UTILIZING GIS AND REMOTE SENSING FOR MODELING THE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF WILD ORCHID SPECIES IN PHU FAEK FOREST PARK

Abstract

Thailand's wild orchids, cherished for their beauty, face threats from habitat loss and over-collection. Urgent conservation is needed, with efforts including protected areas and sustainable practices. This study aims to model the distribution of wild orchids through the utilization of remote sensing and GIS techniques. The methodology involves comprehensive surveys of wild orchid species within Phu Faek forest park. Spatial regression analysis explores intricate relationships between wild orchid density and environmental factors such as NDWI, forest type, elevation, basin density, and aspect. The results of field surveys identified 28 orchid species with diverse distribution patterns, including dominant species like Aerides falcata Lindl. & Paxton, Aerides falcata Lindl., and Cleisostoma fuerstenbergianum F.Kranzl. The spatial regression model revealed distribution patterns, with higher density in central and north regions. The NDWI indicator, which reflects moisture content, provided additional insights into the distribution of orchids