Management compromises and the sustainability of palm populations in Mayan homegardens

The sustainability of a homegarden can be evaluated not only as its species richness and eco-systemic role, but also as the result of management practices affecting resource sustainability. Sabal spp. have been managed since Colonial times into homegardens, at present, its mature leaves are mostly...

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Main Authors: Andrea Martínez-Ballesté, Javier Caballero
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sociedad Botánica de México, A. C. 2016-06-01
Series:Botan‪ical Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.botanicalsciences.com.mx/index.php/botanicalSciences/article/view/493
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author Andrea Martínez-Ballesté
Javier Caballero
author_facet Andrea Martínez-Ballesté
Javier Caballero
author_sort Andrea Martínez-Ballesté
collection DOAJ
description The sustainability of a homegarden can be evaluated not only as its species richness and eco-systemic role, but also as the result of management practices affecting resource sustainability. Sabal spp. have been managed since Colonial times into homegardens, at present, its mature leaves are mostly used in roof building of traditional Mayan homes. Along a three-year study, we evaluated management sustainability of Sabal yapa and S. mexicana populations in two homegardens of Maxcanú, Yucatan, Mexico by the use of prospective and retrospective demographic analyses. We calculated sustainability based on population growth rate (?). We used the prospective elasticity model to estimate the more sensible vital rates of the palm populations, and the retrospective analysis to calculate the effect of management practices on the annual variation of the palms population ? values. Care of young plants and occasional seed planting were among the management practices that increased the density of palms having an adequate harvesting size. The stages of the palms´ life cycle that are critical for sustainable population management are the adult and juvenile stages. An event of felling of adult palms had a negative effect in the population´s sustainability. Other practices in the homegarden such as weeding and watering of fruit trees increased the probabilities of survival.  Our study showed that the management of natural resources in homegardens involves compromises, and is not always focused on the sustainability of specific resources, but rather on the integrated management of the agroforestry system.
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spelling doaj.art-ca624c4df5164975a95311ead56a153a2022-12-22T02:52:44ZengSociedad Botánica de México, A. C.Botan‪ical Sciences2007-42982007-44762016-06-0194210.17129/botsci.493Management compromises and the sustainability of palm populations in Mayan homegardensAndrea Martínez-Ballesté0Javier Caballero1Jardín Botánico-Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de MéxicoJardín Botánico-Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México The sustainability of a homegarden can be evaluated not only as its species richness and eco-systemic role, but also as the result of management practices affecting resource sustainability. Sabal spp. have been managed since Colonial times into homegardens, at present, its mature leaves are mostly used in roof building of traditional Mayan homes. Along a three-year study, we evaluated management sustainability of Sabal yapa and S. mexicana populations in two homegardens of Maxcanú, Yucatan, Mexico by the use of prospective and retrospective demographic analyses. We calculated sustainability based on population growth rate (?). We used the prospective elasticity model to estimate the more sensible vital rates of the palm populations, and the retrospective analysis to calculate the effect of management practices on the annual variation of the palms population ? values. Care of young plants and occasional seed planting were among the management practices that increased the density of palms having an adequate harvesting size. The stages of the palms´ life cycle that are critical for sustainable population management are the adult and juvenile stages. An event of felling of adult palms had a negative effect in the population´s sustainability. Other practices in the homegarden such as weeding and watering of fruit trees increased the probabilities of survival.  Our study showed that the management of natural resources in homegardens involves compromises, and is not always focused on the sustainability of specific resources, but rather on the integrated management of the agroforestry system. https://www.botanicalsciences.com.mx/index.php/botanicalSciences/article/view/493elasticity analysisMayaMexicoretrospective modelsSabaltraditional management
spellingShingle Andrea Martínez-Ballesté
Javier Caballero
Management compromises and the sustainability of palm populations in Mayan homegardens
Botan‪ical Sciences
elasticity analysis
Maya
Mexico
retrospective models
Sabal
traditional management
title Management compromises and the sustainability of palm populations in Mayan homegardens
title_full Management compromises and the sustainability of palm populations in Mayan homegardens
title_fullStr Management compromises and the sustainability of palm populations in Mayan homegardens
title_full_unstemmed Management compromises and the sustainability of palm populations in Mayan homegardens
title_short Management compromises and the sustainability of palm populations in Mayan homegardens
title_sort management compromises and the sustainability of palm populations in mayan homegardens
topic elasticity analysis
Maya
Mexico
retrospective models
Sabal
traditional management
url https://www.botanicalsciences.com.mx/index.php/botanicalSciences/article/view/493
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