L., Karreman A., Reiter N., Peter C. I., et al. . (2023). Beyond the various contrivances by which orchids are pollinated, global patterns in orchid pollination biology. Botanical J. Linn. Soc. 202, 295–324. doi: 10.1093/botlinnean/boac082 - DOI

[4] Ackerman J. D., Phillips R. D., Tremblay R. L., Karreman A., Reiter N., Peter C. I., et al. . (2023). Beyond the various contrivances by which orchids are pollinated, global patterns in orchid pollination biology. Botanical J. Linn. Soc. 202, 295–324. doi: 10.1093/botlinnean/boac082 - DOI

[5] Andrade B. O., Bonilha C. L., de Abreu Ferreira P. M., Boldrini I. I., Overbeck G. E. (2016). Highland grasslands at the southern tip of the Atlantic Forest biome: management options and conservation challenges. Oecologia Australis 20, 37–61. doi: 10.4257/oeco.2016.2002.04 - DOI

[6] Andrade B. O., Bonilha C. L., de Abreu Ferreira P. M., Boldrini I. I., Overbeck G. E. (2016). Highland grasslands at the southern tip of the Atlantic Forest biome: management options and conservation challenges. Oecologia Australis 20, 37–61. doi: 10.4257/oeco.2016.2002.04 - DOI

[7] Archer S. R., Davies K. W., Fulbright T. E., McDaniel K. C., Wilcox B. P., Predick K. I., et al. . (2011). “Brush management as a rangeland conservation strategy: a critical evaluation,” in Conservation benefits of rangeland practices: assessment, recommendations, and knowledge gaps. Ed. Briske D. D. (US Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC: ), 105–170.

[8] Archer S. R., Davies K. W., Fulbright T. E., McDaniel K. C., Wilcox B. P., Predick K. I., et al. . (2011). “Brush management as a rangeland conservation strategy: a critical evaluation,” in Conservation benefits of rangeland practices: assessment, recommendations, and knowledge gaps. Ed. Briske D. D. (US Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC: ), 105–170.

[9] Austrheim G., Gunilla E., Olsson A., Grøntvedt E. (1999). Land-use impact on plant communities in semi-natural sub-alpine grasslands of Budalen, central Norway. Biol. Conserv. 87, 369–379. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3207(98)00071-8 - DOI

[10] Austrheim G., Gunilla E., Olsson A., Grøntvedt E. (1999). Land-use impact on plant communities in semi-natural sub-alpine grasslands of Budalen, central Norway. Biol. Conserv. 87, 369–379. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3207(98)00071-8 - DOI

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Restoring a critically endangered grassland orchid by co-planting to improve pollination and selecting sites based on pollinator availability

Affiliations

Restoring a critically endangered grassland orchid by co-planting to improve pollination and selecting sites based on pollinator availability

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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