Nut density and removal in Syagrus loefgrenii Glassman (Arecaceae) in the Brazilian Cerrado
| Autor: | J. Ragusa-Netto |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
Nut Seed dispersal Species distribution Rodentia Arecaceae Biology 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences palm fruits Predation lcsh:Botany Seed Dispersal Botany lcsh:Zoology Animals Nuts distance-dependence plant-animal interaction lcsh:QL1-991 lcsh:Science lcsh:QH301-705.5 Cerrado palm biology.organism_classification lcsh:QK1-989 Horticulture seed predation lcsh:Biology (General) Seed predation Seeds Biological dispersal lcsh:Q Seasons General Agricultural and Biological Sciences Palm Brazil 010606 plant biology & botany |
| Zdroj: | Brazilian Journal of Biology, Vol 76, Iss 3, Pp 726-734 Brazilian Journal of Biology v.76 n.3 2016 Brazilian Journal of Biology Instituto Internacional de Ecologia (IIE) instacron:IIE |
| ISSN: | 1678-4375 |
| Popis: | In this study, I tested the effect of Syagrus loefgrenii nut number on the removal intensity by rodents across seasons. Also, I assessed both S. loefgrenii fruit production, and dispersion pattern to analyze the relationship between these parameters and nut removal. Trials were performed (autumn, winter, spring, and summer), in which endocarps were placed inside trays (5, 15, and 40 endocarps) in the Cerrado (Brazilian savanna). Syagrus loefgrenii exhibited clumped distribution, although its local density had no correlation with endocarp removal rate. Despite of variations, S. loefgrenii fruit production had no seasonal difference, although, high proportions of endocarps were year round removed. This mostly results from nearly complete endocarp loss in depots of 5 and 15, while the opposite occurred in those of 40. Hence, the intensity of removal consistently decreases with endocarp number, so that endocarp removal conformed to negative distance-dependence. As this palm exhibit clumped distribution and, in principle, fruit asynchronously, if, at least, a group of neighboring stems bore fruits simultaneously, an enhanced number of nuts might be available at a given site. Therefore, seeds within a dense S. loefgrenii fruit patch might experience high survival rates due to satiation of post dispersal seed predators. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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