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The Biology of Yadon's Piperia: Implications for Conservation and Management Alison Graff The Biology of Yado The Biology of Ya don’s n’s Piperia iperia Funding provided by: Implications for Species Conservation and Management United S ited States Fish ates Fish and Wildlife S and Wildlife Service rvice Vent ntur ura Fiel a Field Offic Office Diane Steeck, Heidi Crowell, Connie Rutherford Sally Childs (SC) John Game SC Yado don’ n’s pip iperia ia ( Pipe peria ria yadon donii ii ) Ov Overview : erview : � Life cycle � Reproductive biology � Pollination ecology � Breeding system � Seed ecology Adapted from: Morgan and Ronald Coleman (RC) RC Ackerman 1990 Life fe cycle of Y of Yadon adon’s ’s pipe peria ria: A perenn A pe rennia ial ge l geophyte ophyte gro grow ing ing fr from a a tube ber SC Nov-Dec January March June-Aug Aug-Sept SC Adapted from: Wells and Cox, in Pritchard 1989 Coastal Training Program Yadon's Piperia Recovery Workshop Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve January 27, 2005 1

The Biology of Yadon's Piperia: Implications for Conservation and Management Alison Graff A yea A year in in the life the life of Yadon of Yadon’s piperia eria Wha What’s a tu tuber to ber to do? do? � Not all tubers leaf out every year. Dorman Dormancy! cy! � In similar species, tubers can remain dormant for 1 to 4 years before re-emerging (Rasmussen 1995) . � The proportion of tubers that remain dormant each SC year can be assumed to fluctuate, but we don’t February-March know how much. � Not all tubers that leaf out in a given year will flower. � Estimates in several populations have shown that 0.4% to 22% of individuals that leaf out will also SC SC SC flower in any given year. It can fluctuate wildly. June-July July-August August-September April-June Which Wh ich nu numbers mbers w ou w ould you you cho choose ose In In any g any give ven yea n year a a tu tuber can ber can do do for a popu fo r a populatio lation estimate? estimate? one of fou one four th thing ings # of tubers below ground and invisible = true population size. Tubers # vegetative plants = unknown Leaves # individuals % of true population size # flowering plants ~ 0.4% to 22% of vegetative plants. Plants that leafed out but did not flower are invisible at this time. Flowers All year Jan- Mar June-Aug N = 130 N = 100 N = 2 Die Remain Leaf out, Leaf out Hypothetical population dormant but not flower and flower Adapted from: Wells and Cox, in Pritchard 1989 Estima Estimates tes of popu of popula lation size tion size and and Which Wh ich distribution stribution is most accu is most accurate? rate? trends – moving trends oving beyo beyond co nd counts unts of of vegetative or vegetative or flo flow erin ering in g individua viduals ls All year January - March June - August � Mark-rec Mark-recapture methods apture methods – estimating population size and trends using methods designed for animals. Relies on estimating dormancy rates. � Limitation: Need to mark individuals and this has proven difficult for Yadon’s piperia due to high density. More effort should be made in this regard. Very time-consuming. # tubers below # vegetative plants = # flowering plants ~ ground and invisible unknown % of true 0.4% to 22% of = “true” population population size vegetative plants size � Prese Presence/a nce/absenc bsence – using frequency analysis to assess trends, but not population size. N = 130 N = 100 N = 2 Coastal Training Program Yadon's Piperia Recovery Workshop Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve January 27, 2005 2

The Biology of Yadon's Piperia: Implications for Conservation and Management Alison Graff Li Life cy e cycl cle: e: What abou Wha about t seed seedlings? lings? Implic Imp lication ations fo s for conse r conserva vatio tion and manage manageme ment nt � Orchid seeds germinate and develop into protocorms which remain underground for years 1. Estimating population size, trends, and (often 2 – 4) before developing into tubers that distribution becomes a real challenge! sprout leaves (Rasmussen and Whigham 1998; Wells 1980) . � Monitoring for population size and distribution � Seeds are short-lived – no seed bank. will take 1 year: identify during flowering, go back following year to estimate vegetative individuals and map distribution. � A more realistic estimate of population size Protocorm and can only be arrived at over a number of years rhizoids of repeat censusing of vegetative plants. � Presence/absence or mark-recapture methods may be able to identify population trends. Pollina Po llinators and s and p plan ant t conse conserva vation tion Rep eproduc ductive Bio tive Biolog ogy of y of Yado don’ n’s pip iperia ia � If an endangered plant species depends on pollen transfer by an animal for reproduction, healthy populations of that animal(s) need to be managed for. � Pollination ecology � Breeding system � It becomes very important to know if a plant depends � Seed ecology on a specialized or rare pollinator for reproduction. Orchids are renowned for pollinator specialization. � Is low pollinator service limiting reproductive output? If so, why is pollinator service low? Floral vi Fl al visito sitors of s of Yado don’ n’s piperia eria Po Pollina llination on syndrome syndrome of Y of Yadon adon’s ’s piperi pi ria Predominantly night-fl ght-flying, short-tongue ing, short-tongued d moths moths (Pyralidae, Geometridae, Noctuidae, Pterophoridae) that are Phalae halaenophil nophily = moth pollination syndrome: most active between 9:00pm - 12:00am. Flowers pale-colored 14 spp. total, 2 remain unidentified. Flower spurred, spur collects nectar 9 spp. known to be common or very common, 5 no information. Flowers become fragrant at dusk 6 spp. carrying pollen – 4 of these very common, 2 no information. Piperia yadonii flower Udea Agrotis Hydriomena Nomophila profundalis* ipsilon* nubilofasciata nearctica RC Adapted from: Morgan and * = found carrying orchid pollen Ackerman 1990 From Powell and Hogue 1979 Coastal Training Program Yadon's Piperia Recovery Workshop Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve January 27, 2005 3

The Biology of Yadon's Piperia: Implications for Conservation and Management Alison Graff Other Ot r fl flor oral visit al visitors of of Yadon’ on’s Moth th lar larval h al host pl t plan ants ts piperi pi ria Generali Generalists: ts: *Agrotis ipsilon : generalists on low growing succulent plants, crop pest. Mosquitoes Mo squitoes – one found carrying pollen. *Udea profundalis : generalists on soft-leaved herbs and shrubs, crop pest. Bumblebee Bumb lebees ( Bombus spp.) – rarely observed (2), but Nomophila nearctica : low-growing plants, mostly grasses, clover. one found carrying pollen. May be important pollinators Special pecialists: ists: in some populations. Prochoerodes truxaliata : Baccharis pilularis, may be a generalist. *Elpiste marcescaria : Baccharis pilularis . *Drepanulatrix baueraria : Ceanothus (probably C. thyrsiflorus ). Hydriomena nubilofasciata : Quercus agrifolia . *Pyrausta perrubralis : probably a mint (Lamiaceae). * = found carrying orchid pollen From Powell and Hogue 1979 and pers. comm. Jerry Powell. Pollination bi Pollinati n biol ology: ogy: Pollina Po llination mechan mechanism ism Implic Imp lication ations fo s for conse r conserva vatio tion and manage manageme ment nt 1. Pollinators are required for reproduction, so managing for pollinators is important. 2. Floral visitors observed carrying pollen belong to multiple species and most are common and w/o Adapted from: Ackerman 1977 Piperia sp. pollinarium: special needs. So management should not be too two per flower difficult. � No pesticides close to piperia, maintain local floristic Adapted from: Morgan and Ackerman 1990 diversity (alternative nectar sources for adults and host Piperia yadonii flower Adapted from: Carling & Catling 1991 plants for larvae). Moth 3. Maintentance of large populations of flowering individuals is advisable in order to attract pollinators. Breedin ing sy g system em Breeding Breed ing syste system – – Why do do w e w e ca care? re? Breeding system = mating strategy. Does Yadon’s Say you have a species with a mixed mating strategy piperia produce seeds by self pollination, outcross that predominantly outcrosses. If selfing rate pollination, or a combination of the two? increases, that species might be vulnerable to inbreeding depression. Selfi Se lfing: pollen flows between or within flowers on the same plant Outcro rossi ssing: pollen flows between flowers on different In Inbreeding breeding = mating with self or between close plants relatives. In Inbreeding breeding depressio depression = lower reproductive Mixed mat ed mating ng: a plant can success and/or survivorship of offspring due to outcross and self inbreeding. Coastal Training Program Yadon's Piperia Recovery Workshop Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve January 27, 2005 4