Bamboo flowering in South America: what the past tells about the future

Abstract

A key characteristic of most woody bamboos is the process of cyclical flowering after a long vegetative period. These flowering events are generally gregarious, affecting an entire region, and are followed by the death of individuals. The duration of the life cycle has been determined in very few species. After reconstructing the history of massive reproductive episodes of South American woody bamboo species, the life span of many species was estimated. For most of the species considered, mean flowering period multiples of 15–16 years were found, with an ca. 30-year cycle being the most usual. Evidence of a certain level of reproductive synchrony among different species was found in South America. This survey had also led to several predictions about probable dates of future flowering events. The existence of a relationship between a mass flowering event and climate factors is preliminarily assessed, yielding original results. Although historical records and climate data series are fragmentary, there are some hints that point out a trend that should be taken into account in future studies. Proposed environmental and genetic causes of bamboo flowering are discussed. Finally, the environmental and social consequences of bamboo flowering are listed.