Reproductive Phenophases Research Articles

Phenology of Tree Species in an Open Ombrophilous Forest: Bases for Silviculture and Conservation

Phenological information contribute to silvicultural actions and conservation strategies. Here, we carried out the phenological monitoring of six tree species that were prominent in the structure of an open ombrophilous forest fragment in northeastern Brazil. Over two years, among September 2015 and August 2017, eight individuals of each species (48 trees in total) were visited every two weeks to record the reproductive and leaf phenophases, following the Fournier intensity scale. We calculated the intraspecific synchrony of the phenophases and the correlation of the phenophases of each species with meteorological variables (temperature, air precipitation and photoperiod). The species showed synchronous characteristics for the phenophases. Precipitation stood out in terms of a higher frequency of significant relationships with the reproductive phenophases. The results indicates that the end of the dry season is the most favorable period for seed collection and the monitoring of dispersers in this type of tropical forest.

How do meteorological factors alter the phenology of a neotropical tree species?

Background: Neotropical species lack autecological information. Among these, are phenological studies, which help to understand forest dynamics and provide important contributions to the collection, restoration, and conservation programs. This research aimed to characterize the vegetative and reproductive phenological behavior of neotropical species Geoffroea spinosa Jacq. in a seasonally dry tropical forest, as well as to verify if there is a correlation between phenophases and environmental parameters. Twenty individuals were accompanied monthly for two years, to detect and tally the presence of floral buds, flowers, immature fruits, ripe fruits, leaf emergence, presence of mature leaves, and defoliation. A semi-quantitative evaluation was carried out with the Fournier method. Results: The results showed that the population had synchrony of reproductive events, with more than 50% of the individuals blooming and fruiting during the same time interval. Furthermore, the circular statistical test indicated a high seasonality for reproductive events (r ≥ 0.50 and p < 0.001). Among the vegetative events, all were classified as non-seasonal (r < 0.5). G. spinosa, showed a significant correlation (p ≤ 0.05) for all meteorological variables evaluated. Conclusion: The reproductive phenophases of G. spinosa showed strongly seasonal behavior, unlike vegetative events. the period between mid-February and the end of March was the most propitious for fruit collection. No seasonality was observed for the vegetative events. The species proved to be sensitive to El niño conditions. Follow-up phenological studies associated with meteorological variables are important for a better understanding of the dynamics of vegetative behavior in response to climate change.

Temperature as the main factor affecting the reproductive phenology of the dioecious palm Mauritiella armata (Arecaceae)

Our research focused on the reproductive phenology of Mauritiella armata, a key veredas species in southeastern Brazil, and aspects of its floral and fruit morphology and sexual system. We observed the reproductive phenological patterns of M. armata for 36 months, and examined the relationships between phenophases and environmental variables to describe its phenological patterns in relation to environmental filters, as well as its floral and fruit morphologies, sexual system (to evaluate dioecy), and the biometry of its reproductive parts. Flowering was observed in the dry season and at the beginning of the rainy season, with fruiting occurring during the rainy season. The reproductive phenophases responded to environmental seasonality, principally temperature in the period immediately preceding the expression of the phenophase, as well as to environmental variations that had occurred up to six months earlier. The dioecious sexual system of M. armata was confirmed, with flowering synchronization between the sexes. The population studied did not exhibit apomixis, having xenogamy as its reproductive system. The staminate inflorescences were larger than the pistillate inflorescences and had greater numbers of flowers, although the pistillate flowers were larger. Wind pollen dispersal was not observed, thereby indicating that this species requires biotic pollination for fruit production.

Flowering segregation and pollinator distinctiveness contribute to coexistence in an extremely generalist plant group

Background Flowering time determines potential plant mates, and it is related to gene flow within and among plant populations arising from different selective forces and interspecific interactions between plants with similar pollination niches. However, these effects on flowering phenology of plants with generalist pollination systems have received little attention and hence our knowledge of the contribution of generalised pollination systems on the evolution of adaptative traits, such as the flowering time contains lacunae. Aims To verify the effective contribution of interspecific plant interactions in a generalised pollination system to the structuring of flowering phenology. Methods We recorded the reproductive phenophases of four Baccharis species in a subtropical grassland. We evaluated their flowering patterns by a niche overlap index and compared it with a null model. We used ecological network metrics from insect visitors recorded to determine the pollinator network structure. Results A staggered flowering pattern and distinctiveness of insect pollinators with non-signal of modularity and a variation in the Baccharis-pollinators network structure throughout the year were observed. The distinctiveness on pollinators with a strong bee-dependence added to temporal divergence on flowering among the species leads to no negative effects on fruit set. Conclusion The temporal segregation on flowering peaks and low pollinator similarity appear to underlie to coexistence of Baccharis species studied in southern Brazil.

Variations in Leaf Traits Modulate Plant Vegetative and Reproductive Phenological Sequencing Across Arid Mediterranean Shrublands.

Structural and nutrient traits of a leaf are important for understanding plant ecological strategies (e.g., drought avoidance). We studied the specific leaf area (SLA), leaf carbon content (LCC), leaf nitrogen content (LNC), leaf phosphorous content (LPC), and the phenophase sequence index (PSI) in 126 Mediterranean perennial species from predesert (SMS) and semiarid (SaMS) to subalpine (SAS), alpine cushion (AcS), and oro-Mediterranean (AjS) shrublands, which represent eight functional groups (evergreen and deciduous trees, evergreen large and half shrubs, deciduous large and half shrubs, succulents and perennial herbs). We analyzed the variation and relationships between leaf traits and PSI among shrublands, functional groups, and within species with drought-avoidance mechanisms. SLA variation of 20–60% could be ascribed to differences between functional groups and only 38–48% to different shrublands increasing from the predesert to the alpine. Alpine species display low PSI and N:P and high SLA, LNC, LPC, LCC, and C:N. On the contrary, predesert and semiarid showed high PSI and low SLA. SLA mediates the vegetative and reproductive phenological plant sequencing, high SLA is often associated with the overlapping in growth and reproductive phenophases with a seasonal reduction of vegetative growth, whereas low SLA is associated with vegetative and reproductive sequencing and a seasonal extension of vegetative growth. Species with drought-avoidance mechanisms (e.g., semideciduous species) contribute to an increase in the mean values of the SLA and LNC because these species show similar leaf and phenological patterns as the deciduous (high SLA and LNC and low PSI). The N:P indicates that only the alpine shrublands could present P limitations. The positive correlations between SLA and LPC and LNC and LPC (leaf economic spectrum) and the negative correlation between SLA and C:N were consistently maintained in the studied arid Mediterranean shrublands.

Fire does not change sprouting nor flowering, but affects fruiting phenology in a Neotropical savanna community

In fire-prone ecosystems, such as savannas, fire has been a common event for thousands of years. In these biomes, phenology is a functional trait characterizing the responses of plant communities to fire. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of fire on the period of occurrence, seasonality, and number of species expressing vegetative and reproductive phenophases (sprouting, flowering, and fruiting) in a South American savanna community. We burned experimental plots in 2013, and during the subsequent year, we performed monthly evaluations of the presence and absence of vegetative and reproductive structures in 44 species of angiosperms in the control and burned plots. We described plant phenology at two levels: (i) considering all sampled plant species together (community); and (ii) separately considering the species found in the herbaceous-subshrub and shrub-tree layers (vegetation strata). We analyzed the data using circular statistics and generalized linear mixed models. At the community level, fire did not alter the mean period of occurrence of vegetative and reproductive phenophases; however, we observed changes in fruiting seasonality, which were mainly caused by the changes occurring in the shrub-tree layer. Except for those found in the shrub-tree layer, more species expressed the analyzed phenophases after fire compared to the “control” treatment. This study provides information regarding the responses of plants to burning at the end of the dry season, when most anthropogenic fires occur. Additionally, according to climate change predictions, the Southern Hemisphere is expected to experience longer dry seasons, which may contribute to an increased frequency of anthropogenic fires. Therefore, this phenological information can motivate subsidies that are important for the conservation of this biome and management plans related to the prescription of fires.

Experimental warming differentially affects vegetative and reproductive phenology of tundra plants

Rapid climate warming is altering Arctic and alpine tundra ecosystem structure and function, including shifts in plant phenology. While the advancement of green up and flowering are well-documented, it remains unclear whether all phenophases, particularly those later in the season, will shift in unison or respond divergently to warming. Here, we present the largest synthesis to our knowledge of experimental warming effects on tundra plant phenology from the International Tundra Experiment. We examine the effect of warming on a suite of season-wide plant phenophases. Results challenge the expectation that all phenophases will advance in unison to warming. Instead, we find that experimental warming caused: (1) larger phenological shifts in reproductive versus vegetative phenophases and (2) advanced reproductive phenophases and green up but delayed leaf senescence which translated to a lengthening of the growing season by approximately 3%. Patterns were consistent across sites, plant species and over time. The advancement of reproductive seasons and lengthening of growing seasons may have significant consequences for trophic interactions and ecosystem function across the tundra.

Reproductive phenology determines the linkages between radial growth, fruit production and climate in four Mediterranean tree species

The influence of climate on seed or fruit production and tree growth is a central question in forest ecology, with a key role on forest dynamics. However, the mechanisms linking inter- and intra-annual climate variability, fruiting and growth remain poorly understood, although they seem to be largely species-specific. The resource-matching hypothesis posits that fruit production responds to annual environmental variability, predicting a positive relationship between reproduction and growth, whereas other hypotheses such as resource switching or resource budget imply allocation trade-offs between reproduction and growth. Climate control over fruiting is thought to be more likely in variable, limiting environments such as those existing in seasonally dry Mediterranean forests. However, the studies about these forests are much scarcer than on temperate ecosystems, probably due to the sparseness and shortness of fruit production records. Here we analysed the relationships between monthly climate variables, tree-ring widths and fruit production at stand level in four tree species under different climatic conditions in Spain (12-27 trees and 24-54 radii were sampled in each site). For the species from xeric sites such as Pinus pinea, Castanea sativa and Quercus ilex, tree-ring width positively correlated with fruit production, as envisaged by the resource-matching hypothesis. This association was driven by prior wet winter climate conditions, which enhanced growth. Some of the significant correlations between climate variables and fruit yield corresponded to key reproductive phenophases. On the other hand, for the species from mesic sites (Abies alba) no positive growth–fruit production correlation was found, likely due to the mismatch in the effect of climatic factors on growth and fruiting. These results support the hypothesis that climatic conditions, particularly a positive water balance, play a major role as a proximate cause of fruit production in seasonally dry Mediterranean forests and underscore the importance of species-specific reproductive phenology traits.

Estudo fenológico do germoplasma de Pilocarpus microphyllus Stapf Ex Wardleworth correlacionado com elementos climáticos

O Pilocarpus microphylus Stapf Ex Wardleworth-Rutaceae,é conhecido como jaborandi verdadeiro por apresentar elevados teores de pilocarpina em suas folhas o que motiva sua coleta intensamente. Ocorre uma relação direta entre os eventos de fenofases, como a floração e frutificação com as condições ambientais locais, sendo importante a interpretação da relação que há entre os mesmos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar as fenofases reprodutivas do Jaborandi pertencente ao Banco Ativo de Germoplasma da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, correlacionando com os elementos meteorológicos, com o intuito de indicar a época mais adequada para a coleta e utilização do material vegetal da espécie.As frequências foram registradas semanalmente no periodo de 2015 a 2019. Conforme com a atividade fenológica ambas as fenofases ocorreu em 97% dos acessos estudados. E o índice de correlação de Spearman apontou uma correlação negativa significativa entre ocorrência das fenofases e a temperatura média do ar. Ocorreram as fenofases em todos os meses do ano, indicando alta sazonalidade. Sendo registradas em Março as maiores médias, correspondendo com o momento de maior precipitação pluviométrica registrada, e os menores valores médios ocorreu em Janeiro, com temperaturas amena, para ambas as fenofases avaliadas. Sugere-se a coleta de material vegetal da espécie para uso medicinal de Julho a Fevereiro, cujo registro de número de dias que ocorrem as fenofases sofre reduções. È pertinente executar posteriores estudos de correlação da fenologia com eventos climáticos considerando individualmente o desempenho de cada acesso.

Vegetative and reproductive phenology in a tropical grassland–savanna–forest gradient

AbstractQuestionClimate, particularly precipitation, is the primary factor driving tropical plant phenology because of its relevant role in regulating water availability. However, differences in soil physicochemical properties can also drive resource availability, potentially affecting plant phenology, especially under similar environments in terms of rainfall regime. We determined whether the seasonality and synchrony of the vegetative and reproductive phenophases differ along a grassland–savanna–forest gradient under the same climate regime in a Neotropical seasonal ecosystem. We hypothesized that species growing on shallow, nutrient‐impoverished soils have a higher capacity to respond to precipitation pulses than those on rich soils.LocationSerra do Cipó, southeastern Brazil.MethodsWe quantified soil physicochemical properties associated with fertility and water retention of the grassland (campo rupestre), savanna (cerrado) and forest, and determined the phenological strategies of 70 species across the three vegetation types by monitoring vegetative and reproductive phenophases over one year. For each phenophase, in each vegetation type, we evaluated the seasonality and synchrony of phenological patterns. We quantified the phylogenetic signal for phenophases to disentangle the relative roles of historical vs ecological drivers of plant phenology.ResultsSoils from campo rupestre were more nutrient‐ and water‐limited than those of cerrado and forest. Cerrado and forest communities had similar phenological strategies, whereas species from campo rupestre showed strategies that maximize resource acquisition and conservation. In the cerrado and forest, leafing and flowering patterns were seasonal, with leaf flushing and flowering peaking at the onset of the rainy season and leaf senescence in the dry season. Conversely, species from campo rupestre showed continuous leafing and flowering patterns, while fruiting was seasonal. Phenophases did not show a phylogenetic signal.ConclusionsWe demonstrated changes in vegetative and reproductive phenology that are likely associated with variations in soil physicochemical properties. We argue that more severe edaphic filters may have shaped different phenological patterns in campo rupestre.

Flower preformation in the nival plant Ranunculus glacialis L.: shoot architecture and impact of the growing season length on floral morphogenesis and developmental dynamics

Flower preformation is a widespread phenomenon in perennial plants from temperate and cold regions. An advanced preformation status reduces the prefloration period and thus increases the chance to mature seeds in time. Despite the particular importance of this strategy for high-mountain plants, studies are rare. Here we investigated how the length of the growing season impacts floral development, and to what extent floral development is synchronized with reproductive phenophases in the arctic-alpine species Ranunculus glacialis L. The study was carried out in the alpine-nival ecotone in the European Central Alps at sites with different snowmelt dates. Individuals were sampled at regular intervals throughout the growing season, and shoot architecture and changes in floral structures were analysed in detail using different microscopic techniques. R. glacialis individuals consist of a cluster of independent ramets, comprising 3 sympodia each. Floral initiation terminates the vegetative growth of each sympodium 2–3 years before flowers become functional. A specific feature is that basal and distal leaves on a sympodium mature in different years. The date of snowmelt did not affect the speed of development but flower size and the number of lateral flowers within an inflorescence. Belowground floral preformation is closely linked to aboveground reproductive processes, however, continues below the snow in case winter conditions set in too early. The staggered preformation of architectural units creates a permanent belowground reserve pool of floral structures which might be advantageous in the climatically harsh and unpredictable high-mountain environment.

Phenological patterns of Oreopanax fulvus (Araliaceae) in remnants of Araucaria Rainforest in Paraná, Brazil

Abstract Oreopanax fulvus is a species endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, assessed as rare and vulnerable in the states of Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul, respectively. This adverse situation requires conservation actions that must be supported by the understanding of its autecology. We aimed to identify the phenological patterns of O. fulvus populations from two Araucaria Rainforest remnants in Paraná. Monthly phenology monitoring of 19 trees in each site was performed over 24 months. We quantified the vegetative (i.e., leaf flushing, mature leaves, and leaf-senescence) and reproductive phenophases (i.e., buds production, blooming, immature, and mature fruits). Circular statistics based on activity index were applied to identify the phenophases seasonality. Spearman correlations were performed among phenophases and meteorological parameters. Leaf flushing and mature leaves were recorded in all months, with a decrease of mature leaves during November and December. Leaf-senescence was seasonal, occurring from May to December. The reproductive phenophases were seasonal: blooming from January to May; and fruiting from March to November, with fruits starting to mature in September. Vegetative and reproductive phenophases were highly influenced by average temperature and photoperiod. Although there were dissimilarities in reproductive phenological patterns, the different populations studied had similar phenological performances.

Seasonality and the Relationships Between Reproductive and Leaf Phenophases In Myrtaceae Using Field and Herbarium Data

Phenological studies are considerably complemented through field data and herbarium collection databases. We examined the seasonality and relationships between leafing and reproductive phenophases using field observations and herbarium data of Campomanesia eugenioides var. desertorum, Eugenia punicifolia, and Psidium schenckianum, all native species of Myrtaceae. Field observations were performed in a caatinga remnant in Bahia State, Brazil; HUEFS herbarium collections were examined. In general, all species showed seasonal reproductive phases and aseasonal leaf phases, and Spearman correlations were observed between those phases. Field observations and herbarium collections were similar and complementary, providing clues about seasonality and the relationship between leaf and reproductive phases of Myrtaceae species.

Reproductive phenology and influence of abiotic variables for two mangrove species in northeastern Brazil

Abstract Information on plant phenological patterns aids in understanding the structure and functioning of ecosystems and support restoration projects in degraded areas. The aim of this study was to characterize the reproductive phenology of Avicennia germinans and Laguncularia racemosa in a mangrove forest in the Mamanguape River estuary in northeastern Brazil. The characterization was performed monthly from July 2016 to June 2017. We applied circular statistics to detect seasonal trends, calculated intra-specific synchrony, and performed regressions between the reproductive phenophases and the abiotic variables. Avicennia germinans exhibits seasonal responses to floral buds, flowers at anthesis, and fruit, with one reproductive episode per year (annual pattern). Laguncularia racemosa has no seasonal response, with one reproductive episode per year for floral buds (annual pattern) and two episodes for flowers at anthesis and fruits (subannual pattern). Reproductive phenophases of A. germinans exhibited higher intra-specific synchrony than L. racemosa. We provide evidence that temperature, solar radiation and rainfall are important drivers of the flowering rhythm in both species. In conclusion, the results of this study showed that the species exhibited different phenological responses, even though they were subjected to the same abiotic conditions.

Inflorescence Position Influences Phenological Rhythms in Leguminosae Species

Abstract We present a case study focusing on the influence of inflorescence position on the relationships between foliar and reproductive phases, focusing on three Leguminoseae tree species in the Chapada Diamantina, Brazil. Both Senna multijuga and Copaifera langsdorffii produce terminal panicles and showed vegetative and reproductive phenophases that were correlated but segregated in time, with the marked concentration of reproductive data. The presence of axillary inflorescences on Inga cayennensis enables the simultaneous production of both flowers and leaves, without the segregation or the correlation of those phases, with a uniform distribution of reproductive data. This study encourages further investigations regarding the effects of inflorescence position on plant phenology.

Phenological dynamics of Croton heliotropiifolius populations in a savanna/caatinga gradient, Chapada Diamantina, Brazil

Abstract The relationship between phenology and environmental factors is critical to understanding population dynamics in environmental gradients. We evaluated phenological variations in Croton heliotropiifolius Kunth in sites with contrasting water resource availability in caatinga, cerrado/caatinga transition, and cerrado in the Chapada Diamantina, Brazil. The phenophases of 81 individuals (n = 27 individuals/area) were recorded monthly for 12 months. Multiple regression, Spearman correlation, circular statistics, Shannon-Wiener diversity, and Morisita-Horn indices were used to test relationships between phenophases and abiotic factors, phenological seasonality, diversity, and similarities between the three populations. The vegetative behaviors in the study sites were distinct in terms of their intensity, seasonality, and synchrony; but reproductive phenophases maintained similar characteristics. Phenological events were positively related to rainfall and soil water availability. C. heliotropiifolius populations exhibited high levels of vegetative phenological diversity, except in the caatinga during the dry season. Reproductive phenological diversity varied along the studied period in the three sites, with higher reproductive than vegetative similarities among populations. Differences in soil types and rainfall volumes in the dry season, even at small distances, therefore make the savanna/caatinga gradient a suitable model for investigating phenological responses related to plant eco-hydrological strategies in seasonally tropical dry ecosystems.

FENOLOGIA REPRODUTIVA DE RUBIACEAE JUSS. NA MATA ATLÂNTICA PARAIBANA

Phenological studies help determine the reproductive and vegetative patterns of plants, contributing to knowledge about dynamics in an environment. We studied the reproductive phenological patterns of five Rubiaceae species in an Atlantic Forest area, evaluating their seed dispersal syndromes and the effects of climatic variables on flowering and fruiting phenology. We monitored reproductive individuals of five species biweekly from February 2015 to February 2016 (one-year period). For each reproductive phenophase, we evaluated the Fournier index and intrapopulational synchronicity. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to determine possible correlations between phenological phenophases and rainfall, temperature and photoperiod. Seed dispersal syndromes were based on morphological analysis and Van der Pijl classification. The Rubiaceae community showed a continuous pattern of flowering and fruiting. However, when analysing phenological patterns by species, there was a higher concentration of phenophases and synchronicity of populations in the rainy season. Flowering and fruiting were positively correlated with temperature and historical average rainfall. Zoochory was the predominant seed dispersal syndrome, indicating the importance of the Rubiaceae family as a year-round resource for frugivorous communities. Temperature and rainfall regulate the reproductive phenophases similarly, resulting in a high level of synchrony between them.

Varying Levels of Genetic Control and Phenotypic Plasticity in Timing of Bud Burst, Flower Opening, Leaf Senescence and Leaf Fall in Two Common Gardens of Prunus padus L.

Several phenological phases mark the seasonal growth pattern in temperate woody perennials. To gain further insight into the way these phases react on an altering growth environment, we tested whether vegetative and reproductive phenophases in a shrub species respond differentially among different genetic entities and between two different planting sites. We scored leaf bud burst, flower opening, leaf senescence and leaf fall on 267 ramets of Prunus padus L. belonging to 53 genotypes that were sampled in 9 local populations, and that were planted in 2 common gardens in the northern part of Belgium. The data were processed with cumulative logistic regression. The contribution of genetic and non-genetic components to the total variability varied between the four studied seasonal phenophases. The timing of flower opening displayed the smallest relative amount of intragenotypic variance (between ramets), suggesting a stronger genetic control and a lesser need at the individual plant level for plastic fine tuning to the micro-environment. In addition, whereas leaf bud burst showed the highest relative variance at the interpopulation level among all phenophases, probably at least partly attributable to local adaptation, flower opening displayed the highest intergenotypic variance, which may have been promoted more by assortative mating. Spring phenophases were strongly correlated (r = 0.89) as well as the autumnal phenophases (r = 0.72). Flower opening was not correlated with the autumnal phenophases. Timing of leaf bud burst and leaf senescence were negatively correlated, demonstrating that the length of the growing season enlarged or diminished among the studied genotypes. Although the two planting sites were only 24 km apart, all phenophases were advanced at the less exposed site, indicating a phenotypic plastic response. Together, our results suggest that in P. padus, flowering is less sensitive to environmental variation than leaf bud break and may show a lesser impact of a changing environment on this reproductive phenophase.

Environmental controls of plant phenology in twelve desert plant species in the Patagonian Monte, Argentina

The identification of the main abiotic variables influencing the seasonal development of plant phenology contributes to our knowledge of how arid and semi-arid ecosystems function. In this study, we addressed the following questions: 1. Is soil water content the most important variable determining plant phenophases? 2. Are phenophases across different life forms associated with the soil water content of different layers? We evaluated the relationships between environmental variables (i.e. precipitation, air temperature, soil moisture, and day length) and plant phenophases, using variable-length time periods preceding each measurement. We selected five representative evergreen shrubs, four deciduous shrubs, and three dominant perennial grasses. All phenophases related to vegetative and reproductive growth, and senescence were registered monthly during three years. The relationships between plant phenophases and environmental variables were evaluated using Spearman's correlation. We found that plant phenophases showed stronger association with soil water content and air temperature than precipitation. In most species, vegetative and reproductive phenophases were positively related to soil water content while leaf senescence was negatively associated. Soil water contents of layers 2 (10–20 cm) and 3 (20–40 cm) were more frequently related to plant phenophases than those of the first (0–10 cm) and fourth (40–100 cm) layers. Significantly correlated environmental variables encompassed previous periods of variable length depending on the species. Our results highlighted that soil water and air temperature were tightly correlated to plant phenophases and that all species seem to use the water contained in the same soil layers.

Phenological study of congeneric Myrcia species and Clethra scabra in wetland and drained habitats in a Montane Forest

Although important, phenological studies comparing congeneric species or the same species growing in different habitats are still scarce for the tropics. Herein, we integrate phylogeny, ecology and biometeorology to verify whether the phenophases of congeneric species Myrcia laruotteana and Myrcia amazonica or Clethra scabra differ when their populations inhabit wetland and drained habitats and to determine what abiotic factors affect the vegetative and reproductive phenophases of these species in distinct habitat patches. We collected data on phenological events of 80 trees for 1 year in Itacolomi State Park, Brazil, and related them to abiotic local factors. Contrary to our expectation, the phenophases of the congeneric species did not differ between habitats, but the reproductive phenophases of C. scabra did and was greater in drained soil. Phenophases of C. scabra were affected by the depth of the water table and maximum temperature in the wetland soil. Insolation, precipitation, maximum temperature and relative humidity influenced Myrcia and Clethra in the drained soil. The differences between C. scabra populations suggest that this species is phenotypically plastic and can present distinct phenophases depending on the habitat it inhabits. On the other hand, the congeneric Myrcia species may have similar phenophases in distinct habitats because of their shared similarities during their evolution. This study provides a better understanding of the ecology of these species and their adaptations to different abiotic conditions. Data of this nature are important in a changing world and can inform strategies for adaptive management.