Abstract
The diameter increments of Euterpe edulis was characterized in order to understand the influence of reproduction and forest basal area on its growth and to represent its development through polynomial models. For up to 14 years three populations were studied using permanent plots. To identify the effect of reproduction, the diameter increments of young and reproductive palms, as well as the effect of productivity on growth, were compared. To characterize the effect of basal area, subpopulations under different basal area conditions were compared, as was the effect of their evolution over time. Reproductive activity and forest basal area interfered with plant growth, being smaller in more productive plants and under more advanced successional conditions. Fifth-degree models were more suitable for ecological studies or for fruit harvesting. Quadratic models were restricted to estimates of palm heart management.
Highlights
AND OBJECTIVESEuterpe edulis (Martius) is a shade-tolerant climatic species, belonging to the family Arecaceae, with a natural occurrence in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (Klein, 1980)
Even with significant differences among populations regarding current annual increments (CAI) values, the plants presented the same pattern of growth: they started with increasing increment rates until they reached a maximum, and from this point onwards, a reduction and subsequent stabilization occurred at a growth rate close to that observed for 2 and 3 cm DBHs, lasting until the end of the individual’s life
This aspect is reinforced by the comparison of subareas located in São Pedro de Alcântara (SPA) represented in Figures 1a and 1c, mainly because they are part of the same fragment, where the sample sets are close, decreasing influences related to climate and soil conditions and highlighting the structural differences observed by Mantovani et al (2005)
Summary
AND OBJECTIVESEuterpe edulis (Martius) is a shade-tolerant climatic species, belonging to the family Arecaceae, with a natural occurrence in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (Klein, 1980). Considering the importance of this species as a supplier of non-timber forest products (palm heart and fruits), the development of sustainable management strategies that value forests through their use may be an alternative for their conservation In this perspective, E. edulis has been studied as a model for the Atlantic Forest, including demographic studies (Cappelatti & Schmitt, 2015; Portela et al, 2010), growth of individuals’ – increment (Fantini & Guries, 2007; Reis et al, 1999, 2000), natural regeneration dynamics (Muler et al, 2014; Neuburger et al, 2010), phenology (Paludo et al, 2012; Silva & Reis, 2018), seed germination (Leite et al, 2012), dispersal (Galetti et al, 2013; Silva & Reis, 2019), and population genetics (Konzen & Martins, 2017; Silva & Reis, 2010)
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