Title
Density and spatial distribution of arborescent palms in an Amazon forest of Bolivia / Densidad y distribución espacial de palmeras arborescentes en un bosque preandino-amazónico de Bolivia / Density and spatial distribution of arborescent palms in a pre-Andean-Amazon forest of Bolivia
Author(s)
W. Héctor Cabrera; Robert Wallace
Published
2007
Publisher
Ecología en Bolivia
Abstract
We present data on the abundance, composition and spatial distribution patterns of palm trees in an Amazonian tropical forest in the Madidi protected area, Bolivia. Ten modified Gentry transects (2 to 4 km long and 4 m of wide) were sampled, divided into quadrants of 50 x 4 m that included tree topographical situations: flooded (210 quadrants), not flooded (210 quadrants) and hillsides (94 quadrants). In each quadrant we quantified the number of palm species, the number of individuals for each palm species, and the height of all palms with DBH≥10 cm. The distribution pattern was analyzed using Morisita's index. A total of 1,728 palms were registered in the 10.28 ha evaluated, including nine species: Bactris gasipaes, Astrocaryum murumuru, Socratea exorrhiza, Euterpe precatoria, Iriartea deltoidea, Oenocarpus mapora, O. bataua, and Attalea phalerata and Mauritia flexuosa. The total palm density for the area was 168 palm/ha. Socratea exorrhiza (47.1 individuals/ha) and Iriartea deltoidea (45.8 individuals/ha) were the species with highest densities. Floodplains showed the highest densities and diversity with nine species present. Only four species (Oenocarpus bataua, Iriartea deltoidea, Socratea exhorriza and Euterpe precatoria) ascended to the hillsides. Distributional patterns for most palm species were aggregated. / We present data on the density and spatial distribution pattern of arborescent palms in an Amazonian tropical forest of Madidi. Ten modified Gentry-type transects (2 km long and 4 m wide) were sampled, divided into 50 × 4 m plots, which included three forest types: floodplain (210 plots), non-floodplain (210 plots) and slopes (94 plots). In each plot, the number of species, number of individuals per species, phenological stage and height of all palms with DBH≥10 cm were quantified. The distribution pattern was analyzed using the Morisita index. A total of 1,728 palms were found in 10.28 ha evaluated, which included nine species: Bactris gasipaes, Astrocaryum murumuru, Socratea exorrhiza, Euterpe precatoria, Iriartea deltoidea, Oenocarpus mapora, O. bataua, Attalea phalerata and Mauritia flexuosa. The total density was 168 palms/ha. Socratea exorrhiza (47.1 individuals/ha) and Iriartea deltoidea (45.8 individuals/ha) were the species with the highest density. Floodplains showed the highest density and basal area. Nine species occurred in floodplain and non-floodplain environments, only four species (Oenocarpus bataua, Iriartea deltoidea, Socratea exorrhiza and Euterpe precatoria) ascended to hillside forests. The spatial distribution values of the palm species found showed aggregated patterns.
Keywords
Bolivia; Madidi; Amazon forest; Amazon forest; Palms; Spatial Distribution; Spatial distribution pattern; Amazon forest; Palms; Spatial distribution pattern
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PUB35763