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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Harvesting Increases Reproductive Activity in Himatanthus drasticus (Mart.) Plumel (Apocynaceae), a Non-Timber Forest Product of the Brazilian Savanna

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Author(s):
Baldauf, Cristina [1, 2] ; da Silva, Alexsandra Salvador [3] ; Sfair, Julia C. [4] ; Ferreira, Rosijania [3] ; Maes dos Santos, Flavio Antonio [1]
Total Authors: 5
Affiliation:
[1] State Univ Campinas UNICAMP, Dept Plant Biol, BR-13083970 Campinas, SP - Brazil
[2] Fed Rural Univ Semiarid Reg UFERSA, Dept Anim Sci, BR-59625900 Mossoro, RN - Brazil
[3] Araripe Natl Forest FLONA Araripe, BR-63100000 Crato, CE - Brazil
[4] Fed Univ Pernambuco UFPE, Dept Plant Biol, BR-50670901 Recife, PE - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 4
Document type: Journal article
Source: Biotropica; v. 46, n. 3, p. 341-349, MAY 2014.
Web of Science Citations: 8
Abstract

Abstract The harvesting of non-timber forest products (NTFP) can influence the pattern of resource allocation in plants, affecting their growth, survival, and reproduction. However, only a small number of studies have addressed the impacts of NTFP harvesting on the reproductive phenology of the exploited species. The aim of this observational study was to assess the effects of harvesting and climatic variables on the reproductive phenology of Himatanthus drasticus, a highly exploited medicinal tree from the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado). We evaluated the effects of two different debarking levels (50 and 100%) in comparison to a control (no harvesting). We performed monthly counts of the number of buds, flowers in anthesis, unripe and ripe fruits in each sampled tree (intensity index), as well as the number of trees in each phenophase (activity index), over 2 yr. We used circular statistics tools to compare the effects of each treatment on flower and fruit production and to test whether the reproductive peaks were related to climatic variables. Both the activity and intensity indexes exhibited the same patterns; flower and fruit production were lower in the control, intermediate in the 50 percent debarking group and higher in the 100 percent debarking group. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of NTFP to demonstrate an increase in reproductive activity after several years of harvesting. All phenophases were positively correlated with higher temperature and precipitation, as it is common in the Cerrado. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 08/08737-4 - Evaluation of the harvesting effects on the populations of two species of Cerrado biome: Mauritia flexuosa L.f (Arecaceae) and Himatanthus drasticus (Mart.) Plumel (Apocynaceae)
Grantee:Flavio Antonio Maës dos Santos
Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants