Survival dynamics of Melocactus conoideus Buining & Brederoo (Cactaceae), a threatened species endemic to northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Studies on the survival of species are essential to understanding their biology and to developing effective conservation and management plans. This study aimed to determine the best model to explain the survival of the species Melocactus conoideus on the basis of time, density, age structure and habitat location, as well as to describe the interactions among those factors. The study was conducted in three M. conoideus habitat patches in the municipality of Vitória da Conquista, in the state of Bahia, Brazil, only one of which was within a "conservation unit" (protected area). In each patch, we selected 120 specimens of M. conoideus, which were marked with identification plates and classified by developmental stage and density. The survival of those individuals was monitored for a period of one year. The overall survival of M. conoideus was 87.5% and was found to correlate with the month, as well as with the interaction between the factors Patch and Density. Our results show that the survival of M. conoideus individuals is related to the intrinsic characteristics of each habitat patch and suggest that more areas should be set aside for the conservation of this species.

Ethnobotany of native cacti in the northeast region of Brazil: can traditional use influence availability?

“…When considering the form of use and intensity under which cladodes are removed, limited odds need to be applied for the physiological capacity of regeneration, , which can be influenced by external conditions such as temperature, humidity and soil type (Godínez-Álvarez et al 2003;Arruda et al 2005;Luz-Freire et al 2014;Bárbara et al 2015;Medeiros et al 2015). Adverse environmental conditions can affect the natural regeneration of these plants and compromise their use by local residents, leading to searching for these resources in more distant areas, and thus increasing their exploitation.…”

SELEÇÃO DE PRIMERS INTER SIMPLE SEQUENCE REPEAT EM Melocactus conoideus Buin. & Bred. (Cactaceae), ESPÉCIE ENDÊMICA DO SUDOESTE DA BAHIA, BRASIL

“…A espécie ocorre em manchas de vegetação com solo rico em cascalho de quartzo, dentro dos limites da mesorregião do município de Vitória da Conquista -BA. M. conoideus é classificado como criticamente ameaçado na lista vermelha da IUNC, devido ao histórico de pressão antrópica envolvendo a comercialização ilegal da espécie para fins ornamentais em mercado nacional e internacional e a fragmentação ambiental gerada a partir da urbanização irregular (TAYLOR, 1992;SANTOS, 2008;MACHADO et al, 2013;LUZ-FREIRE et al, 2014).…”