Metroxylon amicarum NT Taxonomic Authority: (H.Wendl.) Hook.f. Global Assessment Regional Assessment Region: Global Endemic to region Synonyms Common Names CAROLINE IVORY NUT English (Primary) OAHS Pohnpeian RUPANG Chuukese Upper Level Taxonomy Kingdom: PLANTAE Phylum: TRACHEOPHYTA Class: LILIOPSIDA Order: ARECALES Family: PALMAE Lower Level Taxonomy Rank: Infra- rank name: Plant Hybrid Subpopulation: Authority: General Information Distribution Endemic to the Caroline Islands (Johnson 1998). It also occurs on Guam, but the lack of local name indicates it is not a native species (McClatchey et al. 2006) Range Size Elevation Biogeographic Realm Area of Occupancy: 300 Upper limit: 550 Afrotropical Extent of Occurrence: Lower limit: 1 Antarctic Map Status: Depth Australasian Upper limit: Neotropical Lower limit: Oceanian Depth Zones Palearctic Shallow photic Bathyl Hadal Indomalayan Photic Abyssal Nearctic Population Population size is not known, but has been noted as scarce in moist forest (Johnson 1998). Occurs in at least three subpopulations on the islands of Pohnpei, Chuuk and Nakuoro. Total Population Size Minimum Population Size: Maximum Population Size: Habitat and Ecology Palm up tp 12 - 13 m tall. Found in moist coastal or upland forest, freshwater wetlands and swamps. It flowers repeatedly in contrast to other Metroxylon spp. that are monocarpic i.e. only flower once (Johnson 1998, McClatchey et al 2006). System Movement pattern Crop Wild Relative Terrestrial Freshwater Nomadic Congregatory/Dispersive Is the species a wild relative of a crop? Marine Migratory Altitudinally migrant Growth From Definition Tree - size unknow Tree (any size), also termed a Phanerophyte (>1m) Threats M. amicarum has a restricted range in terms of area of occupancy (AOO = 300 km2). There are numerous uses of this palm along with other species of Metroxylon. At present there is no indication that it is unsustainably harvested, but this should be carefully monitored. Past Present Future 1 Habitat Loss/Degradation (human induced) 3 Harvesting (hunting/gathering) 9 Intrinsic factors 9.9 Restricted range Conservation Measures M. amicarum does not occur in any protected area and no collections are known to have been made for ex situ storage. However, it is represented in numerous botanic gardens. In Place Needed 3 Research actions 3.2 Population numbers and range 3.5 Threats 3.8 Conservation measures 3.9 Trends/Monitoring 4 Habitat and site-based actions 4.4 Protected areas 5 Species-based actions 5.3 Sustainable use 5.7 Ex situ conservation actions 5.7.1 Captive breeding/Artificial propagation 5.7.2 Genome resource bank Countries of Occurrence PRESENCE ORIGIN Year Breeding Non- Passage Possibly ExtinctPresence Native Introduced Re- Vagrant Origin Round Season breeding migrant extinct uncertain Introduced uncertain only season only Guam Micronesia, Federated States of General Habitats Score Description Major Importance 1 Forest 1UnsetSuitable 1.6 Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland1Unset Suitable 1.8 Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Swamp1Unset Suitable 5 Wetlands (inland)2 Marginal Not applicable 5.8 Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater 2Marginal Not applicable Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) Ecosystem Services Insufficient Information available Species provides no ecosystem services Score according to relative importance where 1 = very important, 2 = important, 3 = some importance, 4 = not important/relevant and 5 = not known. Ecosystem service Score (from 1 to 5) Geographic range over which benefits are felt? Water Quality Water Supplies Flood Control Climate Regulation Landscape Air Quality Nutrient Cycling Habitat Maintenance 3 Regional Provision of Critical Habitat 3 Regional Pollination Erosion Control 3 Regional Biocontrol Shoreline Protection Other (specify) Define Other: Other (specify) Define Other: Species Utilisation Species is not utilised at all Purpose / Type of Use Subsistence National International 1. Food - human 10. Wearing apparel, accessories 2. Food - animal 3. Medicine - human and veterinary 8. Fibre Buttons can be made from the nut of M. amicarum. Roots, young leaves and stem cork are used for traditional medicine in Pohnpei. It is highly valued for thatch for roofs and is also form of starch. Numerous other uses are known for this species and associated species of Metroxylon (sago palm) (McClatchey et al. 2006). Trend in the level of wild offtake/harvest in relation to total wild population numbers over the last five years: Trend in the amount of offtake/harvest produced through domestication/cultivation over the last five years: CITES status: Not listed Livelihood Value Primary Product Scale of Assessment: Regional Name of Location/Country/Region: Pohnpei Date: 2006 Description of product (eg. skin, meat, horn, fibre, etc.): leaves For Single Species Harvest When Part of a Multi-species Harvest for this Product: Estimated annual harvest of the product: Not Known Estimated annual multi-species harvest: Units: Units: The species contribution to the total harvest (%): Users Amount of this species within multi-species harvest: Primary level of human reliance on the product: Who are the primary harvesters of this resource? By gender/age? By socio-economic group? Specify other: Value to Livelihoods Proportion (%) of total population benefiting from this product: Proportion (%) of household consumption (if dietary as a % of protein/carbohydrate) for this product: Proportion (as a %) of household income for this product: Value to Economy Annual cash income from this product - gross (in US$): 0.50 - 2.00 per thatch she IUCN Red Listing Red List Assessment:(using 2001 IUCN system) Near Threatened (NT) Red List Criteria: Date Last Seen (only for EX, EW or Possibly EX species): Is the species Possibly Extinct? Possibly Extinct Candidate? Rationale for the Red List Assessment The distribution across the Caroline Islands gives M. amicarum a large extent of occurrence and a small area of occupancy. Although harvested for numerous purposes, it appears to be used sustainably at present. It receives no formal protection in the form of protected areas. A better understanding of the size of the population and rates of harvest is needed. Due to the restricted AOO and severely fragmented subpopulations a rating of Near Threatened is given because the onset of any threatening process in the future is likely to warrant a threatened category under criterion B. Reason(s) for Change in Red List Category from the Previous Assessment: Genuine Change Nongenuine Change No Change Genuine (recent) New information Taxonomy Same category Genuine (since first assessment) Knowledge of Criteria Criteria Revisio and criteria Incorrect data used Other Same category but previously change in criteria Current Population Trend: Stable Date of Assessment: 05/07/2011 Name(s) of the Assessor(s): Bachman, S. Evaluator(s): Notes: % population decline in the past: Time period over which the past decline has been measured for applying Criterion A or C1 (in years or generations): % population decline in the future: Time period over which the future decline has been measured for applying Criterion A or C1 (in years or generations): Number of Locations: Severely Fragmented: Number of Mature Individuals: Bibliography Johnson, D., 1998, Metroxylon amicarum, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species5th July, , IUCN, McClatchey, W., Manner, H.I., Elevitch, C.R., 2006, Metroxylon amicarium, M. paulcoxii, M. sagu, M. salomonense, M. vitiense, and M. warburgii (sago palm), Traditional Trees of Pacific Islands: their culture, environment, and use, Elevitch, C.R., 491-512, Permanent Agricultural Resources, Holualoa, Hawai‘i.