188 

 and evidence of crop predation. The following developmental stages were used (listed in order of 

 maturity): seedling, stalk with flowers, stalk with irmnature fruits, stalk with mature fruits, and 

 harvested. The harvest dates for the seven selected gardens complemented the information about the 

 annual horticultural cycle obtained through interviews in 1990 because it was not possible to re- 

 interview all 31 gardeners. Crop predation (species of crop predator and type of crop damage) was 

 recorded in order to demonstrate specific use of a crop by wildlife. Although phenology data were 

 collected for all crops, only the results for com, squash, and kidney beans are presented here. 



Several criteria were used in choosing the seven selected gardens: One, the gardener had to 

 agree to the selection. Two, the garden had to be reasonably close to a road or trail in order to 

 facilitate access by project personnel to measure the plots. Three, the vegetation either to the west or 

 to the east of the garden had to be fairly uniform and free of other gardens in order to accommodate a 

 2000-m-long wildlife census transect (see Chapter 4 for additional information). 



Crop mortality was determined during 7/90-10/90 (the growing season in 1990) by counting 

 the number of stalks per plot during the several readings and subtracting the last stalk count from the 

 greatest stalk count for each garden. These values were averaged for the seven gardens. This was 

 necessary as the first reading did not necessarily have the greatest number of stalks per plot. Seeds 

 germinating after 10/90 were ignored in calculating crop mortality. 



Wildlife Use of Gardens 



Maya gardeners reported that different species of wildlife use gardens at different rates and 

 times of the growing season. Accordingly, wildlife use of gardens was measured during 7/90-1/91 in 

 order to compare seasonal use by month and differences in frequency of garden use among different 

 forest successional stages. 



Wildlife use of gardens was measured in two ways: (1) tracks and feeding signs observed in 

 the circular plots used to monitor crop phenology (see description, above) and (2) track slicks along 

 gardens or along transects in forests adjacent to gardens. The track slicks were 1 m by 20 m in size 



