THE IVORY PALM PHYTELEPHAS AEQUATORIALIS IN WESTERN ECUADOR

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Abstract

Phytelephas aequatorialis is the commercially exploited ivory palm in western Ecuador, where less than 25% of the natural forest remains. To determine the conservation status of this palm, we visited 15 populations, growing under different degrees of human disturbance in both the lowlands and the lower Andean slopes. We collected leaf material for genetic analyses, which we hope will provide valuable information that can help the conservation and management of this important species. For a first view, populations growing outside forests in pastures appeared to be threatened because they did not reproduce naturally. The species per se, however, is not threatened because of its wide distribution and large populations. Conserving its populations could secure the species’ genetic and phenotypic diversity, which, in turn, is the raw material for its domestication.
Original languageSpanish (Ecuador)
JournalPALMS
StatePublished - 30 Aug 2019
Externally publishedYes

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