Non-timber forest product harvesting in alien-dominated forests: effects of frond-harvest and rainfall on the demography of two native Hawaiian ferns |
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Authors: | Tamara Ticktin Hōala Fraiola A Nāmaka Whitehead |
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Institution: | (1) Botany Department, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, 3190 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA;(2) Kamehameha Schools, 78-6831 Aliȁ8i Drive, Suite 232, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, USA |
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Abstract: | Non-timber forest products (NTFP) represent culturally and economically important resources for millions of people worldwide.
Although many NTFP are harvested from disturbed habitats and therefore subject to multiple pressures, few quantitative studies
have addressed this issue. Similarly few NTFP studies have assessed seasonal variation in demographic rates even though this
can confound harvest effects. In Hawaiȁ8i, the wild-gathered ferns, Microlepia strigosa and Sphenomeris chinensis, represent highly important cultural resources but declining populations have led to conservation concerns. Both ferns are
harvested from disturbed, alien-dominated forests and contemporary Hawaiian gathering practices often consist of harvest and
concurrent weeding of alien invasive species. We assessed the effects of concurrent frond-harvest and alien species weeding
on frond structure, density, and rates of production by comparing experimentally harvested vs. control plots, and documented
relationships between frond demographic patterns and precipitation. Gathering practices had no impact on frond density of
either species or on most other demographic parameters over the short term. Exceptions included a significant decrease in
the density of the longest S. chinensis fronds and a significant decrease in M. strigosa frond production when fronds were gathered without alien weeding. However, seasonal and annual changes in frond density and
production occurred across all plots of both species and were significantly correlated with precipitation. The relatively
low harvest effects for both species are likely due to several factors including short frond longevity and the strict criteria
used by gatherers to select harvestable fronds. The potential for sustainable harvest in the context of alien-dominated forests
is discussed. |
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Keywords: | Demography Ferns Hawaiȁ 8i Invasive species Microlepia strigosa Non-timber forest products Sustainable harvest Sphenomeris chinensis |
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