The jackfruit or breadfruit tree is a domesticated tree from New Guinea, widely cultivated around the tropics of the world because its fruits and seeds are used as food. The breadfruit trees grow to 26 meters in height. The taxonomic identity of jackfruit has been debated. It is recognized that the seeded wild ancestor of the domesticated breadfruit, Artocarpus camansi Blanco (1837), was one of the species introduced to America, including Central America, probably more than two centuries ago. This species has been widely propagated in Costa Rica because people use the seeds as food, and it is called breadnuts. However, trees are now naturalized in the humid lowlands in the Caribean slope and Pacific Slope. They grow as pioneer trees in abandoned pastures and forest edges. Compared with other pioneer native trees, A. camansi has larger seeds, which could be a competitive advantage for this species. Artrocarpus camansi is growing in the landscape around La Gamba Tropical Station, even within the National Park Piedras Blancas. The species could be more abundant in the future if it is not appropriately managed and become an invasive species. The graduate student Murielle Moya is studying the distribution of Artrocarpus camansi around La Gamba and Bonito rivers and estimating the abundance, survival, and population growth of different ages. The results could help us establish recommendations to manage the species correctly and maintain its benefits for people.
