Sexual and reproductive systems of woody species in vereda are distributed according to the life form and habitat occurrence

Abstract

AbstractIn Cerrado humid areas, veredas are considered as hygrophilous communities, with an herbaceous/shrub stratum in open areas and an arboreal stratum in forest areas. We identified the sexual and reproductive systems of woody species, and the distribution of these systems among the different habitats and plants habits in this ecosystem. We investigated whether the occurrence of sexual and reproductive systems may be related to ecological and/or evolutionary factors and if hermaphroditism predominates in open areas. In this case, we evaluated which reproductive strategies promote cross‐pollination and which species are dependent on pollinating agents to promote the reproductive process. We selected the species according to a phytosociological study, using plots distributed in parallel transects and allocated in the hygrophilous forest and open areas. Floral morphology analyses, self‐pollination treatments, presence of barriers that prevent self‐pollination, phylogenetic signal and literature survey were performed. We did not find phylogenetic signal evidence for the traits evaluated. Most species are trees, followed by shrubs and sub‐shrubs. Dioecy predominated among tree species in the open area, with hermaphroditism more related to shrub species in the open areas. Shrubs and sub‐shrubs were mainly represented by autogamous and apomictic species. Despite autogamy and apomixis were related to the open areas, we found no significant difference between the habitats. In veredas, that are considered a poorly resilient environment that has constant problems with recent anthropogenic activities, we expected a high number of autogamous and apomictic species. However, the results showed that most species have characteristics that promote allogamy and are pollinating agents dependent for reproduction.