Production of Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) under Different Agroforestry System Management Intensities in Amazonian Floodplain (Varzea) Forests

Authors: Goncalves V* , Righi CA , Mehta D , Tiruneh GA , Guedes MC , Pereira CR , Polizel JL and Batista JFL

DOI: 10.23880/oajar-16000389

Volume 11, Issue 1

Abstract

The Amazon region encompasses a wide range of vegetation formations due to variations in its conditions, from the Andean foothills to the mouth of the Amazon River. Among these are floodplain forests along the vast river network, which, despite their extent, remain poorly studied. Amazonian floodplain (várzea) forests sustain high biomass and socioecological value, yet their ecological functioning and response to management remain unclear, particularly for native açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.), a key species in regional agroextractive economies. This study assessed whether management intensity through canopy openness affects production in açaí stands within a riverine community on Ilha das Cinzas, Pará, shaped by seasonal flooding and long-term traditional use. Four sites were selected with two areas under high management (HM) and two areas with low management (LM) intensities were surveyed. Structural and floristic contrasts were evident: high intensity areas exhibited greater canopy openness (HM = 24.62%; LM = 11.83%) and reduced species richness (HM = 19; LM = 32), indicating simplified forest structure. Fruit yield mirrored clump architecture, with HM averaging 4 kg and 3 kg in LM per raceme, and fruit density per centimeter of rachis followed the same trend (HM = 41.7 g·cm-1; LM = 33,1 g·cm-1). Linear mixed-effects models revealed that this difference is linked to structural palm’s traits, rather than canopy openness. At the stem level, diameter of breast height (DBH) and rachis length positively influenced fruit weight, while total leaf area, stem height and radiance availability were not significant predictors. In floodplain açaí systems, productivity is governed primarily by intrinsic palm’s structural traits rather than selective thinning or canopy modification. Practices that maintain productive stems and ensure continuous recruitment are likely to sustain fruit yields. This approach fosters resilient agroextractive systems, stabilizes seasonal production, and safeguards the livelihoods of riverine communities that depend on these forests.

Keywords: Agroextractivism; Agroforestry; Amazonia; Forest Management; Floodplain; Production

View PDF