Abstract
Schizolobium parahyba is a tropical species that has expanded its distribution. However, little is known about its ecological performance beyond the tropics. Therefore, the objective of this research was to describe for this species, south of its original distribution, intra-annual variations in primary growth phenology (leaf flushing, leaf shedding, flowering and fruiting) and secondary growth (radial increase of the trunk), as well as secondary growth on an interannual scale (radial xylem increase) and to analyze the influences of climatic conditions on the evidenced phenological patterns. For this purpose, on an intra-annual scale, ten individuals had their phenophases observed fortnightly for 23 months and were described and correlated to climatic variables of photoperiod, temperature and precipitation. Inter-annual activity samples were obtained from the growth rings of 16 individuals, which were evaluated according to dendrochronological protocols and correlated to climatic variables of temperature and precipitation. South of its original distribution, S. parahyba trees presented seasonal growth rates in all observed scales and associations with variations in phenological rhythms and climatic conditions. Differences were found in the climatic response of the species in comparison to studies already performed in the tropics. In this study, on an intra-annual scale, this association is manifested by relationships with photoperiod, being positive for leaf flushing and fruiting and negative for leaf shedding. In the secondary growth, the intra-annual scale positive relationship was found with temperature, but on an inter-annual scale a positive influence of winter rainfall was found. The consistence of those patterns in broader spatial scales deserves further investigation.
Published Version
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