The importance of individuals of different sizes in the population maintenance of a palm species used by the Fulni-ô Indigenous People in northeast Brazil
Factors such as climate, soil characteristics, habitat type, and land management practices can influence the demography of plant populations harvested by Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Here, we assessed the demographic responses of the palm Syagrus coronata to varying leaf harvest frequen...
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2025-08-01
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| author | Juliana Loureiro Almeida Campos Elcida de Lima Araújo Aldicir Scariot Eduardo Teles Barbosa Mendes Rita de Cássia Quitete Portela Ulysses Paulino Albuquerque |
| author_facet | Juliana Loureiro Almeida Campos Elcida de Lima Araújo Aldicir Scariot Eduardo Teles Barbosa Mendes Rita de Cássia Quitete Portela Ulysses Paulino Albuquerque |
| author_sort | Juliana Loureiro Almeida Campos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Factors such as climate, soil characteristics, habitat type, and land management practices can influence the demography of plant populations harvested by Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Here, we assessed the demographic responses of the palm Syagrus coronata to varying leaf harvest frequencies by the Fulni-ô Indigenous People in sites with different environmental and anthropogenic conditions in Águas Belas, Pernambuco, northeast Brazil. The leaves of this species are primarily harvested for handicraft production. In collaboration with local artisans, we conducted a participatory workshop where they identified harvest locations on a regional map. Plots and subplots were established in six of these sites, and the total height of all S. coronata individuals was recorded. We monitored survival and growth over three consecutive years and counted infructescences on reproductive individuals every three months during the first two years. Newly recruited individuals were also recorded and measured. Environmental variables (light availability, air temperature, and humidity) were measured quarterly in the first year, and soil samples were collected for chemical and physical analysis. We performed a principal component analysis (PCA) to evaluate differences among sites based on environmental and anthropogenic variables. Using demographic data, we constructed integral projection models (IPMs) and conducted a life table response experiment (LTRE) analysis to estimate vital rates and deterministic population growth rates (λ) for each population and sampling interval. Our results showed that S. coronata populations under high harvest frequencies declined during the study period. In contrast, populations with lower harvest frequencies were more influenced by the growth of smaller individuals, though seedling recruitment was reduced, highlighting the need to preserve these younger plants. Higher air temperatures, nutrient availability, and soil pH likely contributed to low adult fecundity and reduced recruitment. Additionally, cattle and livestock presence may have further hindered recruitment by trampling and grazing on smaller plants. In populations subjected to intermediate and high harvest frequencies, larger individuals had the greatest impact on population growth rates. However, these individuals exhibited lower survival, suggesting that harvest pressure may negatively affect this vital rate, as the Fulni-ô harvesters preferentially target larger juveniles and adults for their more substantial leaves. Based on these findings, we recommend management strategies to support S. coronata conservation while ensuring sustainable harvesting and safeguarding Fulni-ô handicraft production. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cce7e943161b4896b59b5461a6e2b58c |
| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-cce7e943161b4896b59b5461a6e2b58c2025-08-20T03:45:32ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592025-08-0113e1973910.7717/peerj.19739The importance of individuals of different sizes in the population maintenance of a palm species used by the Fulni-ô Indigenous People in northeast BrazilJuliana Loureiro Almeida Campos0Elcida de Lima Araújo1Aldicir Scariot2Eduardo Teles Barbosa Mendes3Rita de Cássia Quitete Portela4Ulysses Paulino Albuquerque5Instituto de Biodiversidade e Sustentabilidade, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilDepartamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, BrazilLaboratório de Ecologia e Conservação, Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília, Distrito Federal, BrazilDepartamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilDepartamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilLaboratório de Ecologia e Evolução de Sistemas Socioecológicos (LEA), Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, BrazilFactors such as climate, soil characteristics, habitat type, and land management practices can influence the demography of plant populations harvested by Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Here, we assessed the demographic responses of the palm Syagrus coronata to varying leaf harvest frequencies by the Fulni-ô Indigenous People in sites with different environmental and anthropogenic conditions in Águas Belas, Pernambuco, northeast Brazil. The leaves of this species are primarily harvested for handicraft production. In collaboration with local artisans, we conducted a participatory workshop where they identified harvest locations on a regional map. Plots and subplots were established in six of these sites, and the total height of all S. coronata individuals was recorded. We monitored survival and growth over three consecutive years and counted infructescences on reproductive individuals every three months during the first two years. Newly recruited individuals were also recorded and measured. Environmental variables (light availability, air temperature, and humidity) were measured quarterly in the first year, and soil samples were collected for chemical and physical analysis. We performed a principal component analysis (PCA) to evaluate differences among sites based on environmental and anthropogenic variables. Using demographic data, we constructed integral projection models (IPMs) and conducted a life table response experiment (LTRE) analysis to estimate vital rates and deterministic population growth rates (λ) for each population and sampling interval. Our results showed that S. coronata populations under high harvest frequencies declined during the study period. In contrast, populations with lower harvest frequencies were more influenced by the growth of smaller individuals, though seedling recruitment was reduced, highlighting the need to preserve these younger plants. Higher air temperatures, nutrient availability, and soil pH likely contributed to low adult fecundity and reduced recruitment. Additionally, cattle and livestock presence may have further hindered recruitment by trampling and grazing on smaller plants. In populations subjected to intermediate and high harvest frequencies, larger individuals had the greatest impact on population growth rates. However, these individuals exhibited lower survival, suggesting that harvest pressure may negatively affect this vital rate, as the Fulni-ô harvesters preferentially target larger juveniles and adults for their more substantial leaves. Based on these findings, we recommend management strategies to support S. coronata conservation while ensuring sustainable harvesting and safeguarding Fulni-ô handicraft production.https://peerj.com/articles/19739.pdfIntegral projection modelsHarvestManagementNon-timber forest productsPlant demographyPopulation ecology |
| spellingShingle | Juliana Loureiro Almeida Campos Elcida de Lima Araújo Aldicir Scariot Eduardo Teles Barbosa Mendes Rita de Cássia Quitete Portela Ulysses Paulino Albuquerque The importance of individuals of different sizes in the population maintenance of a palm species used by the Fulni-ô Indigenous People in northeast Brazil PeerJ Integral projection models Harvest Management Non-timber forest products Plant demography Population ecology |
| title | The importance of individuals of different sizes in the population maintenance of a palm species used by the Fulni-ô Indigenous People in northeast Brazil |
| title_full | The importance of individuals of different sizes in the population maintenance of a palm species used by the Fulni-ô Indigenous People in northeast Brazil |
| title_fullStr | The importance of individuals of different sizes in the population maintenance of a palm species used by the Fulni-ô Indigenous People in northeast Brazil |
| title_full_unstemmed | The importance of individuals of different sizes in the population maintenance of a palm species used by the Fulni-ô Indigenous People in northeast Brazil |
| title_short | The importance of individuals of different sizes in the population maintenance of a palm species used by the Fulni-ô Indigenous People in northeast Brazil |
| title_sort | importance of individuals of different sizes in the population maintenance of a palm species used by the fulni o indigenous people in northeast brazil |
| topic | Integral projection models Harvest Management Non-timber forest products Plant demography Population ecology |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/19739.pdf |
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