Bulbophyllum ankylochele

The drivers of forest change in Papua New Guinea's forests were identified as subsistence agriculture, logging, forest fires, clearance for plantations and mine-related forest clearance (Shearman et al. 2008). Satellite imagery shows that in the area of collection for the type specimen in Auwi, Southern Highlands, forest has been lost to small scale agricultural development, a small airport and runway have been constructed and there are signs of logging activity. This area is designated as a logging concession, as is one other collection locality. No specific information was available, for the known sites for this orchid, in relation to the threat of fire, however, the likelihood of fire increases particularly in dry years and droughts associated with El Niño events. Impacts are becoming more frequent and severe and the area of Papua New Guinea's montane forests has been significantly reduced through burning (Shearman et al. 2008). Although forests may recover, in high altitude valleys there is evidence of trees being killed by fire spreading up from grasslands in the valley bottoms, which may result in permanent conversion of forest to grasslands (Filer et al. 2009) and there is a low frequency and diversity of epiphytic plants in many forests known to have been burned (Johns 1989). The impact of drought itself may also cause decline in orchid populations (E. De Vogel pers. comm. 2017). Threats to the Lorenz National Park in 2017 included illegal activities, transport infrastructure, mining and Nothofagus dieback (UNESCO 2017). Species of the genus Bulbophyllum are popular in cultivation and may be targeted by orchid collectors, particularly as improvements in air transport have allowed other orchids from remote areas, such as the Highlands of New Guinea, to reach nurseries, for example in the U.S.A. within a few days of their collection from the wild (Cribb 1983) and collection from the wild is a potential threat to this species. Online images suggest that this orchid is grown by orchid enthusiasts.

This species occurs within Lorentz National Park (Papua Province, Indonesia) where extensive forests extend into the mountains and which is noted to be a globally significant large tract of intact tropical forest (UNESCO 2017). Additional protected areas in other parts of the range would be beneficial to conserve the montane forest habitat from any ongoing and future threats. It is conserved ex situ at one site (BCGI 2017). Surveys are needed to confirm the current distribution and population status and trends and further research is needed into the life history and ecology of this species and to identify any specific threats and actions required.