Degradation impact of palm swamp peatlands on natural regeneration in the Peruvian Amazon

Background/Question/Methods

Growing demand for aguaje fruits Mauritia flexuosa L.f. in Amazonian cities it generates an impact on the palm swamp because of the destructive methods to harvest the fruit. Palm swamp represent one of the ecosystems with the greatest environmental and socio-economic value in Loreto region, Peru. The objective of this study was to determine the impact that generates the cut of female aguaje palm trees on the floristic composition and diversity on the natural regeneration in amazonian palm swamp.

Results/Conclusions

Five permanent plots of 0.5 ha were evaluated in palm swamp with different states of degradation, four plots in the Ucayali basin and one plot in the Yanayacu Pucate basin. We found that the abundance of natural regeneration of aguaje palm trees decreases significantly as the level of degradation in palm swamp increases (p. value: 0.007, R^2: 93%). However, the diversity of woody and other palm species increases as the level of degradation by cutting female aguajes palm tree increases (Fisher's alpha. value: 0.009, R^2: 92% and Shannon: p. value: 0.006, R^ 2: 94%). Non-destructive alternatives for the use of aguaje´s fruits and management plans that guarantee the conservation of this important resources and ecosystem need to be implemented, guaranteeing the conservation of these large extension of peatland that are important for the mitigation of climate change. keyword: turberas, peat, buriti