Minquartia guianensis Aubl.: use, ecology and management in forestry and agroforestry

Abstract

Minquartia guianensis grows in a range of habitats throughout the lowland neotropics. It was studied in the Peruvian Amazon from where it was widely extracted as its durable wood was appreciated in house construction. In natural flood plain forests it flowered and fruited almost annually, and abundant fruiting was observed in agroforestry trials from 6 years age onwards. Its natural regeneration occurred mainly under shade, and seedling establishment and growth in agroforestry and strip planting trials was best under partial shade. Individuals above 10 cm diameter at breast height (DBH) had low densities of 1–4 per ha in natural forests, and a height–DBH model showed a height development to 28 m. A diameter growth model fitted to data from natural forests had a peak in the current annual increment at 25 cm DBH with 4 mm per year, while the average annual increment culminated at 50 cm DBH with 3 mm per year. The point for optimal volume production was at 70 cm DBH, which was reached in 300 years. In around 11 years dominant total heights of 7 m and 8–9 cm DBH were reached in agroforestry trials on terra firme and in flood plains. The high demand for wood of M. guianensis and depletion of its natural populations stressed the need to implement adapted management systems in natural forests by enhancing plant density and growth rates, and to plant the species in agroforestry and plantations.