Orchid’s fate hinges on two factors: a forest's age and its fungi

Scientists from Smithsonian led by Dr Melissa McCormick have established that a forest's age and its fungi are very important factors for the growth of orchids.

Around 10 percent of all plant species are orchids. This makes them the largest plant family on Earth. 

Orchids depend solely on microscopic fungi in the early stages of their lives.  Orchid seeds germinated only where the fungi they needed were abundant. Mere presence was not enough. The fungi in turn displayed a strong preference for older forests. 

The new discovery has great conservation significance. To save endangered orchids, planting new forests may not be enough. If the forests are not old enough or do not have enough of the right fungi our efforts at restoring orchids may not come to fruition.

Journal Reference:

Melissa K. Mccormick, D. Lee Taylor, Katarina Juhaszova, Robert K. Burnett, Dennis F. Whigham, John P. O’Neill.Limitations on orchid recruitment: not a simple picture. Molecular Ecology, 2012