IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v16y2025i1d10.1038_s41467-025-58358-5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effective integration of drone technology for mapping and managing palm species in the Peruvian Amazon

Author

Listed:
  • Ximena Tagle Casapia

    (Wageningen University & Research
    Iquitos)

  • Rodolfo Cardenas-Vigo

    (Iquitos)

  • Diego Marcos

    (Wageningen University & Research
    University of Montpellier)

  • Ernesto Fernández Gamarra

    (Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas por el Estado (SERNANP))

  • Harm Bartholomeus

    (Wageningen University & Research)

  • Eurídice N. Honorio Coronado

    (Iquitos
    University of St Andrews)

  • Silvana Liberto Porles

    (Iquitos)

  • Lourdes Falen

    (Iquitos)

  • Susan Palacios

    (University of Brescia)

  • Nandin-Erdene Tsenbazar

    (Wageningen University & Research)

  • Gordon Mitchell

    (University of Leeds)

  • Ander Dávila Díaz

    (Iquitos)

  • Freddie C. Draper

    (University of Leeds
    University of Liverpool)

  • Gerardo Flores Llampazo

    (Iquitos)

  • Pedro Pérez-Peña

    (Iquitos)

  • Giovanna Chipana

    (Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas por el Estado (SERNANP))

  • Dennis Castillo Torres

    (Iquitos)

  • Martin Herold

    (Wageningen University & Research
    Helmholtz German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ))

  • Timothy R. Baker

    (University of Leeds)

Abstract

Remote sensing data could increase the value of tropical forest resources by helping to map economically important species. However, current tools lack precision over large areas, and remain inaccessible to stakeholders. Here, we work with the Protected Areas Authority of Peru to develop and implement precise, landscape-scale, species-level methods to assess the distribution and abundance of economically important arborescent Amazonian palms using field data, visible-spectrum drone imagery and deep learning. We compare the costs and time needed to inventory and develop sustainable fruit harvesting plans in two communities using traditional plot-based and our drone-based methods. Our approach detects individual palms of three species, even when densely clustered (average overall score, 74%), with high accuracy and completeness for Mauritia flexuosa (precision; 99% and recall; 81%). Compared to plot-based methods, our drone-based approach reduces costs per hectare of an inventory of Mauritia flexuosa for a management plan by 99% (USD 5 ha-1 versus USD 411 ha-1), and reduces total operational costs and personnel time to develop a management plan by 23% and 36%, respectively. These findings demonstrate how tailoring technology to the scale and precision required for management, and involvement of stakeholders at all stages, can help expand sustainable management in the tropics.

Suggested Citation

  • Ximena Tagle Casapia & Rodolfo Cardenas-Vigo & Diego Marcos & Ernesto Fernández Gamarra & Harm Bartholomeus & Eurídice N. Honorio Coronado & Silvana Liberto Porles & Lourdes Falen & Susan Palacios & N, 2025. "Effective integration of drone technology for mapping and managing palm species in the Peruvian Amazon," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-58358-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58358-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-58358-5
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-025-58358-5?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. C. Gabriel Hidalgo Pizango & Eurídice N. Honorio Coronado & Jhon del Águila-Pasquel & Gerardo Flores Llampazo & Johan de Jong & César J. Córdova Oroche & José M. Reyna Huaymacari & Steve J. Carver & D, 2022. "Sustainable palm fruit harvesting as a pathway to conserve Amazon peatland forests," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 5(6), pages 479-487, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.

      More about this item

      Statistics

      Access and download statistics

      Corrections

      All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-58358-5. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

      If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

      If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

      If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

      For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

      Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

      IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.