CONSERVATION STRATEGY OF ENDANGERED FOREST PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES IN CUBA

by
O. Hechavarría Kindelán, E. Castillo, A. Peña and L. Sordo¹⁰

INTRODUCTION

The Republic of Cuba stretches over 110 860 km² of which 24,5 percent are forested, and home to 900 tree species, including 600 indigenous species. (Hechavarría, 1997). A number of native tree species are endangered and require urgent and active protection and restoration measures. This work aims at illustrating the conservation strategy for endangered species carried out by the Cuban Forest Research Institute.

TOOLS AND METHODS

The endangered species conservation strategy developed by the Forest Research Institute is based on, and carried out according to, the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture’s Plan of Action, and supported by the 1999 Forestry Law (State Forestry Service, 1999).

The strategy details a number of technical steps, including:

• species prospection,

• phenologic studies,

• seed and/or fruit collection,

• raising seedlings in the laboratory and the nursery, and

• enrichment plantation.

Species prospection

On the basis of herbarium samples, target species are described, their natural distribution studied and verified in the field, and botanical samples taken and checked against collection samples.

Table 1. Summary of characteristics for 20 species studied.

Scientific name	Formation type	Endemic	State
Acacia daemon Ekm.et Urb.	Serpentine	X	A
Acacia rogii Leon.	Dry forest	X	A
Antirhea radiata (Griseb) Urb.	Tropical semideciduous moist forest		C
Callycophylun candidisimun (Vahl) DC.	Semideciduous		C
Cocotrinax borhidiana Muñiz	“Cuabales”	X	Ex
Garcinia aristata (Borhidi)	Semideciduous	X	A
Haematoxylum campechianum L.	Semideciduous in lowlands		C
Harpalyce macrocarpa Britt Will	“Charrascales”		C
Hidelgrardia cubensis (Urb.) Kostermans	Semideciduous	X	C
Juglans jamaicensis ssp jamaicensis C.DC	Semideciduous		C
Junniperus lucayana Britt	Coastal dry forest		A
Laurocerasus occidentalis L.	Dry Semideciduous		C
Licaria jamaicensis (Ness) Kostermans	Tropical moist forest		C
Magnolia cubensis Urb.ssp acunae Imch.	Tropical moist forest	X	A
Manilkara jaimiqui (Wr. Ex Griseb ) Dubard ssp wrightiana	Semideciduous		C
Ochroma pyramidalis (Cab.) Urb.	Tropical moist forest, riverine	n.a.	n.a.
Swartzia cubensis (Britt et Wils.) Standl	Tropical moist forest	X	C
Terminalia eriostachya A. Rich	Semideciduous	X	C
Trinax ekmaniana (Burret)Borhidi et Muñiz	“Mogotes” (hills)	X	Ex
Ziziphus havanensis Kunth var havanensis	Coastal dry forests	X	A

A: endangered; C: possible candidate; Ex: threatened of extinction

Phenologic studies

These studies are carried out to characterize target species in their natural distribution area and identify their phenologic phases and variations, and in particular their fructification behavior. These records allow the timely collection of reproductive material. Phenologic observations follow the methodology used by Hechavarría (1998).

Seed and/or fruit collection

Based on phenologic studies, physiologically mature fruits are collected, assessed and described in the laboratory. The description includes such criteria as external shape, fruit color, dimensions, internal and external patterns, number of seed per kg and seed health. Moisture content is assessed in fruits and seeds, and germination trials in different conditions are undertaken. (Alvarez et al., 1991).

Raising seedlings in the laboratory and the nursery

The obtention of seedlings depends to a large extent on the effectiveness of the pre-germination treatments, confirmed by the results of statistical analysis. Once the most appropriate propagation method for each species has been identified, seedlings obtained in the laboratory are installed in the nursery, where their growth and development is monitored (height, number of first leaves and botanical description).

Enrichment planting

Gene pool enrichment aims at reestablishing the species in its respective environment and natural distribution area. An area is cleared and soil prepared in 1m circumference circles where 4 plants are installed, with a density of 625 circles per hectares, the objective being to plant 2 500 plants per hectares. The young plants are assessed at six months, and two years after plantation, and survival rates and height measured.

RESULTS

As a result of the prospection work, 50 tree species were identified in situ in 90 stands distributed in the western central and eastern regions of the country and in approximately eight different ecosystems, of which seven are endemic to Cuba. Once a species was recognized and verified, each sample tree was labeled, and its diameter at BH and total height were measured. Administrative and environmental factors were also recorded, such as the location of the area (municipality and province), coordinates, altitude asl, slope, topography, soil type, forest type, and climatic classification of the area.

The results of the phenological studies are shown in Table 2. Most species were propagated by seed.

Table 2. Results of phenologic studies.

Scientific name	Flowering period	Fructification period	Harvest
Acacia daemon Ekm.et Urb.	April	May	May
Acacia rogii Leon.	March-April	May	June
Antirhea radiata (Griseb) Urb.	July-September	August-September	October
Callycophylun candidisimun (Vahl) DC.	November-February	January-April	April-May
Cocotrinax borhidiana Muñiz	February-March	April-June	June
Garcinia aristata (Borhidi)	January-February	February-March	April
Haematoxylum campechianum L.	February-March	April	May
Harpalyce macrocarpa Britt Will	February-March	March- April	April
Hidelgrardia cubensis (Urb.) Kostermans	May-July	September-October	October
Juglans jamaicensis ssp jamaicensis C.DC	September-November	January-April	April
Junniperus lucayana Britt	July-September	October-Februrary	March-April
Laurocerasus occidentalis L.	May	July-December	Dec-January
Licaria jamaicensis (Ness) Kostermans	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.
Magnolia cubensis Urb.ssp acunae Imch.	February-March	March-June	June
Manilkara jaimiqui (Wr. Ex Griseb ) Dubard ssp wrightiana	February	March-May	June
Ochroma pyramidalis (Cab.) Urb.	February-March	April-June	July
Swartzia cubensis (Britt et Wils.) Standl	April	March-September	September
Terminalia eriostachya A. Rich	March-June	July-November	November
Trinax ekmaniana (Burret)Borhidi et Muñiz	March- April	May-September	September
Ziziphus havanensis Kunth var havanensis	December-January	January-March	April

CONCLUSIONS

The in situ conservation technique carried out through enrichment and reintroduction of species was successful for most target species. Besides in situ restoration, some trees were also planted in botanical gardens, parks and other institutions with the objective of maintaining and extending the gene pool of their species, through ex situ conservation.

The conservation strategy carried out by the Cuban Forest Research Institute permitted the conservation of more than 40 endangered forest tree species, and improved seed and propagation techniques for 17 of them. These achievements will contribute to the recovery of valuable forest ecosystems and the reduction of genetic erosion.

REFERENCES

Alvarez, A. et al. 1991. Conservación de los recursos genéticos forestales. Protocolo del Proyecto, Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales, La Habana: 16 p.

Hechavarría, O. 1998. Algunos aspectos metodológicos sobre la fenología de árboles forestales. Boletín de Mejoramiento genético y semillas forestales, (20): 15-18

Hechavarría, O. 1997. Situación actual de los recursos fitogenéticos en Cuba. Boletín de Mejoramiento genético y semillas forestales, (16): 23-24

State Forestry Service (Servicio Estatal Forestal). 1999. Ley Forestal. Su reglamento y Contravenciones. La Habana: 93 p.

FAO. 1997. The Fourth International Technical Conference on Plant Genetic Resources and follow-up activities on forest genetic resources. Forest Genetic Resources (24): 42-44 http://www.fao.org/forestry/FOR/FORM/FOGENRES/GENRESBU/124/124E/art14e.stm

FAO. 1994. La CNUMAD en acción en el sector forestal, Roma: 86 p.

Palmberg-Lerche, C. & Hald, S. 2000. Management of forest genetic resources: status and challenges. Unasylva 51 (203): 27-28. http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/X8080e/x8080e05.htm#P0_0.

¹⁰ Forest Research Institute, Siboney, Ciudad Habana, Cuba