Importance Of Palms Research Articles

Twelve-year changes in palm populations from a tropical lowland forest in the Philippines

Arecaceae (Palmae) is an ecologically and economically important family characteristic of the vegetation in tropical and subtropical regions, with at least 125 species occurring in the Philippines, most of them endemics. We monitored changes in stem density, mortality and recruitment of palm populations for 12 years within a 16-ha Forest Dynamic Plot located in northern Luzon, the Philippines. We recorded a total of 4060 stems, dominated by Pinanga insignis (46%) and P. maculata (34%), followed by Caryota cumingii (19%), and a few stems (< 1%) of Orania decipiens and Areca whitfordii. Half (51%) of the initially recorded stems in the 2004 census died by the time of the 2016 census, while 1086 (36%) additional stems were recorded in the same period. Overall palm population declined with the decreasing populations of P. insignis and P. maculata due to higher mortality than recruitment during the 2004–2010 and 2010–2016 census intervals while C. cumingii population increased in the same period. Regarding topographic position, the stem density of P. maculata is higher in valleys > midslopes > ridges across censuses, higher in valleys and midslopes than ridges for C. cumingii across censuses, and higher in midslopes than valleys for P. insignis during the 2016 census only. Mortality and recruitment were weakly observed along topographic positions between species and across censuses. Our result presents how palm population may change within 12 years with population trends differing between species, indicating the importance of palms in understanding the population dynamics of plant communities in a fast-changing environment.

Palmeras usadas por los indígenas Asháninkas en la Amazonía Peruana

In this paper we present traditional knowledge and importance of palms in Ashaninka people’s life. Qualitative and quantitative description is based on 32 interviews obtained during visits in seven native communities situ- ated near by Perene and Tambo rivers in Junín department of Peru. We registered 15 species of palms used by Ashaninka people; those were classified in five categories by use: food, construction, tools, ornaments and medicaments. Species with the most diverse uses were Attalea phalerata, Bactris gasipaes, Oenocarpus bataua and Socratea exorhiza. The most useful palm parts are fruits used mainly as a food. The proximity of Asháninkas communities from Perené Valley to the cities would produce a change in the traditional way of life, where palm trees are the most important natural resources used by them. However, the traditional life, knowledge and practice in using of palms are still alive in communities of Tambo River.

RECOVERY OF BIOMASS FOLLOWING SHIFTING CULTIVATION IN DRY TROPICAL FORESTS OF THE YUCATAN

Land-use change in the tropics is creating secondary forest at an unprece- dented rate. In the tropical Americas, mature dry tropical forest is rapidly being converted to secondary forest during the fallow period of shifting cultivation. This study addresses changes in forest biomass during forest recovery following shifting cultivation of maize (corn) in the Southern Yucatan Peninsular Region (SYPR), Mexico. We sampled stems .1 cm diameter at breast height at 36 study sites in three regions located along a precipitation gradient of 900-1400 mm/yr. Using allometric equations developed in the tropical Americas, we estimated total aboveground (TAG) biomass of trees, palms, and lianas. Biomass differed little between regions when considering forests of a given age. Over the entire area, forest biomass increased rapidly during succession, from 20.9 Mg/ha in 2-5-yr-old forests to 136.4 Mg/ha in mature forests (logged in the past half century, but not cultivated). Within 12-25 yr, biomass reached half of mature forest levels, and we estimate recovery to pre- cultivation levels in 55-95 yr. Recovery to a pre-logged state may take 65-120 yr. In mature forests, the contribution of stems 1-4.9 cm dbh was consequential, comprising 15% of TAG biomass. Trends in both TAG biomass and basal area were driven by the contribution of trees, although in a few sites, the importance of palms and lianas to forest structure and biomass was considerable. Our results suggest that forest biomass in secondary dry tropical forests of the SYPR is profoundly influenced by forest age, and less so by annual precip- itation, while variability in forest structure depends more on differences in water availability and recent human disturbance.

Role of Charcoal Analysis for Interpreting Vegetation Change and Paleoclimate in the Miocene Rhine Embayment (Germany)

The potential of fossil wood and charcoal from browncoal deposits as sources of reliable paleoenvironmental information is explored with material from the Lower Rhine Embayment (Germany). The presence of charcoalified material demonstrates proof of natural wildfires in Tertiary mire environments, most probably during, or after periods of increased drainage and drying of surface vegetation and litter. The results presented suggest that sampling from charcoal layers may provide a more statistically reliable data set for study of such environments. Inclusion of taxa recovered from charcoal layers might compensate for the taphonomic and preservational bias of Tertiary lignitic floras based solely on the collection of lignitic wood. These data confirm the hypothesis that, during certain intervals of the Miocene, both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous angiosperms might have dominated or represented significant portions of the peat-forming vegetation. The importance of palms and shrubby woody taxa, such as ‘Cyrilla’, is particularly striking from new evidence of charcoalified remains. In addition, certain wood anatomical features observed from well preserved lignitic wood and charcoal may be used as indicators of environmentally modulated growth: (1) clear growth rings testify to the existence of a seasonal climate; (2) wide variations in growth ring characters indicate variable environmental conditions; and (3) high incidence of dicotyledonous taxa, with abundant small vessels and scalariform perforation plates, is interpreted as evidence of a mesic environment.

Medicinal uses of South American palms

Palms are the most versatile group of plants used by man, providing all of the basic necessities (food, shelter, fuel and fiber) as well as many ameliorants (spices, oils, waxes, gums, poisons and medicines). The importance of palms in the pharmacopoeias of South American Indians has received little attention. This paper presents the results of a literature search on the medicinal uses of South American palms and suggests that phytochemical screening of these species might result in the identification of new and useful biodynamic compounds.