Spatial patterns and interactions of dominant tree species in an Amazon tropical forest

Vinicius Costa Cysneiros,Luizinho De Souza,Sebastiao Do Amaral Machado,Allan Libanio Pelissari,Patricia Povoa De Mattos,Cilmar Antonio Dalmaso

doi:10.15517/rbt.v66i3.31216

Vinicius Costa Cysneiros, Luizinho De Souza + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.15517/rbt.v66i3.31216

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Abstract

Knowledge of spatial patterns and interactions of tree species allows for understanding the ecological processes of spatiotemporal structures of tropical forests, becoming essential for the establishment of strategies for the conservation and management of their resources in long term. The aim of this study was to investigate spatial patterns and interactions of Astronium lecointei, Dinizia excelsa and Peltogyne paniculata, three dominant timber tree species in Jamari National Forest, Brazilian Amazon. Kernel estimator was used aiming to verify the possible influence of first-order factors on species distributions and Inhomogeneous K-function was applied to analyze spatial patterns and interactions of the species by means of second-order factors. Univariate analyses revealed different scale-dependent spatial patterns for the species. Aggregation related to ecological characteristics, such as preferential habitat and dispersal limitation, was verified for A. lecointei and P. paniculata. D. excelsa presented a random spatial pattern, explained by specific features of its establishment, such as the need for clearings due to light requirement. Interspecific associations were evidenced by bivariate analyses, in which the spatial attraction of the species resulted from the same preference for microhabitats and the repulsion was a result of niche segregation.

Highlights

In tropical forests, several mechanisms contribute to aggregation of tree species, such as segregation of specific niches (Pielou, 1961), habitat heterogeneity (Harms, Condit, Hubbell, & Forster, 2001), dispersal limitations (Hubbell, 2001), reproductive behavior, and type of predation (Janzen, 1970)
Several factors that influences the spatial distribution of tropical trees can be synthesized under two main effects: 1) first-order effects, which are global and of large scale, reflecting abiotic characteristics; and 2) second-order effects, which derive from the spatial dependence of a smallscale process, resulting from biotic interactions (Bailey & Gatrell, 1995; Pottker, Oliveria, Figuereido, & Dalmaso, 2016)
This study aims to investigate the spatial patterns and interactions of three dominant tree species in a Brazilian Amazon tropical rainforest, considering the effects of first- and second-order factors

Summary

Introduction

In tropical forests, several mechanisms contribute to aggregation of tree species, such as segregation of specific niches (Pielou, 1961), habitat heterogeneity (Harms, Condit, Hubbell, & Forster, 2001), dispersal limitations (Hubbell, 2001), reproductive behavior, and type of predation (Janzen, 1970). Negative interactions usually derive from competition and allelopathy (Connell, 1983; Crawley, 1986). These two types of interactions can bring spatial patterns of attraction or repulsion, which, once quantified, provide important evidence about the spatiotemporal dynamics of plant populations and communities (Callaway, 1995; Chen & Bradshaw, 1999; Condit et al, 2000). This study aims to investigate the spatial patterns and interactions of three dominant tree species in a Brazilian Amazon tropical rainforest, considering the effects of first- and second-order factors. We formulated the following questions: How are these species spatially distributed in the study area? Do the species have spatial patterns and interspecific interactions dependent on scale? Can spatial interactions between dominant trees in high-diversity forests be explained by overlap or segregation of habitats?

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