THE ROLE OF PLANTATIONS OF THE AFRICAN PALM (ELAEIS GUINEENSIS JACQ.) IN THE CONSERVATION OF SNAKES IN COLOMBIA
Monocultures of the African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) were studied between 2006 and 2013 so as to determine which species of snakes frequented them and to estimate the abundances of each species encountered. Thirty five species of snakes (three boas, one coral, 27 colubrids, one tropidophid...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidad Nacional de Colombia
2015-06-01
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| Series: | Caldasia |
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| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0366-52322015000100012&lng=en&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1819238183085277184 |
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| author | JOHN D. LYNCH |
| author_facet | JOHN D. LYNCH |
| author_sort | JOHN D. LYNCH |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Monocultures of the African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) were studied between 2006 and 2013 so as to determine which species of snakes frequented them and to estimate the abundances of each species encountered. Thirty five species of snakes (three boas, one coral, 27 colubrids, one tropidophid, one typhlopid, and two vipers) were captured within palmeras. Palm plantations are revealed to (1) augment the densities of ten species of snakes well beyond the densities found by collectors in natural and/or relatively transformed habitats and (2) to not offer benefits to at least 75% of the snake community found in the vicinities of palm plantations. The majority of snake species (60%) found in palmeras are nocturnal species. The most common species (defined by having 15 or more captures) were Atractus univittatus, Bothrops asper, B. atrox, Epicrates maurus, Leptodeira annulata, Liophis melanotus, Ninia atrata, Oxyrhopus petolarius, Pseudoboa neuwiedii, and Tantilla melanocephala. Palm plantations permit substantial local population sizes for a fraction (< 25%) of the local snake community. Internal practices of such plantations could be modified so as to protect a larger share of the fauna by means of two practices: (1) construction and maintenance of paleras as well as (2) creating a mosaic of palm plantations enclosing "islands" of secondary forests. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T13:32:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ae793899ca7642be9b3768075b3640d9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0366-5232 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T13:32:10Z |
| publishDate | 2015-06-01 |
| publisher | Universidad Nacional de Colombia |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Caldasia |
| spelling | doaj.art-ae793899ca7642be9b3768075b3640d92022-12-21T17:45:07ZengUniversidad Nacional de ColombiaCaldasia0366-52322015-06-0137116918210.15446/caldasia.v37n1.50992S0366-52322015000100012THE ROLE OF PLANTATIONS OF THE AFRICAN PALM (ELAEIS GUINEENSIS JACQ.) IN THE CONSERVATION OF SNAKES IN COLOMBIAJOHN D. LYNCH0Universidad Nacional de ColombiaMonocultures of the African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) were studied between 2006 and 2013 so as to determine which species of snakes frequented them and to estimate the abundances of each species encountered. Thirty five species of snakes (three boas, one coral, 27 colubrids, one tropidophid, one typhlopid, and two vipers) were captured within palmeras. Palm plantations are revealed to (1) augment the densities of ten species of snakes well beyond the densities found by collectors in natural and/or relatively transformed habitats and (2) to not offer benefits to at least 75% of the snake community found in the vicinities of palm plantations. The majority of snake species (60%) found in palmeras are nocturnal species. The most common species (defined by having 15 or more captures) were Atractus univittatus, Bothrops asper, B. atrox, Epicrates maurus, Leptodeira annulata, Liophis melanotus, Ninia atrata, Oxyrhopus petolarius, Pseudoboa neuwiedii, and Tantilla melanocephala. Palm plantations permit substantial local population sizes for a fraction (< 25%) of the local snake community. Internal practices of such plantations could be modified so as to protect a larger share of the fauna by means of two practices: (1) construction and maintenance of paleras as well as (2) creating a mosaic of palm plantations enclosing "islands" of secondary forests.http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0366-52322015000100012&lng=en&tlng=enAbundancias de serpientescomunidades de serpientesla palma de aceite africanamicrohábitats dentro de plantaciones |
| spellingShingle | JOHN D. LYNCH THE ROLE OF PLANTATIONS OF THE AFRICAN PALM (ELAEIS GUINEENSIS JACQ.) IN THE CONSERVATION OF SNAKES IN COLOMBIA Caldasia Abundancias de serpientes comunidades de serpientes la palma de aceite africana microhábitats dentro de plantaciones |
| title | THE ROLE OF PLANTATIONS OF THE AFRICAN PALM (ELAEIS GUINEENSIS JACQ.) IN THE CONSERVATION OF SNAKES IN COLOMBIA |
| title_full | THE ROLE OF PLANTATIONS OF THE AFRICAN PALM (ELAEIS GUINEENSIS JACQ.) IN THE CONSERVATION OF SNAKES IN COLOMBIA |
| title_fullStr | THE ROLE OF PLANTATIONS OF THE AFRICAN PALM (ELAEIS GUINEENSIS JACQ.) IN THE CONSERVATION OF SNAKES IN COLOMBIA |
| title_full_unstemmed | THE ROLE OF PLANTATIONS OF THE AFRICAN PALM (ELAEIS GUINEENSIS JACQ.) IN THE CONSERVATION OF SNAKES IN COLOMBIA |
| title_short | THE ROLE OF PLANTATIONS OF THE AFRICAN PALM (ELAEIS GUINEENSIS JACQ.) IN THE CONSERVATION OF SNAKES IN COLOMBIA |
| title_sort | role of plantations of the african palm elaeis guineensis jacq in the conservation of snakes in colombia |
| topic | Abundancias de serpientes comunidades de serpientes la palma de aceite africana microhábitats dentro de plantaciones |
| url | http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0366-52322015000100012&lng=en&tlng=en |
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