Roystonea oleracea(Arecaceae) communities in Venezuela

Abstract

In Venezuela, Roystonea oleracea commonly forms communities in flooded and swampy areas on fertile soils mainly in the northern portion of the Orinoco river basin. The density of R. oleracea varies across its range from dominating the canopy to being rare. Communities dominated by R. oleracea are distributed across the country from the east (Sucre and Monagas States) to the south-west (Barinas State). In the western-central region the Roystonea community is mainly present along the Tocuyo, Yaracuy and Aroa river basins. In all most cases, R. oleracea is found with other palms such as Bactris major var. major, trees including Tabebuia rosea, Ficus spp., Spondias mombin, Triplaris americana, Hura crepitans or herbs (e.g. Heliconia spp.). In the western part of its range, it is found with another set of species, including Anacardium excelsum, Hirtella spp. and the large palm Attalea butyracea; in the eastern parts of its range it is found with the climbing palm Desmoncus horridus subsp. horridus and the tree Virola surinamensis and the mangroves Rhizophora racemosa and Avicennia germinans in estuarine environments of the Orinoco Delta. Human intervention in these communities has been intense due to agriculture involving clearing for sugar cane and orange plantations, hunting and extraction of young parrots (Psittacidae) from nests for the pet trade. These activities have endangered the survival and conservation of R. oleracea forests, which have been greatly reduced across the country.