Abstract

Agave palmeri (Palmer’s agave) is a long-lived, monocarpic, perennial succulent which provides a critical flower nectar food source for the threatened species, Leptonycteris curasoae (lesser long-nosed bat) among other animals. Agave palmeri flower only once after approximately 25 years. To support the demography needed to have some plants flowering every year, wild populations of A. palmeri must be conserved and mining, construction, and recreational impacts must be mitigated. Collecting, storing, and transplanting wild plants was tested as a potential method for restoring and maintaining A. palmeri populations. In January 2009, 387 wild plants were collected, roughly half the plants were potted in field soil, and the remainder were placed in pots without soil (bare-root) and covered with burlap cloth. During 6-months storage, 1% of plants potted in field soil died while 31% of bare-root plants died. In July 2009, a denuded and scarified field plot was planted with the surviving 277 A. palmeri individuals. Plants received one of three water treatments: a 90-day slow-release gel irrigation supplement, 8 L (2 gal) of water, or no water or gel. Three years after transplanting, survivorship was assessed. The watering treatments had no significant effect on survivorship. The number of green leaves at the time of collection was the most important factor in predicting if the plants lived, died, or survived to flower before dying . Mortality is concentrated in the smallest and largest plants. Transplanting appears to be a viable method of returning diverse size classes of A. palmeri to disturbed sites.

摘要

龙舌兰（Palmer's龙舌兰）是一种长寿的，单生的多年生多肉植物，为其他物种中的濒危物种Leptonycteris curasoae（短鼻蝠）提供了重要的花蜜食物来源。龙舌兰棕榈花约25年后仅开花一次。为了支持需要每年开花一些植物的人口统计学，必须保护棕榈A.的野生种群，并减轻采矿，建筑和娱乐影响。测试了收集，储存和移植野生植物作为恢复和维护棕榈曲霉的潜在方法。人口。2009年1月，收集了387种野生植物，大约一半的植物盆栽在田间土壤中，其余的则放在没有土壤的盆中（裸根）并用麻布覆盖。在存放六个月的过程中，盆栽土壤中有1％的植物死亡，而裸根植物中有31％死亡。2009年7月，在幸存的277 A. palmeri上种植了一块裸露且稀疏的田地 个人。植物接受以下三种水处理之一：90天的缓释凝胶灌溉补充剂，8升（2加仑）水或不加水或没有凝胶。移植三年后，评估存活率。浇水处理对存活率没有显着影响。收集时的绿叶数量是预测植物在死前是否存活，死亡或存活以开花的最重要因素。死亡率集中在最小和最大的植物上。移植似乎是一种将不同大小等级的棕榈曲霉恢复到受干扰部位的可行方法。