Conservation management of an abandoned copra plantation at Palmyra Atoll, Northern Line Islands, Pacific Ocean
Coconut palms support island economies but can outcompete native plants and disrupt seabird-driven nutrients. At Palmyra Atoll, cutting stems with herbicide best controlled palms, and injecting 10 ml glyphosate achieved 100% mortality in mature trees within 8 months.
Subject Tags
- Agroforestry
- Land management
- Invasive Species
Abstract
Coconut palms (Cocos nucifera) cultivated for copra are agricultural resources on many of the world’s low-lying tropical oceanic islands where they provide sustenance and economic value to human communities. However, coconut palms, when dominant in island plant communities, can outcompete native plants for above- and below-ground resources. Furthermore, when coconut palms displace native plant species preferred by seabirds as roosting and nesting habitats, they may disrupt beneficial nutrient pathways in both marine and terrestrial ecosystems. At Palmyra Atoll, located in the Northern Line Islands, Pacific Ocean, evaluation of three methods for controlling coconut palm seedlings (foliar herbicide application, cut-stem, and cut-stem combined with herbicide) showed that mortality was highest with the cut-stem combined with herbicide application. A comparison of herbicide volumes injected directly into stems of mature palms showed that mortality increased with herbicide volume; an injection of 10 ml of undiluted Roundup CustomTM herbicide (53.8% glyphosate) achieved 100% mortality within 8 months.
Citation
Franklin, K., Khalsa, M., Hunter, S., Kropidlowski, S., Carr, P. and Wegmann, A., 2024. Conservation management of an abandoned copra plantation at Palmyra Atoll, Northern Line Islands, Pacific Ocean. Conservation Evidence, 21, p.1. https://doi.org/10.52201/CEJ21/WTTF3018
TNC Authors
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Katie Franklin
Island Conservation Strategy Lead, Hawaii
The Nature Conservancy
Email: k.r.franklin@tnc.org -
Alex Wegmann
Lead Scientist, Island Resilience, California
The Nature Conservancy
Email: alex.wegmann@tnc.org