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Vulnerability of the Açaí Palm to Climate Change

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Abstract

Açaí fruit is vital for rural food security and livelihoods in the Amazonian Estuary. Local enrichment of forests to enhance açaí palm densities and climatic warming are subjecting palms to higher temperatures, and local people have reported large falls in açaí fruit production during hot years. Here we investigate this local perception, using over 400 interviews with açaí producers. Most producers reported a fall in açaí production in hot years, due to low initial production and failure of developing fruit. There was a widespread perception that intensively enriched groves (high açaí palm densities) produce more fruit, but that fruit loss was greater in these same areas during hot years - presenting a potential management paradox. Our study provides initial evidence of the prevalence, mechanisms, and management implications of açaí fruit production loss due to climate change. Further multidisciplinary research is needed to better understand this problem, and to minimize potential socioeconomic impacts.

Resumo

O fruto do açaí é vital para a segurança alimentar e os modos de vida rurais no estuário Amazônico. O enriquecimento local de florestas para aumentar a densidade dos açaizais e o aquecimento climático estão sujeitando as palmeiras a temperaturas mais altas e levando a população local a notar grandes quedas na produção de frutos de açaí durante os anos quentes. Neste trabalho investigamos essa percepção local, usando mais de 400 entrevistas com produtores de açaí. A maioria dos produtores relatou uma queda na produção de açaí nos anos quentes devido à baixa produção inicial e à falha no desenvolvimento de frutas. Havia uma percepção generalizada de que a várzea estuarina intensamente enriquecidas (altas densidades de palmeiras de açaí) produzem mais frutos, mas essa perda de frutos foi maior nessas mesmas áreas durante os anos quentes - apresentando um potencial paradoxo de manejo. Este estudo fornece evidências iniciais da prevalência, mecanismos e implicações do manejo na redução da produção de frutos de açaí induzida pelas mudanças climáticas. Mais pesquisas multidisciplinares são necessárias para entender melhor esse problema e minimizar os possíveis impactos socioeconômicos.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Joe Wright and Martijn from the Smithsonian Institute for their opinions on the physiological mechanisms driving açaí fruit loss. Thank you to Francisca Nara Moreira, Danilo Silva, Anderson Dias, and Mariano Alves-Valles for help with data collection. We thank Daniele Cunha for testing the first version of the questionnaire that resulted in its total reformulation. We thank Carolina Oliveira for help with logistics throughout the project in 2017. Thank you to Filipe França for help with statistical analyses. We also thank Claudia Ringler from IFPRI for sending their 91 pages questionnaire used in her Ethiopia project which helped us to formulate part of the one used here. We are extremely grateful to the many ribeirinhos who gave up their time to be interviewed, helped with transportation, food, and accommodation, and whose good nature and hospitality made the fieldwork a special experience.

Funding

This work was funded by CAPES-Pro-Amazônia (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior; grant number 3322/2013), ANA (Agência Nacional de Águas; grant number 446309/2015–0), CNPQ-Universal (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico; grant number 455378/2014–2); IDRC (International Development Research Centre; grant number 106711–001 and FAPESPA (Fundação Amazônia Paraense de Amparo à Pesquisa; grant number 106–2010).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Núcleo de Altos Estudos Amazônicos, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil

    Daniel Tregidgo & Oriana Almeida

  2. Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Tefé, Amazonas, Brazil

    Daniel Tregidgo

  3. Laboratório de Entomologia, Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, Belém, Pará, Brazil

    Alistair J. Campbell

  4. Departamento de Economia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil

    Sérgio Rivero

  5. Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

    Madson Antonio Benjamin Freitas

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  1. Daniel Tregidgo
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Correspondence to Daniel Tregidgo.

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Tregidgo, D., Campbell, A.J., Rivero, S. et al. Vulnerability of the Açaí Palm to Climate Change. Hum Ecol 48, 505–514 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-020-00172-2

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