Patterns of abundance and human use of the vulnerable understory palm, Chamaedorea radicalis (Arecaceae), in a montane cloud forest, Tamaulipas, Mexico

The pinnate leaves of a vulnerable understory palm species. Chamaedorea radicalis, are gathered from wild populations within the El Cielo Biosphere Reserve, Tamaulipas, Mexico, by local people for sale to international cut foliage markets. Conservation implications of leaf harvesting within natural populations requires collection of ecological information on abundance of palms in different habitats and environmental factors that determine palm abundance. Densities of C. radicalis and associated environmental parameters were sampled in 28 stands of montane cloud forest to determine the relationship of C. radicalis abundance to tree community composition and environmental factors. Ordination of associated tree species importance values was performed using detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and palm density was regressed against environmental factors using simple and multiple regression analyses. Palm density averaged 4,411 individuals/ha with a maximum 14,000 individuals/ha. Density of C. radicalis was greater in stands with high percentage of rock substrate, low tree basal area, and stands dominated by Quercus germana and Harpalyce arborescens. Densities of C. radicalis and the percentage of palms showing evidence of harvesting were unrelated to the time traveled away from the nearest settlement, suggesting that long term harvesting of the leaves may not have had a discernible effect on population densities. However, these results must be viewed within the context of larger landscape patterns of land-use within the reserve.