Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
Sustaining life on earth: Livelihoods and biodiversity
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
Sustaining life on earth: Livelihoods and biodiversity
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
Aarhus (Denmark)
Copenhagen (Denmark)
London (UK)
Berlin (Germany)
Montpellier (France)
Madrid (Spain)
Bogota (Colombia)
Quito (Ecuador)
Lima (Peru)
La Paz (Bolivia)
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
Biodiversity and sustainable development
Sustainable development meets the need of the present generation without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
(Our Common Future, 1987
_
+
+
CT=CM + CS + CN
CT= Total Capital
CM= Man-made Capital
CS= Social Capital
CN= Natural Capital = CNR+ CNNR
CNR = Renewable Natural Capital
CNNR = Non-renewable Natural Capital
+
+
Calow, P. 1998. Encyclopedia of Ecology and
Environmental Management. Blackwell, London.
Biodiversity can be a renewable resource
if managed sustainably or
Biodiversity is a non-renewable resource
if managed un-sustainably
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
Biodiversity and the challenge of science
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
Sustaining life on earth: Livelihoods and biodiversity
Growth rate of human population per country
Climatic and other
ecological conditions
increasingly well
documented
The evolution of life
and biodiversity on
earth increasingly
well documented
People of the World – from 1000 AD to the present day
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
Where do palms occur ?
Global distribution and diversity of palms;
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
183 genera, 2500 species
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
How are palms harvested?
Domesticated palms
Industrial plantations:
Elaeis guineensis – the African Oil Palm
Cocos nucifera – the Coconut
Phoenix dactylifera – the Date-palm
+ some more (NB ornamentals)
• Large companies, national & international,
• Multi-billion dollar research and development
• Large scale genetic improvements
• International markets
“Homegardens”/Agricultural:
Areca catechu – the Betal-palm
Bactris gasipaes – the Peach-palm
+ many more
• Individual farmers and small industries
• Local domestication and genetic improvement
• Local markets and consumption
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
How are palms harvested?
Wild palms
Managed palms:
Hyphaene thebaica – the Doum-palm
Astrocaryum chambira – the Chambira-fiber-palm
Arenga pinnata – the Sugar-palm
+ many more
• Common in rural sites, villages, small towns, etc.
• No genetic improvement
• Used in local markets and domestic
Extractivism
Calamus rotang - Rattan
Iriartea deltoidea - Pona
+ many many more
• Common in indigenous and other poor communities
• No genetic improvement
• Domestic use and local market
• Rattans and ornamentals enter international markets
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
Some palm species have multiple uses
Use frequency
(% of 100 interviews)
Aphandra natalia is used for
at least 24 different
purposes, and all parts
of the palm areused
The use frequency for the
different parts of the palm
vary much
Balslev, H., Knudsen, T. R., Byg, A., Kronborg, M. and C. Grandez. 2010. Traditional knowledge, use,
and management of Aphandra natalia (Arecaceae) in Amazonian Peru. Economic Botany (accepted).
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
Many palm species are used to treat a large
number of medical conditions in humans
Sosnowska, J. and H. Balslev. 2010. American Palm Ethnomedicine.
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. Accepted
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Euterpe precatoria is widely used as
malaria medicine, prepared as a decoction
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
Project Rationale:
1. Tropical forest harbor thousands of useful plants including many palms
2. The effect on the ecosystem of harvesting these plants is little known
3. Ecosystem resilience not understood (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment)
FP7 – PALMS integrates studies of:
3. The size of the resource investigating palm communities
4. Harvest effects on genetic variability in palm populations
5. Quantity of local use through ethno-botanical inventories
6. Quantities and routes of regional, national and international trade
7. Best case management of palm resources
8. Political and social influences on palm use, trade and management
Using a variety of communication methods FP7-PALMS will:
9. Provide scientifically based information relevant for palm management
10. Suggest appropriate management practices for palms
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Domesticated
palms
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
Intense-cultivation (≈5 sp.)
FP7-PALMS
Semi-cultivation (≈100 sp.)
(land-races)
Wild
palms
Management (≈300 sp.)
Sustainable
use-management
Extraction (≈800 sp.)
Conservation
No use (≈1200 sp.)
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Number of
species
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
FP7-PALMS integrates:
community ecology
population genetics
ethno-botany
economic botany
agroecology
socioeconomy
information-technology
communication
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
WP1 – Diversity and abundance of palm resources (community ecology)
Transects
Subunit 5 x 5 m
500 m
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
Ceroxylon alpinum, Nanegalito
WP2 – Ecosystem resilience and limits of functioning (population genetics)
▲1
▲3
Genetic diversity
▲4 ▲5
Microsatelites
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Microsatelites
▲2
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
WP3 – Products provided by palms to local people (ethno-botany)
Original – compiled from various sources
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
WP4 – Small industries and trade in products from palms (economic botany)
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
WP5 – Sustainability and management of palm resources (agro-ecology)
Harvest of Aphandra natalia
Destructive harvest (Loreto)
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Non-destructive harvest (Pastaza)
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
WP6 – Policies and sustainable use and management (socio-economy)
Compilation of documents and interviews with stakeholders
stakeholders
Uso de la biodiversidad
4%
4%
Biocomercio
4%
Acceso a recursos genéticos
12%
42%
Derechos de propiedad
intelectual
Derechos de pueblos indígenas
15%
Legislación ambiental
19%
Uso del suelo
documents
Uso biodiversidad
4% 2%
General
8%
37%
9%
Comercio
Acceso a recursos genéticos
Uso del suelo
15%
25%
Derechos de propiedad
intelectual
Derechos de pueblos indígenas
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
WP7 – Compilation and organization of information (informatics)
Field books
Theses
Journal articles
Primary data
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
WP8 – Communication
The project has built and follows a communication strategy
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
Based on interdisciplinary research and using a
variety of communication methods FP7-PALMS
will:
Provide scientifically based information relevant for
palm management
Suggest appropriate management practices for palms
2009
Planning
2010
2011
Field work Field work
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark
2012
2013
Analysis
Wrap up
Palm harvest impacts on tropical forests
Thanks to the FP7-PALMS team
Jean-Christophe Pintaud, Francis Kahn, Fabien Anthelme (Montpellier, France)
Gloria Galeano, Rodrigo Bernal, Néstor García, Martha Isabel Vellejo, Jaime Navarro,
María José Sanin, Carolina Isaza, María Torres, Laura Mesa, Eva Ledesma,
Natalia Valderrama (Bogota, Colombia)
Renato Valencia, Hugo Navarrete, Rommel Montufar, Lucia de la Torre,
Gabriela Guzman, Jose Barreiro, Carolina Altamirano,
Roberto Carillo (Quito, Ecuador)
Betty Millan, Joaquina Albán, Jorge Lingan, Manuel Marín, Yakov Quinteros,
Jose Olivera, Hector Aponte, Carlos Martel, Marinoli Rivas,
Miguel Machahua (Lima, Peru)
Monica Moraes, Narel Paniagaua, Camila Urioste (La Paz, Bolivia)
Manuel Macía, Manuel Santayana, Rodrigo Camara (Madrid, Spain)
Bill Baker, Bob Alkin, Soraya Villalba (Kew, UK)
Max Weigend, Grischa Brokamp (Berlin, Germany)
Helle Munk Ravnborg (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Henrik Balslev, Dennis Pedersen, Inger Juste, Jens-Christian Svenning, Finn Borchsenius,
Anders Barfod, Wolf Eiserhardt, Thea Kristiansen (Aarhus, Denmark)
Henrik Balslev – Aarhus University, Denmark