Browsing by Author "Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo"
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Item Metadata only Diversity, ecology and ethnobotany of the Palms of the Yasuní National Park (Ecuador)(2019) Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel JoseloResearch and conservation of palm species relies on training new generations ofpalm biologists, especially in tropical countries. Such trainings pave the way toanswer new questions related to palm biology, sustainable management, thecultural and economic links between humans and palms, and build conservationstrategies through education and civil empowerment.Item Open Access 
Effect of leaf harvest on wax palm (Ceroxylon echinulatum Galeano) growth, and implications for sustainable management in Ecuador.(2012) Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Duarte, NinaThe wax palm (Ceroxylon echinulatum) is an arborescent, dioecious and slow-growing palm distributed on Andean slopes at 1000-2000 m elevation in Ecuador and northern Peru. The leaves of wax palm have been traditionally harvested and used for the making of handicrafts during Easter celebrations. It has been suggested that removal of unexpanded leaves may be the main source of threat to the survival of the species. The goal of this work was to evaluate the impact of leaf removal on growth and development of C. echinulatum. Leaf production and growth were monitored in 60 young individuals divided into three treatments: T0 - control, T1- without damage to adjacent leaves; T2- with damage to adjacent leaves. Results from two years of observation reveal that leaf growth rate and the number of new leaves produced per individual are not adversely affected by this practice. Harvest treatments were equal or even higher than the control for both variables. Balance of leaf number in the crown (before and after the extraction) was negative in the harvest treatments, indicating a factor of unsustainability in the annual harvest management of the species. The results suggest that biennial harvesting of one young leaf per individual could be sustainable. An appropriate management strategy could be to distinguish young individual populations by marking palms with nine or more leaves in the crown in different quadrants of extraction, in order to perform rotational, biennial and monitored cropping.Item Open Access Effects of micro-environmental conditions and forest disturbance on the establishment of two Andean palms in Ecuador.(2012) Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Rodríguez Paredes, DianaThe wax p alm (Ceroxylon echinulatu m) and palm heart (Prestoea acuminata) are key elements in Andean natural forests. This ecosystem is th- reatened by deforestation and habitat degra- dation, thus, it is vital to explore the impact of anthropogenic activities on the ecological struc- tu re an d p r ef erences of t hese species in order to develop proper conservation strategies. Fifty- seven 400 m2 plots were established in two for- est areas, a di sturbed forest (n = 30 plots) and an undisturbed forest (n = 27 plots) in the Ecua- dorean Andes. Nine micro-environmental vari- ables and the number of individuals of C. echi- nulatum and P. acuminata in five size classes were recorded in each plot. Logistic regression models helped identify environmental variables that influence the establishment of the species. Results showed that different micro-environ- mental variables determined the presence of different size classes. Both species were bene- fitted by the environmental conditions of the dis- turbed forest. Light availability was import ant for the establish ment of both specie s , especially for the canopy species (C. echinulatum). This palm was negatively affected by the variable “fallen wood”, while P. acuminata was negatively af- fected mainly by the steepness of the terrain. The environmental variables for the successful establishment of the studied species that were identified by this study provide clues for the su- stainable management of C. echinulatum and P. acuminata in Andean forests.Item Metadata only Elaeis oleifera (Kunth) Cortés: una palma olvidada de la Amazonía ecuatoriana(2018-05) Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel JoseloEl conocimiento sobre la biología de las palmas ecuatorianas es todavía limitado. Un caso particular constituye la palmera aceitera americana, Elaeis oleifera (Kunth) Cortés descrita para Ecuador en el año 1986. El género Elaeis tiene una distribución trans-Atlántica (África-América), con E. oleifera proveniente del Neotrópico y E. guineensis Jacq. del África. Se ha sugeri-do como hipótesis que E. oleifera deriva de poblaciones de E. guineensis, las cuales divergieron hace 15 millones de años. A nivel local, las poblaciones de E. oleifera presentan una distribución disyunta, con poblaciones aisladas a lo largo de la América Central, Amazonía, Guyanas, el Chocó y la costa caribeña de Colombia y Venezuela. Están frecuentemente asociadas a asentamientos humanos o arqueológicos. A pesar de la separación espacial e histórica entre ambas especies, no existen barreras reproductivas para la generación de híbridos fértiles. Esta importante característica reproductiva ha permitido que E. oleifera constituya actualmente la principal fuente de información genética para el mejoramiento y adaptabilidad de las poblaciones comerciales de E. guineensis a lo largo del planeta. Las poblaciones ecuatorianas de E. oleifera provenientes de Taisha (Provincia de Morona Santiago) –con características morfológicas, reproductivas y bioquímicas agronómicamente importantes– han sido utilizadas para la creación de híbridos comerciales que, actualmente, se siembran en las regiones tropicales.Item Metadata only Fire regimes and pollinator behaviour explain the genetic structure of Puya hamata (Bromeliaceae) rosette plants(2020) Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel JoseloEcological interactions play a fundamental role in determining the genetic structure of plant species in time and space. The demography of the Andean Puya hamata has been linked to fire regimes and hummingbird behaviour, which might modify the plant’s population genetic structure. Naturally, poor dispersal results in patches of genetically related plants, a pattern intensified further by burning which promotes seedling germination around parent plants. Later, when these plants flower, large patches are attractive to territorial hummingbirds which prevent visits by traplining hummingbird species, carrying pollen from likely unrelated plants. To explore this hypothesis, a genetic study of P. hamata using microsatellite markers was conducted with (i) isolated and grouped adults in two size categories of patches, and (ii) seeds collected from the same patches and isolated individuals. Isolated individual plants presented a higher observed heterozygosity with close to zero inbreeding. Adult plants from large patches showed a lower observed heterozygosity and higher inbreeding than plants from other spatial contexts. Seed genetic structure displayed a gradient of diversity: lower at patch centres but higher at patch edges, in small patches, and for isolated infructescences. The spatial context of these plants, especially the contrast between large patch centres and other situations, determines the genetic diversity of their seeds via hummingbird foraging behaviour. Territorial hummingbirds restrict gene flow in and out of large patches, but traplining hummingbirds maintain genetic diversity among isolated plants, small patches, and plants at the edges of large patches. Our study illustrates the need to consider interactions between land use, plants, and their pollinators when considering genetic diversity at the landscape scale.Item Open Access First report of Phytophthora palmivora causing bud rot on palmito (Bactris gasipaes) in Ecuador(2016-05-26) Keil Mcmahon, Clifford Bennett; Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Ordoñez Maldonado, María Eugenia; Ordóñez Maldonado, María EugeniaPalmito (Bactris gasipaes var. gasipaes Kunth), the only native domesticated palm in the Neotropics, is used for its fruit, wood, and also for heart of palm. Ecuador is the largest exporter of palmito, with approximately 16,000 ha cultivated in 2009, representing 57% of the world’s market (Montúfar and Rosas 2013). During two visits in February and May 2014 to palmito farms in the province of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas in western Ecuador, scattered plants with bud rot symptoms were observed. The affected plants showed chlorotic spear leaves, with necrosis inside the base of the stem on the meristematic tissue and tested positive for Phytophthora spp. using ImmunoStrip tests (Agdia Inc. Elkhart, IN, USA). Infected meristem tissue was baited on surface sterilized papayas and kept between 20 to 25°C for 7 days (Torres et al. 2010). Infected papaya tissue was then plated on half-strength V8-PARPH selective medium (Ferguson and Jeffers 1999) and incubated at 25°C in the dark. Isolates had white fluffy mycelium on V8 agar. Sporangia averaged 29.68 μm in diameter, 50.59 μm in length, with 4.75 μm long pedicels, which coincide with species description of Phytophthora palmivora (Butler) Butler (Elliot et al. 2004). Identification was confirmed by the sequence of the ITS region of rDNA (GenBank Accession No. KU170143), using ITS4/ITS6 primer combination which had 100% coverage and identity to P. palmivora (GenBank Accession No. KJ755111) through BLASTn analysis. Four isolates were recovered that had identical ITS sequence. Koch’s postulates were conducted by inoculating 25 three-month-old palmito seedlings in a screen house, with 0.5 ml of a 30,000-zoospores/ml suspension of an equal mix of two isolates by injection into the apical meristem. An additional 25 seedlings were inoculated with sterile distilled water as controls. Bud rot symptoms were observed 7 days after inoculation on 20 plants. No symptoms appeared on controls which had negative immunostrip tests forPhytophthora spp. The pathogen was reisolated from symptomatic plants as described above and identified by microscopy and ITS sequencing, completing Koch’s postulates. This is the first report in Ecuador of P. palmivora causing bud rot in palmito, and a new host for the pathogen. Diseases on other hosts grown in Ecuador including African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis), cacao (Theobroma cacao), coffee (Coffea arabica), pineapple (Ananas comosus), avocado (Persea americana), and papaya (Carica papaya) are known to be caused by P. palmivora. As these crops are often grown in close proximity to palmito, it is important that research on the etiology, epidemiology, and management of this disease be carried out immediately.Item Metadata only Genetic divergence and fine scale population structure of the common bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus, Montagu) found in the Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador(2018) Bayas Rea, Rosa de los Ángeles; Félix Grijalva, Fernando; Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Félix Grijalva, FernandoThe common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, is widely distributed along the western coast of South America. In Ecuador, a resident population of bottlenose dolphins inhabits the inner estuarine area of the Gulf of Guayaquil located in the southwestern part of the country and is under threat from different human activities in the area. Only one genetic study on South American common bottlenose dolphins has been carried out to date, and understanding genetic variation of wildlife populations, especially species that are identified as threatened, is crucial for defining conservation units and developing appropriate conservation strategies. In order to evaluate the evolutionary link of this population, we assessed the phylogenetic relationships, phylogeographic patterns, and population structure using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The sampling comprised: (i) 31 skin samples collected from free-ranging dolphins at three locations in the Gulf of Guayaquil inner estuary, (ii) 38 samples from stranded dolphins available at the collection of the Museo de Ballenas de Salinas, (iii) 549 mtDNA control region (mtDNA CR) sequences from GenBank, and (iv) 66 concatenated sequences from 7-mtDNA regions (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, NADH dehydrogenase subunit I-II, cytochrome oxidase I and II, cytochrome b, and CR) obtained from mitogenomes available in GenBank. Our analyses indicated population structure between both inner and outer estuary dolphin populations as well as with distinct populations of T. truncatus using mtDNA CR. Moreover, the inner estuary bottlenose dolphin (estuarine bottlenose dolphin) population exhibited lower levels of genetic diversity than the outer estuary dolphin population according to the mtDNA CR. Finally, the estuarine bottlenose dolphin population was genetically distinct from other T. truncatus populations based on mtDNA CR and 7-mtDNA regions. From these results, we suggest that the estuarine bottlenose dolphin population should be considered a distinct lineage. This dolphin population faces a variety of anthropogenic threats in this area; thus, we highlight its fragility and urge authorities to issue prompt management and conservation measures.Item Metadata only Genetic structuring in a Neotropical palm analyzed through an Andean orogenesis-scenario(2018-07) Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel JoseloAndean orogenesis has driven the development of very high plant diversity in the Neotropics through its impact on landscape evolution and climate. The analysis of the intraspecific patterns of genetic structure in plants would permit inferring the effects of Andean uplift on the evolution and diversification of Neotropical flora. In this study, using microsatellite markers and Bayesian clustering analyses, we report the presence of four genetic clusters for the palm Oenocarpus bataua var. bataua which are located within four biogeographic regions in northwestern South America: (a) Chocó rain forest, (b) Amotape-Huancabamba Zone, (c) northwestern Amazonian rain forest, and (d) southwestern Amazonian rain forest. We hypothesize that these clusters developed following three genetic diversification events mainly promoted by Andean orogenic events. Additionally, the distinct current climate dynamics among northwestern and southwestern Amazonia may maintain the genetic diversification detected in the western Amazon basin. Genetic exchange was identified between the clusters, including across the Andes region, discarding the possibility of any cluster to diversify as a distinct intraspecific variety. We identified a hot spot of genetic diversity in the northern Peruvian Amazon around the locality of Iquitos. We also detected a decrease in diversity with distance from this area in westward and southward direction within the Amazon basin and the eastern Andean foothills. Additionally, we confirmed the existence and divergence of O. bataua var. bataua from var. oligocarpus in northern South America, possibly expanding the distributional range of the latter variety beyond eastern Venezuela, to the central and eastern Andean cordilleras of Colombia. Based on our results, we suggest that Andean orogenesis is the main driver of genetic structuring and diversification in O. bataua within northwestern South America.Item Open Access Heat production by an Ecuadorian palm(2016-12-01) Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel JoseloWhen asked to think about heat production in the natural world, our thoughts first turn to mammals, birds, and other warm-blooded animals. As mammals ourselves, we are often thankful for our ability to produce heat internally to raise body temperature above ambient temperature, through a process called endothermy. This phenomenon has fascinated naturalists and biologists for centuries (Heinrich 1999) and still has the capacity to surprise modern scientists, with new discoveries concerning the occurrence and evolution of endothermy in the animal world. Last year, for example, saw the discovery of the first entirely warm-blooded fish (Wegner et al. 2015). The endothermy of this fish is a remarkable adaptation for swimming in cold waters. Endothermy also occurs in some plants. Since the first description of heat production in arum flowers by Lamarck (1778), many other flowering and seed-bearing species have been shown to produce heat. The reasons for the evolution and ecological importance of endothermy in temperate and tropical plants are still a matter of debate, and any new field observations of plant endothermy constitute potentially interesting pieces in this eco-evolutionary jigsaw.Item Metadata only The high dynamism of Western Amazonian lowlands: a long-term view of the vegetation communities of Yasuní National Park (Ecuador)Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel JoseloSince the first pollen diagram presented in 1916 by von Post, the study of the vegetation long-term (>50 years) dynamics through the use of palynology has spread worldwide. However, this increment in the number of analyses has been patchy, with locations densely studied and other areas with still limited knowledge, as it is the case of the tropics. For instance, South American tropics and specially the lowlands (Amazonia sensu lato), represents a region largely understudied, thus limiting obtaining accurate information of the plant communities¿ dynamics of such an ecologically and economic important area. Some of the reasons for this low density of available studies are the difficulty of arriving and exploring the study area or the finding of suitable locations. Among the problems for finding suitable records, western Amazonia has been highlighted as a very geomorphologically active location, preventing the development of long, continuous, sediments spanning several thousand years without a sedimentary gap or hiatus. Here we present a Holocene sequence of western northern Amazonian lowlands, in the Ecuadorian Yasuní National Park. The sequence (PATAM25_B16, 0º41¿07.1¿¿S-76º25¿58¿¿W, 217 m asl), spans the last 6000 years, and pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, and charcoal analyses have been performed. The beginning of the record is characterised by the presence of some disturbance indicators such as Cecropia, and Asteraceae and Anacardiaceae. Around 5000 years ago, the forest was characterised by high abundances of Urticales, Araliaceae, Virola, Sterculia and Mimosa. Other rainforest elements became important around 3000 years ago, including Acalypha, Alchornea and Malpighiaceae. Finally, the modern forest composition was established during the last millennium, with important contributions from Hyeronima, Geonoma/Euterpe, Iriartea, Ficus, and more recently, Machaerium and Mauritia. The results show the continuous presence of a rainforest, but with a high dynamism changing the abundance of the dominant taxa several times during the last 6000 years. In this sense, the forest with a higher evenness is the present-day one, established during the last millennium. It is suggested that the changes in the vegetation were primarily driven by geomorphological activity including changes in the drainage system, as well as human occurrence, which could have been only sporadic in the study area. Today, the study site is inhabited by Waorani indigenous, and it is subjected to oil extraction activities. The high dynamism of the forest and the unidirectional trends of the taxa shown in this record highlight the importance of studying in more details the trends of the current vegetation in order to secure the present and future ecosystem services of such unique location. Project refs.: 2014Item Metadata only High genetic diversity with low connectivity among Mauritia flexuosa (Arecaceae) stands from Ecuadorean Amazonia(2020-10) Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel JoseloMauritia flexuosa dominated palm swamps are an important forest resource covering over 30,000 km2 across the Amazon basin. In Ecuadorean Amazonia, Mauritia flexuosa, a dioecious and arborescent palm species, forms small and isolated populations or large and dense stands on poorly drained soils. How these populations are genetically interconnected and how genetic diversity varies between cohorts of different ages remains little studied although they are important for conservation of these ecosystems. The genetic structure of Mauritia flexuosa was studied in five natural stands using eight microsatellite loci and two cohorts (seedling and adults). In addition, age structure and sex ratio within the stands were assessed using transects. The age structure of the studied Mauritia flexuosa stands is represented by a high number of seedlings (mean = 1,153.6/ha) and adults (mean = 563.2/ha), with a sex ratio favoring female individuals (1.42:1). These stands are also characterized by a fine-scale genetic structure, high observed heterozygosity (mean: HO seedlings=0.52; HO adults=0.52), high inbreeding (mean: FIS seedlings = 0.26; FIS adults = 0.26), low number of migrants (Nm=0.29), strong genetic differentiation (mean: pairwise RST/ D-values seedlings = 0.08/ 0.74; mean RST/D-values adults = 0.17/ 0.76), and an average effective population size (Ne) of 191.42 individuals. No intergenerational genetic variation was detected between seedlings and adults. We suggest that the high genetic diversity and inbreeding as well as the strong differentiation among stands of these populations could be explained, at least partially, by a low genetic connectivity among populations. Destructive harvesting of its fruits and defaunation will be major threats to Mauritia flexuosa populations in the future.Item Open Access How anthropogenic disturbances affect the resilience of a keystone palm tree in the threatened Andean cloud forest?(2011) Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Anthelme, Fabien.To conserve tropical forests, it is crucial to characterise the disturbance threshold beyond which popula- tions of tropical trees are no longer resilient. This approach is still not widely employed, especially with respect to the effects of moderate disturbances. Compensation effects, such as positive interactions among plants, are addressed even more rarely. We attempt to identify the extents to which the distribu- tion of the keystone palm tree Ceroxylon echinulatum is regulated by various regimes of deforestation in a threatened tropical montane cloud forest in the North-West Andes of Ecuador. The demographic struc- ture of this palm tree was examined in three habitats: old-growth forest, forest disturbed by selective log- ging, and deforested pasture. Patterns were related to stand structure, microclimate, and soil composition. Seedling desiccation owing to severe aboveground water stress led to the absence of juve- nile palms in pastures, and thus was predictive of a near extinction of the species in this habitat. How- ever, shade provided by dominant bunchgrass in pastures considerably reduced above- and belowground water stress by diminishing light intensity. Selective logging resulted in a higher density of individuals in disturbed forests than in old-growth forests, but was associated with a spoiled spatial structure. Therefore, the protection of residual old-growth forests is a prerequisite for the conservation of C. echinulatum, although secondary forests might act as provisional refuges that promote its resilience. The reduction of water stress by nurse grasses in pastures represents a promising approach to promote the resilience of tropical tree species and their associated communities after deforestation.Item Metadata only The Ivory Palm Phytelephas aequatorialis in Western Ecuador(2019) Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel JoseloPhytelephas 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.Item Metadata only Long-fragment targeted capture for long-read sequencing of plastomes(2019-05) Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Ron Melo, Santiago Rafael; Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel JoseloPremise: Third-generation sequencing methods generate significantly longer reads than those produced using alternative sequencing methods. This provides increased possibilities for the study of biodiversity, phylogeography, and population genetics. We developed a protocol for in-solution enrichment hybridization capture of long DNA fragments applicable to complete plastid genomes. Methods and results: The protocol uses cost-effective in-house probes developed via long-range PCR and was used in six non-model monocot species (Poaceae: African rice, pearl millet, fonio; and three palm species). DNA was extracted from fresh and silica gel-dried leaves. Our protocol successfully captured long-read plastome fragments (3151 bp median on average), with an enrichment rate ranging from 15% to 98%. DNA extracted from silica gel-dried leaves led to low-quality plastome assemblies when compared to DNA extracted from fresh tissue. Conclusions: Our protocol could also be generalized to capture long sequences from specific nuclear fragments.Item Open Access Nurse-based rehabilitation of degraded tropical forests with tussock grasses?(2014) Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Anthelme, FabienThe degradation of the Andean cloud forest raises strong biological conservation issues and threatens the sustainability of a crucial water resource. The idea that nurse-based restoration can accelerate the recovery of these forests is underexplored, despite its promise as a restoration technique. Recent conceptual models predict that facilitation among plants may be an important mechanism, but there is a lack of strong empirical support. We gathered experimental data to test this prediction and explore the relevance of using nurse-based forest restoration in these environments. A 20-month factorial experimental design in the Andean tropical cloud forest was established. We measured the survival and estimated the biomass production of transplanted seedlings of a keystone canopy forest species, Ceroxylon echinulatum (Arecaceae), in a deforested area in the presence/absence of herbivory, a potential nurse plant (the tussock grass Setaria sphacelata, Poaceae) and artificial shade. The joint effects of deforestation and herbivory led to the death of all seedlings, whereas most seedlings survived in the adjacent forest, which was used as the control. The presence of nurse plants led to significantly higher survival and growth of Ceroxylon seedlings throughout the experiment, regardless of herbivore presence. The nurse effects were explained by a reduction of the relative abiotic stress experienced by the seedlings outside the forest, that is, the consistently decreasing maximum vapour pressure deficit. Furthermore, nurse tussocks delayed and reduced the effects of herbivory by offering physical protection and a refuge for seedlings against detection by herbivores. However, the effects of herbivory and abiotic stress on facilitation were not additive. Synthesis and applications. Facilitation in degraded cloud forest can be intense as soon as the beneficiary plants are driven away from their physiological optimum (relative abiotic stress) and/or are confronted by herbivory. Using pre-established exotic tussock grasses as a nurse-based restoration technique in degraded cloud forest is a low-cost, non-detrimental (to biodiversity) option, especially in the absence of nurse trees and shrubs. The success of this method requires transplanting seedlings at the base of tussocks.Item Open Access Oenocarpus bataua Mart. (Arecaceae): Rediscovering a source of High Oleic Vegetable oil from Amazonia(2010-11) Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel JoseloThe fatty acid (FA) composition of Oenocarpus bataua oil from 38 samples collected over a large geographical range (i.e. French Guiana and Peru) was analyzed. Fifteen fatty acids were obtained from the mesocarp of this palm species. Oleic (72.7%) and palmitic (18.1%) acids were the predominant FAs. Minor FAs were cisvaccenic acid (2.3%), linoleic acid (1.9%), stearic acid (1.7%), palmitoleic (0.9%) and alpha-linolenic acid (0.8%). The mean lipid content of the dry mesocarp was 51.6%. The O. bataua oil samples analyzed were remarkably rich in a-tocopherol. By contrast, the other fractions of the unsaponifiable matter (sterols, carotenoids) did not show any noteworthy specificity in comparison with common vegetable oils. However, the particularly high percentage in D5-avenasterol of O. bataua oil could serve as a marker for its authentication. Results are discussed in terms of the potential nutritional value of O. bataua oil.Item Metadata only Palm seed and fruit lipid composition: phylogenetic and ecological perspectives(2020-01-02) Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel JoseloBackground and aims: Palms are vital to worldwide human nutrition, in particular as major sources of vegetable oils. However, our knowledge of seed and fruit lipid diversity in the family Arecaceae is limited. We therefore aimed to explore relationships between seed and fruit lipid content, fatty acid composition in the respective tissues, phylogenetic factors and biogeographical parameters. Methods: Oil content and fatty acid composition were characterized in seeds and fruits of 174 and 144 palm species respectively. Distribution, linear regression and multivariate analyses allowed an evaluation of the chemotaxonomic value of these traits and their potential relationship with ecological factors. Key Results: A considerable intra-family diversity for lipid traits was revealed. Species with the most lipid-rich seeds belonged to the tribe Cocoseae, while species accumulating oil in the mesocarp occurred in all subfamilies and two-thirds of the tribes studied. Seed and fruit lipid contents were not correlated. Fatty acid composition of mesocarp oil was highly variable within tribes. By contrast, within-tribe diversity for seed lipid traits was low, whereas between-tribe variability was high. Consequently, multivariate analyses of seed lipid traits produced groupings of species belonging to the same tribe. Medium-chain fatty acids predominated in seeds of most palm species, but they were also accumulated in the mesocarp in some cases. Seed unsaturated fatty acid content correlated with temperature at the coldest latitude of natural occurrence. Conclusion: Several previously uncharacterized palms were identified as potential new sources of vegetable oils for comestible or non-food use. Seed lipid traits reflect genetic drift that occurred during the radiation of the family and therefore are highly relevant to palm chemotaxonomy. Our data also suggest that seed unsaturated fatty acids may provide an adaptive advantage in the coldest environments colonized by palms by maintaining storage lipids in liquid form for efficient mobilization during germination.Item Open Access Palmeras aceiteras del Ecuador: estado del arte en la investigación de nuevo recursos oleaginosos provenientes del bosque tropical(2011) Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Montúfar-Galárraga, Rommel.Ecuador tiene una elevada diversidad de palmeras (Arecaceae) en su territorio (134 especies nativas), algunas de las cuales constituyen potencia- les fuentes de aceites. Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica que incluyó 24 traba- jos que reportan la composición de ácidos grasos y contenido de aceites de frutos de palmeras pertenecientes a los géneros Astrocaryum, Attalea, Bactris, Cocos, Elaeis, Euterpe, Mauritia, Oenocarpus, y Phytelephas. En base a los análisis de PCA y UPGMA, se observa que los aceites derivados de palmeras pueden clasifi- carse primariamente en función del tejido de aislamiento: (a) aceites derivados de mesocarpo ricos en ácidos grasos mono-insaturados (MUFAs), y (b) aceites deriva- dos del endospermo ricos en ácidos grasos saturados (SFAs). En particular, el meso- carpo de Phytelephas aequatorialis y el endospermo de Mauritia flexuosa tienen una elevada proporción de ácidos poli-insaturados (PUFAs). A pesar del potencial de los aceites derivados de frutos de palmeras como nuevas fuentes oleaginosas; li- mitaciones en la productividad de aceite, en el manejo, extractivismo de especies dioicas, y la conservación de los recursos fitogenéticos requieren ser estudiados.Item Open Access Patrones genéticos y ecológicos de las palmas: la influencia humana(2015) Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Balslev, HenrikEn esta investigación se estudió, documentó y analizó la diversidad de los usos de las palmas, y la importancia y el valor de sus productos para las comunidades rurales locales del Ecuador, Colombia, Perú y Bolivia. También se estudiaron la resiliencia de los ecosistemas y los límites de su funcionalidad. Esto con el fin de que se pueda lograr una sostenibilidad en el manejo y aprovechamiento de los recursos provenientes de las palmas. Fueron objeto de análisis las políticas para el uso sostenible y el manejo de las palmas, así como las prácticas administrativas relacionadas con el uso y el comercio de productos de palmas. Algunas pequeñas industrias y el comercio basados en productos de las palmas fueron evaluados a nivel tanto local como internacional. Si bien esta obra cierra el ciclo del programa internacional PALMS, constituye una motivación que genera desafíos importantes para la prosecución de futuras investigaciones en este campo.Item Open Access Patterns and origin of intraspecific functional variability in a tropical alpine species along an altitudinal gradient.(2012) Montúfar Galárraga, Rommel Joselo; Anthelme, FabienBackground: Intraspecific functional variability (IFV) along altitudinal gradients is a powerful proxy to infer the responses of plants to abrupt environmental changes. We envisage that IFV shows distinctive patterns in tropical and extratropical alpine regions. Aims: To characterise the patterns and explore the origin of IFV in a tropical alpine species in a context of upward range extension. Methods: We examined variations in a series of plant functional traits in Lasiocephalus ovatus, inside and outside a nurse plant along a 600 m altitudinal gradient in the Ecuadorian Andes, and we studied its genetic variability. Results: More conservative traits were developed at higher elevation, in contrast to extratropical alpine plants, which commonly develop opportunistic traits in response to late snowmelt close to their upper altitudinal limit. The presence of nurse cushions did not alter this trend. Increasing genetic distance along the gradient suggested that IFV might be partly genetically induced. Conclusions: Our data combined with existing literature in tropical alpine environments lead the way to a stimulating scientific challenge: determining if patterns of plant altitudinal distribution in tropical alpine areas in response to climate change are predictable from patterns described in extratropical alpine areas.