Comparative study of the cative populations (Prioria copaifera) in the Atrato river delta

Abstract

The population density and spatial distribution of the Captive (Prioria copaifera) were studied in flooded areas of three lo calities in the north of the department of Chocó, Colombia. In order to know the present state of the populations of the species, for its incorporation to the main ecological structure of the Chocó Biogeografico, for this, 14 sampling units of 50x50m (3.5 ha) distributed in the municipalities of Carmen de Darién (1.25 ha), Riosucio (1.25 ha) and Unguía (1 ha), within which individuals were recorded in their different stages of high forest, seedling and polewood. A total of 1589 individuals of P. copaifera were recorded at different stages of development. The fustal state was the most representative with 956 (44%) individuals, of the total sample, followed by 338 (31%) individuals and latizal 295 (25 %) individuals. On the other hand of the three localities studied, the municipality of Riosucio was the one that registered the largest number of individuals in a fustal state 445, which shows that the species in this locality is not the one that currently presents the greatest use by the community and large companies. Although the distribution of the vertical structure of the population shows an increase in the fustal stage, only 30% of the trees of the population in this stage reach the reproductive age, this is possibly because the villagers do not respect or they do not know the minimum sizes for the use of the species.