Synthesis of wild orchid trade and demography provides new insight on conservation strategies
Abstract Illegal wildlife trade represents a global conservation priority, but the booming illegal trade in wild plants remains understudied. We use the Mexican orchid trade to illustrate an interdisciplinary approach to provide novel insight on conservation strategies and policies. We synthesize st...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2020-03-01
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| Series: | Conservation Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12697 |
| _version_ | 1811216402208522240 |
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| author | Tamara Ticktin Demetria Mondragón Leonel Lopez‐Toledo Daniela Dutra‐Elliott Ernesto Aguirre‐León Mariana Hernández‐Apolinar |
| author_facet | Tamara Ticktin Demetria Mondragón Leonel Lopez‐Toledo Daniela Dutra‐Elliott Ernesto Aguirre‐León Mariana Hernández‐Apolinar |
| author_sort | Tamara Ticktin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Illegal wildlife trade represents a global conservation priority, but the booming illegal trade in wild plants remains understudied. We use the Mexican orchid trade to illustrate an interdisciplinary approach to provide novel insight on conservation strategies and policies. We synthesize studies of orchid markets, national orchid confiscation records, CITES registers, and global population dynamics studies to document trade patterns and potential ecological impacts. We found 333 wild‐harvested orchid taxa illegally traded in domestic markets. Clear patterns emerged: 90% were epiphytic and <4% traded in high volumes, all of which had pseudobulbs and bloomed during cultural festivals. Most sales were pseudobulbs, not whole plants. Review of demographic studies indicates whole‐plant harvest is unviable but simulations show potential for sustainable harvest of pseudobulbs. The combination of social and ecological findings suggests a novel multipronged approach to improve conservation, including selective monitoring, enforcement focused on whole‐plant harvest, and community‐based wild harvest of pseudobulbs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T06:37:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-db72c2d5cb7d4a23944e73a1e0c735a2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1755-263X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T06:37:23Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Conservation Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-db72c2d5cb7d4a23944e73a1e0c735a22022-12-22T03:43:49ZengWileyConservation Letters1755-263X2020-03-01132n/an/a10.1111/conl.12697Synthesis of wild orchid trade and demography provides new insight on conservation strategiesTamara Ticktin0Demetria Mondragón1Leonel Lopez‐Toledo2Daniela Dutra‐Elliott3Ernesto Aguirre‐León4Mariana Hernández‐Apolinar5Botany Department University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Honolulu HawaiiCIIDIR‐Oaxaca Instituto Politécnico Nacional Oaxaca MexicoInstituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos Naturales Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo Morelia MexicoMath and Sciences University of Hawai‘i Leeward Pearl City HawaiiAsociación Mexicana de Orquideología Mexico City MexicoDepartamento de Ecologia y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Mexico City MexicoAbstract Illegal wildlife trade represents a global conservation priority, but the booming illegal trade in wild plants remains understudied. We use the Mexican orchid trade to illustrate an interdisciplinary approach to provide novel insight on conservation strategies and policies. We synthesize studies of orchid markets, national orchid confiscation records, CITES registers, and global population dynamics studies to document trade patterns and potential ecological impacts. We found 333 wild‐harvested orchid taxa illegally traded in domestic markets. Clear patterns emerged: 90% were epiphytic and <4% traded in high volumes, all of which had pseudobulbs and bloomed during cultural festivals. Most sales were pseudobulbs, not whole plants. Review of demographic studies indicates whole‐plant harvest is unviable but simulations show potential for sustainable harvest of pseudobulbs. The combination of social and ecological findings suggests a novel multipronged approach to improve conservation, including selective monitoring, enforcement focused on whole‐plant harvest, and community‐based wild harvest of pseudobulbs.https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12697conservation policyillegal wildlife tradematrix modelsMexicoorchidssocial–ecological systems |
| spellingShingle | Tamara Ticktin Demetria Mondragón Leonel Lopez‐Toledo Daniela Dutra‐Elliott Ernesto Aguirre‐León Mariana Hernández‐Apolinar Synthesis of wild orchid trade and demography provides new insight on conservation strategies Conservation Letters conservation policy illegal wildlife trade matrix models Mexico orchids social–ecological systems |
| title | Synthesis of wild orchid trade and demography provides new insight on conservation strategies |
| title_full | Synthesis of wild orchid trade and demography provides new insight on conservation strategies |
| title_fullStr | Synthesis of wild orchid trade and demography provides new insight on conservation strategies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Synthesis of wild orchid trade and demography provides new insight on conservation strategies |
| title_short | Synthesis of wild orchid trade and demography provides new insight on conservation strategies |
| title_sort | synthesis of wild orchid trade and demography provides new insight on conservation strategies |
| topic | conservation policy illegal wildlife trade matrix models Mexico orchids social–ecological systems |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12697 |
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