Avaliação ecológica do extrativismo do pequi (Caryocar coriaceum Wittm.) na Floresta Nacional do Araripe, Ceará : informações para um plano de uso sustentável

Abstract

We aimed to investigate the ecological effects of pequi (Caryocar coriaceum) harvesting in Araripe National Forest, from static and dynamic analysis perspectives to support the formulation of a plan for the conservation and sustainable use. Generally, fruits are obtained solely from the extraction of native populations without any proper control. The major part of the studies do not blame fruit exploitation as main pressure cause. Many other factors are involved and need assessments to determine the power that each factor carries. Static analysis is the most common form of assessment of ecological effects of extraction. Regarding pequi, the populations have problems in natural regeneration due to low stock of infants elements. We found that, in a static way of analisys, there is no sustainability in the extraction at FLONA because records from IBGE indicate an amount collected that exceeds the supply potential. But the dynamic perspective reveals a very high extraction rate (>90%) and a stability trend in population size in much of the National Forest. This scenario is not intensified by the increased frequency of severe weather events such as drought. The sustainable use of pequi must be guided by the decrease of the current collection rates. By leaving in the environment 3 out of 10 fruits, collectors will be respecting the natural removal rates from the fauna associated to the species, which may improve its natural regeneration. The importance of pequi at regional, ecological, social and economic context justifies conducting surveys of longer duration to increase the efficiency of strategies for the conservation and maintenance of harvesting activity.