Reproductive phenology in a riparian rainforest in the south of Santa Catarina state, Brazil

Mainara F Cascaes,Birgit Harter-Marques,Vanilde Citadini-Zanette

doi:10.1590/0001-37652013105112

Mainara F Cascaes, Birgit Harter-Marques + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-37652013105112

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Abstract

Phenological studies assist in forest ecosystems comprehension and evaluation of resource availability for wildlife, as well as in improving the understanding of relationships between plants and their pollinators and dispersers. This study aims to describe the reproductive phenophases of riparian plant species and correlate them with climatic variables. The reproductive phenology was analyzed biweekly throughout one year, recording the absence or presence of flowers/fruits. The flowering phenophase occurred throughout the year, with an increase in number of species in blossom in October, November, and December. The flowering peak of the community was observed in November. The fruiting phenophase also occurred throughout the year and showed an increase of species fruiting in June with a slight decrease in August and September. The data obtained in this study, when compared with other studies in different Atlantic Rainforest areas, indicates a seasonal pattern for the flowering phenophase and a variation in fruit availability throughout the year as well as in the fruiting peaks. Therefore, studies that observe flowering and fruiting events in loco are of main importance because they provide information on reproductive seasons of species for use in environmental restoration projects and thus alleviate the situation of degradation of riparian forests.

Highlights

Phenology is the study of repetitive biological events and the factors that lead to its occurrence (Lieth 1974), which aid in the understanding of forest ecosystems (Morellato 1992), assessment of resource availability for fauna (Reys et al 2005), and a better understanding of the relationships between plants and their pollinators and dispersers (Galetti et al 2006)
The present study aims to describe the reproductive phenophases of flowering and fruiting plant species and correlate them with climatic variables of a riparian forest in a conservation unit in Santa Catarina state, Brazil
Studies conducted in the Atlantic Forest in different phytoecological regions, including riparian forests, point out a seasonal pattern for the flowering phenophase

Summary

Introduction

Phenology is the study of repetitive biological events and the factors that lead to its occurrence (Lieth 1974), which aid in the understanding of forest ecosystems (Morellato 1992), assessment of resource availability for fauna (Reys et al 2005), and a better understanding of the relationships between plants and their pollinators and dispersers (Galetti et al 2006). The climate is strikingly seasonal and directly influences the life cycle of plants (Morellato 1992). Climatic variations are less pronounced, leading to different plant responses in relation to climate (Marques 2007). CASCAES, VANILDE CITADINI-ZANETTE and BIRGIT HARTER-MARQUES in forest communities in Brazil are still limited and are mainly concentrated in the southeast, which has a strong seasonal climate, resulting in distinct phenological patterns, primarily related to rainfall (Morellato 1995). The south of Brazil represents an ecotone between the tropical and subtropical climate, which is characterized by low seasonality, with welldistributed rainfall without a dry season (Marques 2007). The phenological patterns in these areas are more related to temperature and photoperiod (Morellato et al 2000, Talora and Morellato 2000)

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