Inventory of the orchid plants species in the Biosphere Reserve of Pendjari and surround areas in North West Benin

Data Records

The data in this occurrence resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 98 records.

This IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for download in the downloads section. The versions table lists other versions of the resource that have been made publicly available and allows tracking changes made to the resource over time.

Versions

The table below shows only published versions of the resource that are publicly accessible.

How to cite

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

ASSEDE E S P (2020): Inventory of the orchid plants species in the Biosphere Reserve of Pendjari and surround areas in North West Benin. v1.5. Laboratoire d’Ecologie, de Botanique et de Biologie végétale (LEB). Dataset/Occurrence. http://ipt.gbifbenin.org/resource?r=assede2&v=1.5

Rights

Researchers should respect the following rights statement:

The publisher and rights holder of this work is Laboratoire d’Ecologie, de Botanique et de Biologie végétale (LEB). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) License.

GBIF Registration

This resource has been registered with GBIF, and assigned the following GBIF UUID: dcb5f313-ff74-41d0-a276-a67e915e8207.  Laboratoire d’Ecologie, de Botanique et de Biologie végétale (LEB) publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by GBIF Benin.

Keywords

Occurrence; Orchid conservation; habitat conditions; Biosphere Reserve of Pendjari; North West of Benin

Contacts

Geographic Coverage

North West of Benin

Temporal Coverage

Sampling Methods

The vegetation map of the reserve was used to identify the three main vegetation types (savannas, woodlands and gallery forests). Both protected and unprotected areas were included in the study. In each vegetation type, points were randomly selected to serve as the starting point of a transect. In total, 65 transects of each at least 3 km long, were explored for the presence of orchid species. Three-person teams were used to intensively survey the trees and the vegetation on the ground for the presence of epiphytic and terrestrial orchids. One team member monitored the compass bearing of the transect, and the other two members scanned the vegetation for orchids. The presence of orchid species was confirmed by two team members. Sample plots were selected along the transects, based on the presence of orchid species. Rectangular plots (10 m x 50 m) were sampled in gallery forests (due to the linear shape of the gallery forests) and Square plots (30 m x 30 m) in savannas, woodlands and fallows. At least 25 plots were sampled per vegetation type, and 90 plots in total (with 52 plots in protected areas and 38 in unprotected areas). The species and number of individuals of all orchid species (terrestrial and epiphytic) and the host trees of epiphytic orchids were recorded within each plot. The dominant plant species of tree and shrub layers were recorded. Simultaneously, field data on environmental variables were collected. These included the vegetation type, vegetation cover, soil texture, and the presence of rocks or stones. Signs of human disturbance, including agriculture, grazing, tree cutting and pruning, were also collected within the plots of unprotected areas. Herbarium specimens of all recorded orchid species were prepared and identified with the National flora and at the National Herbarium of Benin Republic.

Method step description:

1. The vegetation map of the reserve was used to identify the three main vegetation types (savannas, woodlands and gallery forests). Both protected and unprotected areas were included in the study. In each vegetation type, points were randomly selected to serve as the starting point of a transect. In total, 65 transects of each at least 3 km long, were explored for the presence of orchid species. Three-person teams were used to intensively survey the trees and the vegetation on the ground for the presence of epiphytic and terrestrial orchids. One team member monitored the compass bearing of the transect, and the other two members scanned the vegetation for orchids. The presence of orchid species was confirmed by two team members. Sample plots were selected along the transects, based on the presence of orchid species. Rectangular plots (10 m x 50 m) were sampled in gallery forests (due to the linear shape of the gallery forests) and Square plots (30 m x 30 m) in savannas, woodlands and fallows. At least 25 plots were sampled per vegetation type, and 90 plots in total (with 52 plots in protected areas and 38 in unprotected areas). The species and number of individuals of all orchid species (terrestrial and epiphytic) and the host trees of epiphytic orchids were recorded within each plot. The dominant plant species of tree and shrub layers were recorded. Simultaneously, field data on environmental variables were collected. These included the vegetation type, vegetation cover, soil texture, and the presence of rocks or stones. Signs of human disturbance, including agriculture, grazing, tree cutting and pruning, were also collected within the plots of unprotected areas. Herbarium specimens of all recorded orchid species were prepared and identified with the National flora and at the National Herbarium of Benin Republic.

Bibliographic Citations

1. ASSEDE E.S.P., DJAGOUN C.A.M.S, AZIHOU F.A., GOGAN Y.S.C., KOUTON M.D., ADOMOU A.C., GELDENHUYS C.J., CHIRWA W.P., SINSIN B. 2018. Efficiency of conservation areas to protect orchid species in Benin, West Africa. South African Journal of Botanic 116: 230-237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2018.02.405 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2018.02.405
2. ASSEDE E.S.P., DJAGOUN C.A.M.S, AZIHOU F.A., KOUTON M.D., GOGAN Y.S.C., GELDENHUYS C.J., CHIRWA W.P., SINSIN B. 2017. Folk perceptions and patterns of use of orchid species in Benin, West Africa. Flora et Vegetatio Sudano-Sambesica 20: 26-36.

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