Chamaedorea Elegans Research Articles

Resilience to chronic defoliation in a dioecious understorey tropical rain forest palm

Summary1. Perennial plants often endure chronic loss of leaf area due to recurrent physical damage, herbivory and, for species used as non‐timber forest products, due to leaf harvesting. However, little is known about functional and demographic resilience (extent and speed of recovery) of plants subjected to varying levels of chronic defoliation.2. We used a dioecious, understorey palm (Chamaedorea elegans) to evaluate temporal trajectories and rates of recovery of leaf functional traits and vital rates (survival, growth and reproduction) after being subjected to experimental chronic defoliation regimes.3. Pristine populations of mature C. elegans, categorized by gender (male and female), were subjected to five defoliation levels (0%, 33%, 50%, 66% or 100% of newly produced leaves) every 6 months over a period of 3 years (1997–2000). To evaluate recovery from defoliation, surviving palms were monitored for 3 years after the cessation of the defoliation treatment (2000–2003). We recorded leaf functional traits (leaf persistence, leaf production rate, leaf size and leaf area) and annual rates of mortality, growth and reproduction.4. Cumulative effects of chronic defoliation concomitantly reduced leaf traits, survival, growth and reproduction, and this effect was stronger in female than in male palms, independent of plant size. Recovery from defoliation was faster in males than in females, but proceeded gradually overall. Survival increased first, followed by growth, while reproductive traits showed the slowest recovery rate. Recovery was independent of plant size. Notably, 3 years after defoliation treatment, the standing leaf area and probability of reproduction had not recovered to pre‐defoliation levels. Additionally, we found that the occurrence of a severe drought in the first year (2000) after defoliation ceased led to decreased survival, growth and reproduction and the ability of plants to recover from defoliation.5. Synthesis. Chronic defoliation reduces fitness components of C. elegans palms differentially between genders. Recovery is gradual and is slower and less complete in females compared with males. The lower level of resilience to chronic defoliation shown by female plants may have profound consequences for the dynamics and genetic variability of populations of tropical understorey plants undergoing prolonged defoliation. Such effects may be aggravated by severe drought episodes that are expected to increase in frequency according to global climate change predictions.

DNA methylation in tissues of Chamaedorea elegans

DNA methylation plays a crucial role in regulating plant development and tissue differentiation. In this study, we compared the methylation levels in leaf, root, and stem in Chamaedorea elegans by using the technique of methylation-sensitive amplified fragment length polymorphism AFLP. Over 19% (42/220) bases were uniformly methylated in these tissues. The percentages of polymorphism resulting from varied methylation in mature leaf (L1), young leaf (L2), baby leaf (L3), stem (S), young root (R1) and lignified root (R2) were 29.5%, 29.0%, 27.1%, 30.7%, 63.0% and 28.3%, respectively. The numbers of polymorphic loci detected in the leaves of three developmental stages were similar, ranging from 20 to 30. In contrast, roots at the two developmental stages differed greatly, with 145 polymorphic loci detected in R1 and 27 in R2. Our results suggest that the methylation level in leaves slightly increases with aging, while that in roots decreases dramatically with aging.

Purification Effect of Constructed Wetland on TN and TP Removal from Eutrophic Wastewater

Acorus gramineus Soland., Canna chineresisw, Calla palustris., Rhododendron simsii, Aspidistra elatior and Chamaedorea elegans, were rooted in 0.3m media. The media were composed of 0.15m gravel and 0.15m mixture of sand and soil, and the volume proportion of sand and soil was 2:1. The plants were grown in six 0.5x1.0m concrete ponds that were filled with a further 0.3m of effluent from an oxidation ditch operated in a sequential batch mode, treating eutrophic wastewater from a university. The water was sampled daily for total N and total P and retained for seven days. A control pond devoid of plants was not included. The levels of total P and total N declined to a maximum of 60-77.6% of initial for total P and 86.7-98% for total N within four days. Since levels stayed constant for total N but rose for total P, four day retention would minimize amounts of these nutrients leaving the ponds. The conclusion can be gotten through analysis that the plant’s absorb isn’t the main cause of total N and total P remove for constructed wetland, but there are some effect by the plant adaptability, so in the design process of eutrophic wastewater treatment, plants could be chosen on their aesthetic merits to enhance the wetland system’s sight effect. And the hydraulic residence is better inside 4 days in the surface constructed wetland design process. The mechanisms involved in nutrient decline were not investigated.

Compound leaf development in the palmChamaedorea elegansis KNOX‐independent

How a leaf acquires its shape is a major and largely unresolved question in plant biology. This problem is particularly complex in the case of compound leaves, where the leaf blade is subdivided into leaflets. In many eudicots with compound leaves, class I KNOTTED1-LIKE HOMEOBOX (KNOX) genes are upregulated in the leaf primordium and promote leaflet initiation, while KNOX genes are restricted to the shoot apical meristem in simple-leaved plants. In monocots, however, little is known about the extent of KNOX contribution to compound leaf development, and we aimed to address this issue in the palm Chamaedorea elegans. We investigated the accumulation pattern of KNOX proteins in shoot apical meristems and leaf primordia of the palm C. elegans using immunolocalization experiments. KNOX proteins accumulated in vegetative and inflorescence apical meristems and in the subtending stem tissue, but not in the plicated regions of the leaf primordia. These plicated areas form during primary morphogenesis and are the only meristematic tissue in the developing primordium. In addition, KNOX proteins did not accumulate in any region of the developing leaf during secondary morphogenesis, when leaflets separate to create the final pinnately compound leaf. The compound leaf character in palms, C. elegans in particular and likely other pinnately compound palms, does not depend on the activities of KNOX proteins.

Sensitivity of Potted Foliage Plant Genotypes to Ethylene and 1-Methylcyclopropene

Exposure to 0.1, 1.0, or 10 μL·L−1 ethylene for 4 days at 21 °C reduced the display life of 17 commonly traded potted foliage plant genotypes (Aglaonema ‘Mary Ann’, Anthurium scherzerianum ‘Red Hot’ and ‘White Gemini’, Aphelandra squarrosa ‘Dania’, Chlorophytum comosum ‘Hawaiian’, Codiaeum variegatum pictum ‘Petra’, Dieffenbachia maculata ‘Carina’, Dracaena marginata ‘Bicolor’ and ‘Magenta’, Euphorbia milii ‘Gaia’, Euphorbia splendens ‘Short and Sweet’, Ficus benjamina, Polyscias fruticosa ‘Castor’, Radermachera sinica ‘China Doll’, Schefflera elegantissima ‘Gemini’, Schefflera arboricola ‘Gold Capella’, Spathiphyllum ‘Ty's Pride’). Ethylene treatment hastened leaf and bract abscission or senescence. The responsiveness of plants to ethylene varied considerably; six genotypes were sensitive to 0.1 μL·L−1 ethylene, whereas three genotypes required exposure to 10 μL·L−1 ethylene to trigger visible injury. Four genotypes (Asplenium nidus, Chamaedorea elegans ‘Neathe Bella’, Hedera helix ‘Chicago’, Syngonium podophyllum ‘White Butterfly’) included in our study were insensitive to ethylene. Treating Aglaonema ‘Mary Ann’, Polyscias fruticosa ‘Castor’, and Schefflera arboricola ‘Gold Capella’ plants with 0.9 μL·L−1 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP, provided as EthylBloc™), a gaseous ethylene-binding inhibitor, for 4 to 5 h at 21 °C reduced the deleterious effects of ethylene. The release of 1-MCP from two sachets containing EthylBloc™ into a single shipping box also protected Aphelandra squarrosa ‘Dania’, Euphorbia milii ‘Gaia’, Polyscias fruticosa ‘Elegans’, and Schefflera arboricola ‘Gold Capella’ plants from ethylene injury after simulated transport. Our data reveal the genetic variation in ethylene sensitivity among potted foliage plants and highlight genotypes that benefit from 1-MCP treatment.

Responses of a translocated howler monkey Alouatta palliata group to new environmental conditions

ESR Endangered Species Research Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsSpecials ESR 12:25-30 (2010) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00287 Contribution to the Theme Section 'Responses of animals to habitat alteration' Responses of a translocated howler monkey Alouatta palliata group to new environmental conditions Aralisa Shedden-González*, Ernesto Rodríguez-Luna Centro de Investigaciones Tropicales, Universidad Veracruzana, Exhacienda Lucas Martín, Calle Araucarias s/n, Col. Periodistas C.P. 91019 Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico *Email: rod_araz@yahoo.com ABSTRACT: Considering the drastic changes in primate habitats, we must search for management strategies to maintain primate populations in the wild. In the present study, a group of howler monkeys Alouatta palliata was followed after being translocated to a 90 ha tropical forest used for understory palm Chamaedorea elegans cultivation. The group’s behavior was recorded in the new environment. There was no evidence of behavioral alterations due to the different habitat conditions, the translocation process or the palm cultivation activities at the release site. These results indicate that reintroduction, even to fragments used for cultivation purposes, is a viable conservation approach for howler monkey conservation in the Los Tuxtlas region of Mexico. KEY WORDS: Adaptive responses · Alouatta palliata · Conservation · Mexico · Reintroduction Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Shedden-González A, Rodríguez-Luna E (2010) Responses of a translocated howler monkey Alouatta palliata group to new environmental conditions. Endang Species Res 12:25-30. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00287Export citation Mail this link - Contents Mailing Lists - RSS Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in ESR Vol. 12, No. 1. Online publication date: June 04, 2010 Print ISSN: 1863-5407; Online ISSN: 1613-4796 Copyright © 2010 Inter-Research.

Defoliation and ENSO effects on vital rates of an understorey tropical rain forest palm

Summary 1. Rain forest understorey plants suffer leaf area losses due to natural causes or when leaves are harvested as non-timber forest products. The negative effects of defoliation on plant fitness can be exacerbated during periods with strong water shortage and high temperatures, typical during ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation) years in Mexico and Central America. At present, the iso- lated and combined demographic effects of ENSO events and repeated defoliation on tropical rain forest plants are poorly understood. 2. We studied the consequences of repeated defoliation and an ENSO event on vital rates (mortal- ity, growth, and reproduction) of the dioecious understorey palm Chamaedorea elegans .F rom March 1997 to March 2000 (including the 1998 ENSO year), we subjected 814 mature individuals to one of five defoliation treatments (0-100% of newly produced leaves were removed twice a year), recording mortality, growth (leaf production) and reproduction (inflorescence and seed production) every 6 months. 3. Increasing defoliation strongly reduced reproduction but had smaller effects on growth and mor- tality. Among non-defoliated palms, the probability of mortality increased with light availability, likely due to drought stress during the dry season, but this was not the case for the defoliated plants, probably because leaf area removal lowered transpiration and increased the root mass-to-leaf area ratio. During the ENSO year, growth and inflorescence production were stimulated, but survivor- ship and seed production diminished significantly, independent of defoliation level. 4. Synthesis. Variation in light availability and the occurrence of severe droughts can strongly affect demographic behaviour of understorey plants such as C. elegans, significantly influencing the effects of defoliation. Thus, strong episodic disturbance events (such as ENSO, insect outbreaks, strong storms, fires and landslides) should be taken into account to adequately understand the mechanisms that determine the population dynamics of forest plants and the potential for sustainable utilization of non-timber forest products.

Datos bionómicos y descripción de los inmaduros de Calyptocephala gerstaeckeri Boheman (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), plaga de la palma aceitera (Elaeis guineensis J.) y de la palma camedor (Chamaedorea elegans Mart.) (Arecaceae) en Tabasco, México

Characters of the external morphology of egg, larval instars and pupae of Calyptocephala gerstaeckeri Boheman, insect pest of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis J.) and camedor palm (Chamaedorea elegans Mart.) in the State of Tabasco, Mexico, are described and illustrated. Some bionomics data are also presented. The specie was reared in the laboratory on young oil palm plants.

Abscission‐Like Leaflet Separation in Chamaedorea seifrizii (Arecaceae)

In monocots, the ability to form compound leaves is restricted to a few families. In the palm family Arecaceae, compound leaves develop through leaflet separation by an abscission‐like process. The purpose of this study was to compare this process in Chamaedorea seifrizii with that previously described in Chamaedorea elegans, putting the emphasis on the separation of an initially simple lamina into individual leaflets. Although the overall sequence of events forming pinnate leaves in these two palms is similar, the timing of events differs strikingly and has implications for late developmental processes. In both species, leaflet separation occurs through formation of separation sites, schizogeny at these sites, mechanical rupture, and deposition of protective substances. Early separation in C. seifrizii results in differentiation of ground meristem cells, exposed to the leaf surface by schizogeny, as epidermal cells. Although a few of the separation site cells do not reach full mature epidermal cell size,...

PERMANENT GENETIC RESOURCES: Development of microsatellite markers of the Mexican understorey palm Chamaedorea elegans, cross‐species genotyping, and amplification in congeners

With striking morphological diversity and adaptability, Chamaedorea palms constitute an ecologically and economically important understorey component of Neotropical forests. Nine loci developed for Chamaedorea elegans evaluated in three Veracruz populations resulted in a large number of alleles (8-18), and high expected heterozygosity (0.49-0.92), but low observed (0.27-0.65) heterozygosity. Deviations from Hardy-Weinberg and high inbreeding suggest a lack of panmixia. Eight loci optimized for Chamaedorea ernesti-augustii showed similar patterns of variation. All nine multiplexing loci amplified in other five congeneric species, which will facilitate comparisons within the genus and contribute to the conservation of its genetic resources.

The Role of Abscission during Leaflet Separation inChamaedorea elegans(Arecaceae)

Leaf development in the palm family (Arecaceae) is unique and unlike any observed in other angiosperms. The objectives of this study were to follow leaf ontogeny in Chamaedorea elegans and to determine whether abscission plays a role in leaflet separation. Although previous studies indicated that abscission may be a mechanism by which leaflets separate, details of the process are lacking. The results of our ontogenetic study show that leaflet separation in C. elegans occurs in three steps that act together to produce the mature leaflets of a pinnate leaf. Young palm leaf primordia that have a hood‐shaped appearance develop plications at an early stage of development through differential growth. The plications then separate and develop into leaflets through, first, schizogeny in the direction of the abaxial ridge, which allows for the second step, mechanical rupture, to take place. The cells at the fully separated leaflet margins show the deposition of protective properties as the third step, before mechan...

Effect of Leaf Harvesting on the Demography of the Tropical Palm Chamaedorea elegans in South-Eastern Mexico

We report the results of a two-year demographic study in which natural populations of Chamaedorea elegans were subject to harvesting twice a year, four times a year, and no harvesting. Projection matrix analyses indicated that population growth rate (λ) was above unity (although not significantly so) in all cases. The lowest λ values (1.03 and 1.04, for 1997-98 and 1998-99, respectively) were obtained in the high intensity defoliation plot. As harvesting intensity increased, fecundity decreased as a result of low fruit production. Leaf production was highest in the plot where defoliation was carried out twice a year (intermediate intensity).

POTENTIAL GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF PARLOR PALM (Chamaedorea elegans Mart.) IN THE STATE OF VERACRUZ , MÉXICO

Chamaedorea elegans Mart. is a species that belongs to the Palmae family, which has been collected and cultivated in Mexico with ornamental aim. Because of the economic importance that this species has in the Veracruz State, it was planned to identify the environmental factors that influence its geographical distribution with the purpose of supporting the planning of its cultivation and conservation. The relationships between the geographical distribution of C. elegans and selected environmental variables were studied using generalized lineal models of binomial type. The statistical analysis indicate that of the seven selected variables, the mean annual temperature, the mean annual precipitation, the surface drainage and the landform influence its distribution (P£0.05). Considering the variables that had statistical significance and by means of the geographical information system “Bioclimas” it was determined that the potential distribution of this species covers 72 % of the surface of the Veracruz State.

DEFOLIATION AND GROWTH IN AN UNDERSTORY PALM: QUANTIFYING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF COMPENSATORY RESPONSES

We analyzed to what extent and by what mechanisms plants of the tropical understory palm Chamaedorea elegans are able to mitigate the negative effects of defoliation on performance (i.e., plant size, total growth, leaf lamina growth, and reproduction) and how this is related to light availability. For this purpose we developed a new approach that allowed us to quantify the performance of defoliated plants relative not only to the performance of undamaged plants, but also relative to the estimated performance of hypothetical defoliated plants that do not exhibit any mechanisms of compensatory growth. The latter provides a way to quantify the adaptive value of compensation with reference to a hypothetical noncompensating alternative state. C. elegans plants were grown in a greenhouse at two light levels (5% and 16% of natural daylight) and subjected to five defoliation treatments (a control and four levels of defoliation). Defoliation was repeated every three months. Growth analysis revealed that defoliated...

RESPONSE OF Chamaedorea elegans Mart. TO PREGERMINATION TREATMENTS

In Mexico, overexploitation and disturbance of the natural habitat of parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans Mart.) imply a high risk of extinction for this species. This collection resource confronts serious problems in its sexual propagation because of its seed persistent dormancy, making it necessary to generate knowledge to warrant conservation and sustainable production of parlor palm. In the present study we evaluated the effects of different treatments for increasing physiological seed quality and accelerate germination, which included different concentration and immersion periods in hydrogen peroxide solutions (H2O2), different concentrations of giberellic acid (GA3); mechanical scarification and two temperature levels (25 and 30 °C) during germination. Results indicated that seed immersion in solutions of GA3 at 2,000 mg·liter-1 for 24 h, en previously scarified seed, increased viability and germination from 3 to 25 and from 4 to 7 % respectively. When environment temperature was 30 °C and the seed was previously immersed in H2O2 and GA3 solutions, viability and germination reached values of 26 to 31 and 15 to 16 %, respectively.

A new method of growth analysis for plants that experience periodic losses of leaf mass

Summary A new method (the iterative approach) is presented by which growth analyses can be conducted on plants that have been subjected to significant losses in biomass and leaf area between harvests. The method is particularly useful to analyse the effects of defoliation on growth and biomass allocation. Values for the following parameters can be estimated: absolute growth rate (g day−1), relative growth rate (RGR, g g−1 day−1), net assimilation rate (NAR, g m−2 day−1), leaf area ratio (LAR, m2 g−1), fraction of newly assimilated mass that is allocated to leaf lamina production (flam, g g−1), and daily fractional change in the average specific leaf area of plants (ρ, day−1). These parameters are determined by means of iterations. We defined a number of growth functions, and the values of NAR, flam and the SLA of newly produced leaves were changed until these functions correctly predicted the measured total plant mass, leaf lamina mass and leaf area at the end of the growth period. This avoids having to assume a constant relationship between leaf area and biomass (as in the ‘classical’ approach), and it avoids the use of polynomial functions to fit growth data (as in the ‘functional’ approach) that are unsuitable for fitting data sets exhibiting discontinuities such as abrupt changes in biomass. The method was applied to a greenhouse experiment in which we analysed the effects of sustained defoliation on growth and biomass allocation in a tropical understorey palm, Chamaedorea elegans Mart. We showed that C. elegans plants respond to defoliation with a considerable increase in the allocation of new assimilates to lamina growth (flam) and that, despite the repeated loss of leaf area and associated reductions in LAR, they had RGR values that were similar to those of undamaged plants.

Canopy‐level photosynthetic compensation after defoliation in a tropical understorey palm

Abstract1. Increases in photosynthesis of leaves remaining after defoliation may result from shifts in leaf photosynthetic characteristics or from an improved light penetration in the canopy. However, few studies have tried to estimate the relative contribution of these factors to mitigating the negative effects of defoliation. We present a quantitative framework for such an analysis.2. In a field and greenhouse experiment, plants of the rain forest understorey palm Chamaedorea elegans were subjected to three levels of defoliation (0, 50 or 66% of leaves removed) and, in the greenhouse, grown at two irradiances (5 or 16% of daylight, ‘low light’ and ‘high light’ hereafter). For each plant, leaf photosynthesis and light penetration in the canopy were measured and these data were used to calculate whole‐canopy carbon gain.3. Defoliation significantly increased the light available to the remaining leaves. In the field and in the ‘high‐light’ greenhouse plants, defoliation also resulted in an increase in the light‐saturated photosynthesis per unit leaf area (Pmax), although in the ‘low‐light’ plants this was not the case.4. A sensitivity analysis revealed that in the ‘low‐light’ plants, a proportional increase in leaf Pmax did not result in increased canopy‐level carbon gain, while in the ‘high‐light’ and field plants, it did. This suggests that the lack of plasticity in Pmax in response to defoliation, at low light, may be the appropriate pattern to maximize carbon gain.5. Defoliated plants had 10–18% more average photosynthesis per unit leaf area (Parea) than the control plants, and this increase was mostly the result of an improved light penetration in the canopy.6. A relatively small fraction (5–30%) of the total estimated loss in canopy carbon gain caused by the removal of leaves was compensated for by an increase in Parea. This suggests that in rain forest understorey plants, an increase in diurnal photosynthesis of remaining leaves has limited potential for mitigating the negative effects of defoliation.

Irradiance Level and Fertilizer Rate Affect Acclimatization of Chamaedorea elegans Mart.

The effect of irradiance and fertilizer level on the acclimatization of Chamaedorea elegans Mart. was studied. Chamaedorea elegans was grown for 4 months in 1.6-liter pots under 162, 306, or 564 μmol·m–2·s–1 and fertilized weekly with 20N–4.7P–16.6K soluble fertilizer at 220, 440, or 880 mg/pot. At the end of the production period, plants were moved to interior rooms and maintained for 2 months at 20 μmol·m–2·s–1 for 12 h daily at 21 ± 1C and a relative humidity of 50% ± 5%. At the end of the production phase, the light compensation point (LCP) and the concentration of nonstructural carbohydrates were lower, and chlorophyll concentration was higher the lower the irradiance level. Increasing fertilizer concentration decreased the number of fronds, LCP, and nonstructural carbohydrates. After 2 months in the interior environment, LCP and number of fronds of C. elegans did not differ among treatments. Chlorophyll concentration of plants grown under 564 μmol·m–2·s–1 had increased 61%, while starch in the stem had decreased 43% relative to the concentration found at the end of the production period. In C. elegans grown under 306 μmol·m–2·s–1, stem starch depletion was only 13% during the interior evaluation period. These results indicated that C. elegans grown under the highest irradiance level used reserved carbohydrates in the interior environment while adjusting to low light and producing new leaves. Chamaedorea elegans was best acclimatized at the intermediate irradiance and medium fertilizer concentration.

THE EFFECTS OF LIGHT INTENSITY AND FERTILIZER RATE ON THE ACCLIMATIZATION POTENTIAL OF CHAMAEDOREA ELEGANS

Effects of three light intensities (564, 306 and 162 μmol m-2 s-1) and three fertilizer rates (220, 440 and 880 mg/15 cm pot, weekly) were evaluated on acclimatization potential of Chamaedorea elegans. Treatments were applied during four months under greenhouse conditions after which plants were placed indoors (20 μmol m-2 s-1, 21±2C and 50% RH) for two months. Light compensation point (LCP) was significantly reduced by decreasing light intensity and increasing fertilizer rates. Leaf and root fresh and dry weights increased with irradiance while shoots were not affected. Chlorophyll a levels were higher in plants grown under the lowest light intensity. Carbohydrate content is being analyzed and anatomical examination of leaves studied. Plant performance indoors will be discussed. These studies demonstrate that Chamaedorea, a monocot, acclimatizes similarly to dicots.

Leachate Electrical Conductivity and pH for Ten Foliage Plants

Abstract Most foliage plant varieties tested produce salable plants when fertilized with a wide range of rates. About 5 grams 19N-2.6P-10K (19-6-12) per 15 cm pot per 3 months resulted in best Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’, Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Compacta’, and Philodendron s. oxycardium. No more than 2.4 grams per pot appears best for Chamaedorea elegans. Aglaonema ‘Silver Queen’, Aphelandra squarrosa ‘Dania’, Codiaeum variegatum ‘Banana’, Spathiphyllum ‘Petite’, Dieffenbachia maculata ‘Camille’ and Epipremnum aureum ‘Marble Queen’ grew best at about 10 grams per pot per 3 mos. Only P. s. oxycardium and C. elegans had a narrow requirement for fertilization levels. Electrical conductivity (EC) of leachate obtained from pots of best quality plants had a very wide range indicating leachate EC is a poor indicator for production of quality plants.