Abstract

DUARTE GANDICA, Irene et al. Demographic study of Emilia sonchifolia (Asteraceae) in a coffee farm in Armenia, Quindío, Colombia.. Acta biol.Colomb. [online]. 2015, vol.20, n.2, pp.101-110. ISSN 0120-548X.  https://doi.org/10.15446/abc.v20n2.41790.

A research study was conducted to determine the demographic structure of Emilia sonchifolia L. in a coffee plantation in Armenia, Quindío, Colombia. Data were collected over a period of four weeks on three sites: inside, at the border and outside a coffee farm. A logistic population model was built to describe the population behavior of E. sonchifolia over time. Statiscally significant differences were found between: number of individuals per life stage in time, mortality rate, transition time from seedling to juvenile and from juvenile to adult; and number of leaves and branches. There was no evidence for statistically significant differences in population density or in number of inflorescences and fruits between study sites. In general, the observed behavior may be attributed to the r strategy used by this species. Finally, our results suggest the survival of the species is conditioned by the presence of all life stages at the beginning of each simulation based on the logistic model; so, a potential strategy for its controlling would require the removal during the juvenile stage. The considerations offer alternatives regarding weed population management.

Keywords : coffee; demography; model; plant weeds.

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