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Harvesting Effects and Population Ecology of the Buriti Palm (Mauritia flexuosa L. f., Arecaceae) in the Jalapão Region, Central Brazil1

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Abstract

Harvesting Effects and Population Ecology of Buriti Palm (Mauritia flexuosa L. f., Arecaceae) in the Jalapão Region, Central Brazil. Buriti palm is used for several purposes in Jalapão, Brazil, among which harvesting of young leaves has the greatest potential impact on palm populations. This work aimed to (i) assess buriti palm uses, (ii) identify experimentally the impacts of young-leaf harvesting on growth, survival, and leaf production of individuals, (iii) evaluate density and structure of buriti populations at different distances from a local harvester community, and (iv) quantify the fiber yield of young leaves. We conducted 21 interviews, sampled six buriti palm populations, and monitored 60 buriti individuals to evaluate the impacts of harvesting young leaves. The harvesting practices of artisans did not affect the survival, leaf production, or growth of buriti individuals. The buriti palm is abundant and has a “reverse J” population structure, indicating population regeneration. However, some signs of overexploitation were pointed out by local harvesters and observed in the field; therefore, we recommend management practices that would contribute to sustainability, such as harvesting young leaves from individuals with a large number of mature green leaves, and harvesting young leaves in sites far from the communities.

Abstract

Efeitos do Extrativismo e Ecologia Populacional de Buriti ( Mauritia flexuosa L. f., Arecaceae) na Região do Jalapão, Tocantins, Brasil. Buriti é usado para inúmeras finalidades no Jalapão, dentre elas, o extravismo de folhas jovens tem o maior potencial de impacto nas populações. Este trabalho teve por objetivos (i) descrever os usos do buriti, (ii) testar impactos do extrativismo de folhas jovens no crescimento, sobrevivência e produção de folhas dos individuos, (iii) caracterizar a densidade e estrutura de populações em veredas a diferentes distâncias da comunidade da Mumbuca, e (iv) quantificar a produção de fibras obtidas das folhas jovens. Fizemos 21 entrevistas com extrativistas, amostramos seis populações de buriti e monitoramos 60 indivíduos para avaliar os impactos do extrativismo. O extrativismo não afetou a sobrevivência, a produção de folhas e nem o crescimento dos indivíduos. As populações de buriti são abundantes e tem estrutura em formato de J invertido, o que facilita a regeneração. Sinais de superexploração foram identificados por artesãos e verificados em campo, por isto, recomendamos algumas práticas de manejo que podem contribuir para a sustentabilidade do extrativismo, como coletar folhas jovens de indivíduos com maior número de folhas maduras e em veredas mais distantes das comunidades.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks to Juarez Amaral, Nilton Barbosa, and J.M. Rezende and to all Mumbuca residents, especially Ronaldo, Júnior, Martina, Adelcinei, Antônia, and Paizinho. Special thanks to Tamara Ticktin, Lisa Mandle, Jeff Boutain, Alexandre Sampaio, three reviewers, and Daniel Moerman for their suggestions on the manuscript. We also thank the Plant Conservation Laboratory at Embrapa-Cenargen and NATURATINS and the State Park of Jalapão for their support and for the PPP-ECOS ISPN/GEF/PNUD grant (project BRA/04/21).

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  1. Isabel Belloni Schmidt

    Present address: IBAMA-Instituto Brasileiro de Meio Ambiente e Recursos Naturais Renováveis, SCEN Trecho 2, CEP 70.818-900, Brasília-DF, Brasil

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Botânica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Vegetal, Instituto de Biologia, CP 6109, Universidade Estadual de Campinas-UNICAMP, CEP 13.083-970, Campinas-SP, Brasil

    Maurício Bonesso Sampaio, Isabel Belloni Schmidt & Isabel Benedetti Figueiredo

  2. IBAMA-Instituto Brasileiro de Meio Ambiente e Recursos Naturais Renováveis, SCEN Trecho 2, CEP 70.818-900, Brasília-DF, Brasil

    Maurício Bonesso Sampaio

  3. Botany Department, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, 3190 Maile Way, Room 101, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA

    Isabel Belloni Schmidt

  4. Instituto Sociedade, População e Natureza, SCLN 202, Bloco B, Salas 101/104, CEP 70.832-525, Brasília-DF, Brasil

    Isabel Belloni Schmidt

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  1. Maurício Bonesso Sampaio
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Correspondence to Maurício Bonesso Sampaio.

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Sampaio, M.B., Schmidt, I.B. & Figueiredo, I.B. Harvesting Effects and Population Ecology of the Buriti Palm (Mauritia flexuosa L. f., Arecaceae) in the Jalapão Region, Central Brazil1 . Econ Bot 62, 171–181 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-008-9017-8

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