4. Conclusions

The Maxent program is a useful tool for predicting potential distribution of species, not only for orchids. Based on the results of this study, the most important factors for both studied species were types of vegetation cover of land (consolidated layer of ecosystems; KVES), the amount of arable land in the buffer zone of 250 m from particular orchid species (op\_buff), and habitat heterogeneity (KVES\_var).

Our results are very important and helpful in determination of new, yet unknown, localities of Dactylorhiza majalis and Platanthera bifolia, the endangered species of the flora of the Czech Republic. Without potential distribution maps, targeted searching of new localities, it would be only a random choice of orchid hunters. These results will help people interested in orchid flora and their conservation to focus only on certain areas with the highest probability of occurrence of the selected species.

Basically, this work should serve as tool for better conservation of orchids and clear the way for understanding of important factors determining their distribution in the Czech Republic.
