Climate-related phenology of Mauritia flexuosa in the Colombian Amazon

Abstract

Mauritia flexuosa is a keystone species with a broad geographic distribution throughout the Amazon. Environmental changes can impact the reproductive success in a keystone species such as M. flexuosa, which results in a cascade of events that impacts many other species. The present study examined the reproductive phenology in the palm M. flexuosa between December 2010 and November 2012. A 1-ha plot was established in the central Amazon and all palms ≥14 m tall were labelled for measuring. The following five phenophases were recorded monthly for each labelled palm: (i) spadix formation; (ii) buds; (iii) open flowers; (iv) infructescences with green fruits; and (v) infructescences with ripe fruits. ANOVA and multiple range tests were used to evaluate significant differences among variables for each year. The phenological activity index for each phase was related with regional climate variables, including maximum and minimum daily temperature, monthly accumulated precipitation, cloudiness, flood and water table levels in the plot using a redundancy analysis. Overall, fruiting and flowering AIs exhibited significant differences; however, increased synchronous flowering was recorded during the first year associated with maximum temperatures and a drought period; the second year indicated precipitation sufficient for higher fruit production. Climate also influenced seedling mortality, recruitment, and establishment.