Bark harvesting systems of Drimys brasiliensis Miers in the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest.

Alexandre Mariot,Maurício S Dos Reis,Adelar Mantovani

doi:10.1590/0001-3765201420130180

Abstract

Drimys brasiliensis Miers, locally known as cataia or casca-de-anta, is a native tree species of the Atlantic Rainforest. Its bark is harvested from natural populations. This study examined the recovery capacity of the bark of D. brasiliensis under different bark harvesting methods, as well as the influence of these approaches on its population dynamics and reproductive biology. While none of these treatments resulted in changes in phenological behavior or the rate of increase of diameter at breast height and tree height, the removal of wider bark strips resulted in lower rates of bark recovery and higher rates of insect attack and diseases. Accordingly, the results recommend using strips of bark 2 cm wide and 2 m long, with 4 cm between strips, for effective rates of bark regrowth and for lower susceptibility to insect attack and diseases. From these studies, we concluded that D. brasiliensis has a high potential for sustainable management of its natural populations, demonstrating the possibility of generating an important supplementary income for farmers and contributing to the use and conservation of the Atlantic Rainforest.

Highlights

The commercial use of products derived from plants is growing in the world, increasing the intensity and frequency of medicinal plant harvesting from wild habitats, despite the very limited cultivation of wild medicinal plants
The wild harvesting of medicinal plants from forest ecosystems represents an important source of income worldwide, such harvesting affects ecological processes at different levels, from individual plants, to populations, and even ecosystems (Reis et al 2003, Ticktin 2004, Shanley et al 2006)
This study examined the bark recovery capacity of Drimys brasiliensis Miers under different methodologies of bark harvesting, and the influence of these methods on its population dynamics and reproductive biology

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The commercial use of products derived from plants is growing in the world, increasing the intensity and frequency of medicinal plant harvesting from wild habitats, despite the very limited cultivation of wild medicinal plants. If the thin layer of cambium cells in the inner bark is removed during the harvest, there can be significant interruption in the transport of water and nutrients to and from the roots and leaves, as well as significant damage to the natural protection against attack by herbivores, insects, fire and fungi, since these cambium cells surround the xylem It can cause plant death, reducing the density of exploited species, and reduced seed production and gene flow, as seen in Prunus africana (Cunningham and Mbenkim 1993). The assessment of current biomass and growth indexes, as well as the natural regeneration dynamics and the number of reproductive individuals to maintain the original population structure (demographically and genetically) is essential (Reis 1996, Reis et al 2003) For this type of management a dynamic approach is necessary, based on the autoecology of each harvested species, considering the species in the forest environment (Mariot and Reis 2006). There are no sustainable criteria of this harvesting process in natural populations, which is the only source for obtaining barks for this not domesticated species

MATERIALS AND METHODS

EVALUATION OF DEMOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

47 A 59 A 80 A 88 A 46 A 68 A 80 A 90 A 48 A 67 A 70 A 77 A 50 A 67 A 76 A 80 A