DIVERSITY OF ORCHIDS (Orchidaceae) IN COFFEE PRODUCTION AGROECOSYSTEMS

Abstract

Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) cultivation requires environmental conditions like those found in the cloud forest, and therefore, this agroecosystem has fragmented the forest in large part of its geographic distribution. The coffee plantations managed under conditions of shade maintain conditions that have allowed the refuge and existence of great diversity, among them orchids. In this article, we present a compilation of some studies about the importance of the coffee production agroecosystems and their role in the conservation of orchids based on the species inventory and population data. At the end, the opportunities for colonization and/or recolonization of epiphytes, in general, is mentioned, where orchids are included in an important manner