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Contrasting palm species and use diversity in the Yucatan Peninsula and the Ecuadorian Amazon

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Abstract

We analyze the relationship between palm species diversity and diversity of palm use in two areas (Amazonian Ecuador; Yucatan Peninsula) of equivalent size but with contrasting characteristics in palm species diversity and morphology, and in the phylogenetic composition of palm flora. The areas also differ in their cultural and socioeconomic contexts. Palm use diversity is significantly higher in the Ecuadorian Amazon than in the Yucatan Peninsula and the lower species diversity of palms in the Yucatan Peninsula is not matched by a more intensive use of the fewer species found there. The taxonomic composition of the palm flora is a poor predictor of extent of use and morphological characteristics of palm species affect usefulness only in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The Yucatecans’ more limited reliance on forest products might explain the observed patterns. Ornamental palm use is an indicator of a general change in plant use patterns associated with tourism and macro-economic development in the Yucatan Peninsula. We find a positive relationship between ecosystem plant diversity and plant use diversity, but socioeconomic factors such as market integration strongly influence the use of local biodiversity. Palms represent a diverse and important natural resource that deserves further investigation to secure its sustainable management and conservation in the two studied sites, regardless of their degree of market integration.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful for economic support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (DANIDA grants # 104.Dan.8.L. 206 to HB and 104.Dan.8-896 to LdlT), and from the Danish Natural Science Research Council (grant #272-06-0476 to HB). We thank Stella de la Torre, Silvia Terán, Luke Weiss, and Roger Orellana for comments to the manuscript and Stine Bjorholm for the map in Fig. 1. We are indebted to the staff of the herbaria in Ecuador and Mexico, who helped us to access data, especially to German Carnevalli, Director of the CICY herbarium and his collaborators.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 1540, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

    Lucía de la Torre, Henrik Balslev & Finn Borchsenius

  2. Departamento de Recursos Naturales, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Calle 43 #130 Chuburna de Hidalgo, 97200, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico

    Luz María Calvo-Irabién

  3. Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, km 15.5 carretera Merida-Xmatkuil, Apdo. Postal 4-116 Itzimná, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico

    Carmen Salazar

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  1. Lucía de la Torre
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  4. Henrik Balslev
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Correspondence to Finn Borchsenius.

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de la Torre, L., Calvo-Irabién, L.M., Salazar, C. et al. Contrasting palm species and use diversity in the Yucatan Peninsula and the Ecuadorian Amazon. Biodivers Conserv 18, 2837–2853 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-009-9610-x

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