Biocomercio y sostenibilidad: análisis en torno a las materias primas de las artesanías en Colombia

Las artesanías colombianas han alcanzado un punto alto en su comercialización, llegando a todo tipo de mercados e incluso posicionándose como producto decorativo de estatus; sin embargo, muchos son los vacíos y carencias que se dan en el sector artesanal. Un gran porcentaje de oficios artesanales del país emplea fibras de plantas silvestres y cultivadas como fuentes de materia prima, existiendo problemáticas ambientales asociadas a esta actividad, acompañadas de conflictos sociales y económicos de igual o mayor magnitud. En este artículo se analiza la labor artesanal bajo la mirada del Biocomercio y la Sostenibilidad; los cuales están enmarcados dentro de la Economía Verde, concepto de uso global que contempla una perspectiva balanceada entre el desarrollo social, ambiental y económico. Como eje de discusión central se tomaron los casos de los oficios artesanales de tejeduría en caña flecha (Gynerium sagitatum (Aubl.) P.Beauv), cestería en esparto (Juncus ramboi Barros), tejeduría en wérregue (Astrocaryum standleyanum L.H.Bailey), aplicación en tamo y cestería en rollo de Guacamayas. Los métodos empleados para el levantamiento y análisis de la información correspondieron al planteamiento de una investigación cualitativa, basada en los principios de la etnografía, desarrollada con herramientas como entrevistas semiestructuradas, recorridos de campo, jornadas de observación participativa y mesas de trabajo entre los investigadores. A lo largo del texto evidenciamos y analizamos de forma integral algunos conflictos relacionados con las materias primas en los oficios artesanales como: falta de visibilidad de cultivadores y recolectores, déficit en el abastecimiento y baja calidad de materia prima, presencia de cuellos de botella en la producción artesanal, falta de legalidad, ausencia de manejo sostenible, carencia de pagos justos y escaso fortalecimiento a recolectores y cultivadores de materias primas, entre otros

Seed dispersal by rodents in a lowland forest in central Panama

We studied the removal of seeds of three species of large-seeded tree (Astrocaryum standleyanum, Attalea butyracea and Dipteryx oleifera) from three different heights within six study plots in a lowland forest in central Panama. Fresh fruits with intact seeds fitted with industrial sewing bobbins were placed within semi-permeable exclosures. Removed seeds were tracked to deposition sites, and seed fate was determined. Removals were likely perpetrated by two small rodents, the strictly terrestrial Proechimys semispinosus and the scansorial Sciurus granatensis, because they were the most abundant small rodents in the study site during the study period and were of sufficient size to remove large seeds. Rodent abundance and fruit availability were estimated by conducting censuses. Nine microhabitat variables were measured at each deposition site to determine if these two rodents were preferentially depositing seeds in sites with certain characteristics or were randomly depositing seeds. During the study, rodents handled 98 seeds, 85 of which were not predated upon and could potentially germinate. Removal rates were not influenced by rodent abundance or fruit availability. Seeds were most frequently moved <3 m and deposited with the fruit eaten and the seed intact. However, some seeds did experience relatively long-distance dispersal (>10 m). Rodents preferentially deposited seeds in locations with large logs (>10 cm diameter), dense herbaceous cover, and an intact canopy. The number of large logs was different from random locations. Despite not being able to determine long-term fate (greater than c. 1 y), we show that these small rodents are not primarily seed predators and may in fact be important mutualists by dispersing seeds relatively long distances to favourable germination sites.

Seed predation and defleshing in the agouti-dispersed palm Astrocaryum standleyanum

The agouti (Dasyprocta punctata) meticulously defleshes Astrocaryum standleyanum palm seeds before scatter hoarding. On Barro Colorado Island, Panama, we experimentally tested three hypotheses on how this behaviour could reduce seed predation to the mutual benefit of the tree and the rodent. The first and established hypothesis – that defleshing reduces seed predation by bruchid beetles by intercepting larvae – was rejected. Experiments in which manually defleshed seeds or entire fruits were incubated at different times showed that defleshing reduced bruchid infestation before fruit fall but not after fruit fall. The second hypothesis – that defleshing reduces cache pilferage by making seeds less conspicuous – was supported. An experiment in which intact fruits and manually defleshed seeds were placed in mimicked agouti caches and followed showed that seeds with flesh were pilfered at higher rates than defleshed seeds. The third hypothesis – that defleshing reduces post-dispersal infestation of cached seeds – was rejected. An experiment in which intact fruits and manually defleshed seeds were placed in mammal exclosures and later collected to assess infestation showed that burial reduced seed infestation but defleshing did not. Thus, seed defleshing reduced palm seed predation, but in a different way than previously believed. We also found that (1) bruchid beetles can be pre-dispersal rather than post-dispersal seed predators, (2) seed infestation by scolytid beetles may control bruchid larvae, and (3) scolytids rather than bruchids are the main invertebrate seed predators of this palm.

Removal of black palm (Astrocaryum standleyanum) seeds by spiny rats (Proechimys semispinosus)

ABSTRACTA seed-removal experiment was conducted to assess the role of Proechimys semispinosus (Central American spiny rat) as potential predator and disperser of Astrocaryum standleyanum (black palm) seeds. One hundred fresh ripe A. standleyanum fruits were placed in semipermeable cages on each of 14 small islands in Panama, and seed disappearance rates were calculated for each island. Spiny rat density and biomass were determined by live-trapping on each island for 5 consecutive days and 4 nights. Censuses of fruiting trees were conducted on each island to control for effects of food availability on removal of palm fruits. Disappearance rates were related positively to total spiny rat density, density of adult and subadult spiny rats, and spiny rat biomass, but the density of fruiting trees accounted for very little variation. Spiny rats evidently prey heavily on A. standleyanum seeds, based on the high removal rates and on feeding observations of captive individuals. Since spiny rats may scatterhoard A. standleyanum seeds, they may also function as effective seed dispersers if seeds are removed to favourable germination sites unavailable to other seed predators. Results indicate that spiny rats, because of their abundance and wide distribution, may be important but overlooked predators and dispersers of A. standleyanum seeds and of other large-seeded tree species.