Prague, Dec 6 (CTK) – A European centrum of orchids protection will be established in the Czech Republic, Professor of Ecology Pavel Kindlmann has told CTK.
The centre to be seated in Ceske Budejovice, south Bohemia, was founded by scientists from 12 universities and academic institutes in nine European countries.
The institute will prevent the decrease in the number of orchid species that is caused by negative global changes, expanding built-up areas and intensive farming, Kindlmann said.
The centre will work in the Czech Republic under the aegis of the Czechglobe academic institute and the Faculty of Science of Charles University.
Apart from interconnecting the existing databases of the orchid localities in particular countries, each of the laboratories and research groups will specialise in a certain research area.
The European centre will also focus on teaching and an interdisciplinary research into the biology of orchids, their relations with symbiotic fungi and pollinators and their population dynamics. It will also house a seed bank.
Researchers may gain finances from European grants for the European collection of the seeds of endangered orchid species to be centred in Britain, Kindlmann added.
There are some 50 orchid species in the Czech Republic. However, there numbers have been declining as in other countries in the past decades. The negative development has slowed down since the collapse of the communist regime in 1989 since farmers use less fertilisers.
One of the most precious orchid species on Czech soil is small white orchid (Pseudorchis albida), growing in the Sumava mountains. However, its existence is threatened by construction activities near the Kvilda village.
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