Syagrus flexuosa (Mart.) Becc. (Arecaceae) seedling recruitment at the edge and interior of Cerrado remnants.

J Ragusa-Netto

doi:10.1590/1519-6984.259137

Abstract

The edge effect has impacts on seed and seedling survival due to modifications in biotic and abiotic factors. Often, large-seeded tree species lost seed vectors in the forest edge due to the rarity or absence of large frugivores at this habitat type. In this study, I compared the seedling abundance and distribution of the palm Syagrus flexuosa between edges and interiors of three large Cerrado remnants. In every remnant, the number of seedlings around parent palms in the edge was smaller than around palm individuals located in the Cerrado interior. Moreover, the distribution of seedlings around parent palms differed between edges and interiors. In the edges, most seedlings were found under parent crowns, while in the interiors, the contrary occurred. The high concentration of seedlings under parent palms suggests a decrease of seed dispersal at the edges. Because S. flexuosa is a widely distributed palm that serves as an important resource for several animals along Cerrado habitats, changes on the regeneration process of this palm due to edge effects can further impact frugivore populations. Therefore, the decline of seedling establishment along forest edges implies changes in the Cerrado regeneration dynamics, which may compromise the persistence of ecological processes and animal communities.

Highlights

Tropical forests fragmentation often reduces the tree regeneration process as a result of ruptures in biological interactions such as seed dispersal, with subsequent effects on seedling recruitment (Benítez‐Malvido, 1998; Cordeiro and Howe, 2003; Tabarelli et al, 2008; Benítez‐ Malvido et al, 2018). This impact is severe in forest fragments lacking large-bodied seed vectors due to the decline in dispersal and recruitment of large-seeded trees species, mainly at the edges (Benítez‐Malvido et al, 2018)
In the interior of Cerrado remnants, the higher number of seedlings found far from parent palms may reflect the persistence of the seed dispersal process (Howe et al, 1985; De la Peña‐Domene et al, 2016)
The high seedling concentration under parent palms suggest that large-seeded dispersers interact less with S. flexuosa fruits present in the edges (Silva and Tabarelli, 2000; Ragusa-Netto, 2017)

Summary

Introduction

Tropical forests fragmentation often reduces the tree regeneration process as a result of ruptures in biological interactions such as seed dispersal, with subsequent effects on seedling recruitment (Benítez‐Malvido, 1998; Cordeiro and Howe, 2003; Tabarelli et al, 2008; Benítez‐ Malvido et al, 2018). This impact is severe in forest fragments lacking large-bodied seed vectors due to the decline in dispersal and recruitment of large-seeded trees species, mainly at the edges (Benítez‐Malvido et al., 2018). Changing plant-frugivore interactions will probably change forest community characteristics, which may exacerbate the long-term species diversity loss in fragmented and disturbed tropical forests (Wright and Duber, 2001; Benítez‐Malvido et al, 2018).

Methods

Results

Conclusion