Mechanisms Involved in Soil Ammonium Production in a Mauritia flexuosa Palm Swamp Community

Chacón, Noemí; Herrera, R.; Méndez, Claudio A.; Bastianoni, Alessia; Quintero‐Torres, Enrique

doi:10.1007/s13157-017-0979-0

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Similarly, it is worth noting that M. flexuosa is not found in all Amazonian peatlands, nor do all M. flexuosa-palm swamps contain peat (Lähteenoja et al 2009). And finally, we are only slowly starting to understand the nature of abiotic cycles in palm swamps (see e.g., Chacón et al 2018). That said, although it is clear that additional studies will be required, it also likely that removal of M. flexuosa will have pronounced effects on processes such as carbon sequestration, if only for reductions in this palm's substantial contribution to the above-ground storage of carbon in the Amazon (Draper et al 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The palm Mauritia flexuosa, a keystone plant resource on multiple fronts

2019

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Keystone species are organisms, usually animals of higher trophic levels, that have large ecological impacts relative to their abundance. A recent extension of this concept recognizes hyperkeystone species, such as humans, which affect other keystone species and often play a key role in multiple ecosystem dynamics. Following a systematic review, we propose that the Neotropical palm species Mauritia flexuosa, though abundant locally, plays a role resembling that of a hyperkeystone species. First, it provides multiple types of key plant resources (food, nest sites, habitat) to a wide variety of species (at least 940 vertebrate species). Of vertebrates that directly use this palm as a food or nest resource (at least 74), at least 8 highly dependent on it for survival, 28 are threatened species, and at least 19 are keystone species themselves. This implies that a change in the abundance or distribution of Mauritia flexuosa is likely to have multiple cascading effects on Neotropical ecosystems. In addition, we highlight that this palm is also important for many invertebrates and other organisms and provides multiple ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration. This vast ecological role of M. flexuosa, combined with its provision of a host of products to people, makes the species unique and worth prioritizing in conservation and plans for sustainable management across the Neotropics.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%