Longevity estimates of Canary Palms and Dragon trees via radiocarbon dating: initial results

Abstract

Correctly estimating the maximum lifespan of plant species is a necessary component of demographic and life-history studies, which, in turn, are needed for understanding climatic impacts. Arboreal monocotyledons, which can grow to >30 m in height and >5 m in trunk perimeter, are difficult to age because they do not undergo seasonal dormancy; hence, their longevity has been estimated using various size-related methods. In this study, we tested radiocarbon (14C) dating with Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) as an additional tool for determining the age of two iconic monocotyledons: the Canary Island palm and the dragon tree. A total of 25 samples were collected from the basal stem of four palms and five dragon trees on Gran Canaria and Tenerife and then processed using the most advanced 14C-AMS analysis available. Calibration curves provided by the “IntCal group” were used to determine the oldest possible age of each sample, and 16 of them were found to be “modern”, i.e., formed after the 1950s. Nine samples that were either collected from exterior, but lignified, palm tissues or from interior, and lignified, dragon tree tissues suggested ages > 300 years. Given the constant improvement of 14C-AMS tools, they can contribute to the further refinement of existing scientific knowledge on Macaronesian charismatic megaflora.