Leaf deciduousness and flowering of woody caatinga species

Mayara Kicia Gomes Rufino,Gabriela Kaliny De Andrade Moura,Dilma Maria De Brito Melo Trovão,Carlos Henrique Britto De Assis Prado,Fernanda Kelly Gomes Da Silva

doi:10.5007/2175-7925.2020.e72364

Mayara Kicia Gomes Rufino, Gabriela Kaliny De Andrade Moura + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5007/2175-7925.2020.e72364

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Abstract

We determined the distribution (FDI), duration (FDU), and peak (FPE) of flowering in woody deciduous (DE) and evergreen (EV) species of the Caatinga with available data in the literature. Possible relations were established between leaf persistence and reproductive phenology throughout the year. The FDI indicated the relative number of species bearing flowers in each month, and the FDU denoted the number of months each species showed flowers. We defined the FPE as the four consecutive months with the highest number of species in flower. DE and EV did not show significant differences in FDI and FDU, probably due to the inability to sustain reproductive and vegetative annexes of woody axes simultaneously during the dry period. Some DE species showed flowering during the dry period in a crown free of leaves. EV flowering occurred outside the dry period. Flowering during the dry season in DE may happen due to water accumulated inside the plant body. FPE in EV during the transition between dry-rainy periods may indicate the ability to capture the first rain from all the plant body surface, covering the hydric demand of full foliage and folded reproductive buds anticipating the flowering in DE. This resulted in different values of FPE between DE and EV.

Highlights

Caatinga vegetation stays in the Northeast of Brazil in the semiarid area, occupying 11% of the national territory
Our results showed the flowering of most of the woody Caatinga species occurring from October to March, which coincides with the transition from the dry to the rainy period, reaching the middle of the rainy period (MARENGO et al, 2011)
This result is partially in agreement with those found for the Caatinga vegetation indicating flowering principally in the rainy season (BARBOSA et al, 2003; AMORIM et al, 2009; LIMA; RODAL, 2010; SOUZA et al, 2014; AMORIM et al, 2009)

Summary

Introduction

Caatinga vegetation stays in the Northeast of Brazil in the semiarid area, occupying 11% of the national territory. The total yearly rainfall (250-800 mm) is distributed irregularly, along with 2-3 months of the year Those environmental filters result in intense water shortage in the Caatinga area (TROVÃO et al, 2007; SILVA et al, 2014a; CARVALHO et al, 2016). In the Caatinga, the total loss of foliage in deciduous (DE) occurs throughout the dry season, with foliage area renewal in the first rains (ARAÚJO; FERRAZ, 2003; BARBOSA et al, 2003) Both foliage production and flowering appear to be regulated by water availability over the years (TROVÃO et al, 2007; LIMA; RODAL, 2010; SILVA et al, 2014a). There is no consensus on the main environmental factors that determine the reproductive phenology in the Caatinga woody species (LIMA; RODAL, 2010).

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