Summary, Introduction, Methods, Analysis, Results, Discussion, References, Acknowledgements, Photos, Links

1. A Geographic Information System (GIS, Arc/Info®) and conventional line transect techniques were used to investigate the distribution and abundance of Guadua cf. angustifolia, locally known as Marona, a synchronous flowering bamboo species, in 200 km² of humid tropical forest in the Department of Madre de Dios, Peru. Experiments to determine appropriate vegetative propagation and culm curing techniques were also undertaken.

2. Marona appears to be exclusively restricted to floodplain forest habitats where its spatial distribution is clumped and closely associated with multiple tree-fall gaps. Light, in addition to the proportion of clay in the soil, appear to be the main factors influencing distribution.

3. The extent of forest where Marona is potentially located was not reliably estimated using the GIS and spatial analysis techniques employed, due to small clump size and insufficient separability or spectral overlap of vegetation types, in turn a result of the highly textured reflectance patterns at 30 m spatial resolution typical of Landsat imagery.

4. Transect surveys revealed that clump abundance and mean clump size in a 32 km² core area around the community of Boca Amigo was 23.88 clumps/ha and 5.72 ± 0.87 culms/clump, respectively, equivalent to 136.59 ± 20.78 culms/ha. Clump size varied significantly between transects. This and other evidence suggests that Marona is recovering from a flowering event which might have occurred in the last 5 years or so.

5. Mean culm growth rate was an incredible 15.88 ± 1.22 cm/day and varied significantly between clumps in line with clump size. Culm biomass is a factor of culm diameter.

6. The mid region of a culm proved to be the best vegetative propagule, which grew best in inundated zones with soils high in silt and clay. Chemical treatment with Borax and Boric acid was the most appropriate treatment technique for preserving recently harvested culms.

Key-words: rainforest, GIS, bamboo, biomass, growth rate, propagation, preservation.

Summary, Introduction, Methods, Analysis, Results, Discussion, References, Acknowledgements, Photos, Links