Tropical Riparian Forest Research Articles

Seasonal variations in the structure of avian community in Zambezi riparian forest

Among the different biomes in southern Africa, tropical riparian forests appear to be especially rich in terms of biodiversity, but little is known about avian communities occupying these forests. In this paper, bird counts were conducted in May, July–August, and October–November in 2013 and 2014. The line transect method was used. A transect 16.6 km long was designed along the Zambezi River between S 17.4975 E 24.3478 and S 17.4874 E 24.447. In total, 146 bird species were recorded. The number of species detected each season varied from 95 to 100. The number of dominant species was consistently low, varying between 2 and 3 depending on the month. However, the cumulative dominance and the dominance index were much higher in the dry season (May–August) than in the wet season (October–November). Two species were dominant each month: Euplectes axillaris and Pycnonotus tricolor. Vidua macroura and Estrilda astrild were dominant only in October, while Streptopelia capicola was dominant only in May. The group of subdominants was much more diverse than dominants and included 13 species. The Shannon diversity index increased between July and November from 3.45 to 4.05 but Simpson's diversity index did not show any seasonal trend. Pielou's evenness index was higher in the wet season (0.82–0.88) than in the dry season (0.76–0.79). The proportions of the main feeding guilds were much the same throughout the year, except for November, when the proportion of insectivores markedly increased, while that of granivores decreased. Riparian forest corridors in urbanized environments may be viewed as main instruments for offsetting the negative effects of habitat loss and fragmentation. Dataset published through GBIF (DOI: 10.15470/0ssr1v)

Interrelationships among litter chemistry, plant species diversity, and litter decomposition in tropical stream environments: a review

Factors that may accelerate decomposition are important for ecosystem functioning since plant litter decomposition is essential for carbon and nutrient cycling, but it is a generally slow process, which can take weeks up to years. In this context, studies have demonstrated that the chemical characteristics of litter mixtures can accelerate decomposition through several mechanisms. Tropical riparian forests are known for their high diversity of tree species, which leads to a wide array of litter types in tropical streams, each with distinct chemical properties. This underscores the key role of litter chemistry in significantly influencing the litter breakdown rate within of these streams. Here, we explore the interplay among litter chemistry, plant species diversity, and litter decomposition in tropical streams. We highlight the importance of litter physical and chemical characteristics for decomposition, as well as of the preservation of the natural floristic composition of tropical riparian forests. In this sense, more attention must be paid to the influence that the environment and phylogeny may have on the phytochemical characteristics of riparian forest plant species in different tropic biomes, and how the insertion of different exotic species interferes with the decomposition process. Furthermore, we emphasize the need for additional research into the consequences of the loss of rare plant species with unique functional characteristics to decomposition in tropical ecosystems.

Soil nutrient dissimilarity and litter nutrient limitation as major drivers of home field advantage in riparian tropical forests

AbstractDecomposition is a key process driving carbon and nutrient cycling in ecosystems worldwide. The home field advantage effect (HFA) has been found to accelerate decomposition rates when litter originates from “home” when compared to other (“away”) sites. It is still poorly known how HFA plays out in tropical, riparian forests, particularly in forests under restoration. We carried out three independent reciprocal litter transplant experiments to test how litter quality, soil nutrient concentrations, and successional stage (age) influenced HFA in tropical riparian forests. These experimental areas formed a wide gradient of soil and litter nutrients, which we used to evaluate the more general hypothesis that HFA varies with dissimilarity in soil nutrients and litter quality. We found that HFA increased with soil nutrient dissimilarity, suggesting that litter translocation uncouples relationships between decomposers and litter characteristics; and with litter N:P, indicating P limitation in this system. We also found negative HFA effects at a site under restoration that presented low decomposer ability, suggesting that forest restoration does not necessarily recover decomposer communities and nutrient cycling. Within each of the independent experiments, the occurrence of HFA effects was limited and their magnitude was not related to forest age, nor soil and litter quality. Our results imply that HFA effects in tropical ecosystems are influenced by litter nutrient limitation and soil nutrient dissimilarity between home and away sites, but to further disentangle major HFA drivers in tropical areas, a gradient of dissimilarity between litter and soil properties must be implemented in future experimental designs.Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.

Can rainfall seasonality trigger soil water repellency in a tropical riparian forest?

Though riparian areas generally have a shallow water table and higher soil moisture compared to upslope areas, climatic seasonality may trigger water repellency in tropical riparian forests, which, if persistent, could negatively affect essential ecosystem functions related to water resources protection such as reduced overland-flow, sediment transport, and nutrient filtration. The objective of this study was to answer the following: can tropical riparian forests develop water repellency? If so, does water repellency affect infiltration on a seasonal basis? For this, water repellency and infiltration were measured in a grid of 72 points during a dry and a wet month of a tropical riparian forest with a shallow water table in a region with highly marked climatic seasonality. Water repellency and infiltration were significantly different between the wet and dry months. Water repellency affected negatively infiltration in the dry month, its effect in the wet month was insignificant. As a result, a higher infiltration capacity was observed over the wet period. Previous research has claimed that the development and persistence of repellency in soils could promote other hydrological processes such as overland flow. The findings shown here demonstrate that such phenomenon does not persist longer than the dry season.

Surface Runoff from an Urban Area Promotes Hydrological Connectivity and Soil Loss in a Tropical Riparian Forest

Surface Runoff from an Urban Area Promotes Hydrological Connectivity and Soil Loss in a Tropical Riparian Forest

Do tropical riparian forests in the Cerrado Biome act as a buffer against the impacts of agriculture and livestock on benthic macroinvertebrate communities?

Do tropical riparian forests in the Cerrado Biome act as a buffer against the impacts of agriculture and livestock on benthic macroinvertebrate communities?

Litterfall Chemistry Is Modulated by Wet-Dry Seasonality and Leaf Phenology of Dominant Species in the Tropics

Litterfall has a large influence on carbon and nutrient cycling of ecosystems, particularly in light-limited forested streams, as most nutrients return in the form of litter. Although recent evidence points to the prevalence of seasonal litterfall in species-rich and evergreen tropical riparian forests, there is a limited understanding of how riparian plant diversity intersects with stream and riparian ecosystem functions. To explore this question, we investigate litterfall chemistry across wet and dry seasons and the congruence between litter traits and plant species composition of litterfall in the wet-dry tropics. Using generalized additive models, we observed consistent seasonal patterns of litterfall chemistry over 2 years, mostly influenced by dominant species in litterfall. While drier seasons showed litter lower in nutrients and structural compounds and higher in polyphenols, litter from wetter seasons were nutrient rich but lower in polyphenols. We also found contrasting seasonal patterns in litterfall chemistry, one showing that litterfall nutrient, structural compounds, and secondary metabolite concentrations declined in drier seasons while the other showed that mass-based litterfall inputs increased markedly in drier seasons. Our findings suggest that litterfall chemistry may be altered by shifts in the identity of dominant plant species and seasonality, possibly leading to changes in carbon and nutrient fluxes in tropical riparian ecosystems.

Decomposition and stabilization of organic matter in an old-growth tropical riparian forest: effects of soil properties and vegetation structure

BackgroundNutrient cycling in tropical forests has a large importance for primary productivity, and decomposition of litterfall is a major process influencing nutrient balance in forest soils. Although large-scale factors strongly influence decomposition patterns, small-scale factors can have major influences, especially in old-growth forests that have high structural complexity and strong plant-soil correlations. Here we evaluated the effects of forest structure and soil properties on decomposition rates and stabilization of soil organic matter using the Tea Bag Index (TBI) in an old-growth riparian forest in southeastern Brazil. These data sets were described separately using Principal Components Analysis (PCA). The main axes for each analysis, together with soil physical properties (clay content and soil moisture), were used to construct structural equations models that evaluated the different parameters of the TBI, decomposition rates and stabilization factor. The best model was selected using Akaike’s criterion.ResultsForest structure and soil physical and chemical properties presented large variation among plots within the studied forest. Clay content was strongly correlated with soil moisture and the first PCA axis of soil chemical properties, and model selection indicated that clay content was a better predictor than this axis. Decomposition rates presented a large variation among tea bags (0.009 and 0.098 g·g− 1·d− 1) and were positively related with forest structure, as characterized by higher basal area, tree density and larger trees. The stabilization factor varied between 0.211–0.426 and was related to forest stratification and soil clay content.ConclusionsThe old-growth forest studied presented high heterogeneity in both forest structure and soil properties at small spatial scales, that influenced decomposition processes and probably contributed to small-scale variation in nutrient cycling. Decomposition rates were only influenced by forest structure, whereas the stabilization factor was influenced by both forest structure and soil properties. Heterogeneity in ecological processes can contribute to the resilience of old-growth forests, highlighting the importance of restoration strategies that consider the spatial variation of ecosystem processes.

Tropical riparian forests in danger from large savanna wildfires

Abstract Tropical savannas are known for the fire‐prone ecosystems, yet, riparian evergreen forests are another important landscape feature. These forests usually remain safe from wildfires in the wet riparian zones. With global changes, large wildfires are now more frequent in savanna landscapes, exposing riparian forests to unprecedented impact. In 2017, a large wildfire spread across the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, an iconic UNESCO site in central Brazil, raising concerns about its impact on the fire‐sensitive ecosystems. By combining remote sensing analysis of Google Earth images (2003–2019) with detailed field information from 36 sites, we assessed wildfire impacts on riparian forests. For this, we measured the structure of trees, saplings and herbaceous plants, as well as topsoil variables. Since 2003, all riparian forests had canopy cover above 90%, but after 2017, canopy cover dropped to 20% in some forests, indicating large variation in wildfire damage. A closer look in the field revealed that, on average, the wildfire killed 52% of adult trees and 87% of tree saplings in flooded forests. In non‐flooded forests, impacts on adult trees were negligible, but fire killed 75% of tree saplings. Opportunistic vines and the invasive grass Melinis minutiflora were already present in severely disturbed flooded forests. In all forests, impacts on many ecosystem variables were related to canopy damage, a variable measurable from satellite. Overall, seasonally flooded riparian forests were the most severely impacted, possibly due to the relatively thinner barks of their trees. Synthesis and applications. Our findings reveal how riparian forests embedded in tropical savanna landscapes are in danger from large wildfires. The destruction of some forests has opened space for new plant species that may propel a shift to an alternative ecosystem state. Riparian forests are habitat of large savanna animals and their loss could affect entire trophic networks. Managing wildfires and invasive grasses locally is probably the best strategy to maintain riparian forests resilient. As wildfire regimes intensify in tropical savanna landscapes, our findings stress the need for an integrated management that considers riparian forests as a vulnerable element of the system.

Changes in the Structure of Avian Community along a Moisture Gradient in an Urbanized Tropical Riparian Forest

In larger river valleys of southern Africa, riparian forests are among the main vegetation types. The forests are regarded as ones of the most diverse and distinct terrestrial habitats on earth. They also play a crucial role in wildlife conservation as corridors and refugia for wildlife. It is hypothesized that the closer to the river bank, the higher the species diversity, while population densities may increase with the increase of the distance from the river bank. In 2014, quantitative studies (by means of the mapping method) on avian community breeding in such forest on Zambezi River in Katima Mulilo were undertaken to measure this gradient. Four plots were designed along an increasing distance from the river bank in this forest. In terms of the number of species, there was a significant gradual decrease with the increasing distance from the bank (from 91 to 54 species). The number of breeding pairs per 100 ha increased with the moisture gradient (from 222 to 677). Shannon's (H') and Simpson's (D) indices were higher in the two plots closer to the bank river (H'= 3.44–3.85; D = 0.97–0.99), than in the two remaining plots (H' = 3.13–3.15; D = 0.92–0.93). Also the Pielou's Evenness Index was higher in two plots closer to the bank (J' = 0.84–0.85 vs. 0.77–0.78). The proportion of granivores in the avian community declined along the moisture gradient, while that of insectivores and frugivores – increased. These gradual changes can be linked to a parallel gradual changes of the amount of fruits and invertebrates.

Agricultural land-use change alters the structure and diversity of Amazon riparian forests

Riparian forests play key roles in protecting biodiversity and water resources, making them priorities for conservation in human-dominated landscapes, but fragmentation associated with expanding tropical croplands threatens their ecological integrity. We compared the structure of tropical riparian forests within intact and cropland catchments in a region of intensive soybean production in the southeastern Brazilian Amazon. We studied forest plots (varying from 120 to 210 m long) that bisected riparian zone forests and headwater streams in ten catchments. Four plots were within large areas of intact primary forest and six were in bands of protected riparian forest along streams within croplands as required by the Brazilian Forest Code. We found that riparian forests in croplands harbored fewer species of trees and seedlings/saplings, and had higher proportions of opportunistic, pioneer tree species. We also found greater variation in tree species composition, and higher internal dissimilarity in croplands compared with forests. The observed patterns in tree species composition were driven mainly by differences between riparian forest-cropland edges and those bordering intact upland forests. Forests nearest to streams in cropland and forested catchments were more similar to one another. Results suggest that wider buffers are needed at the edges of croplands to maintain riparian forest structure. The minimum 30-m riparian buffers now required by the Brazilian Forest Code may thus be insufficient to prevent long-term shifts in riparian forest species composition and structure.

Temporal leaf litter breakdown in a tropical riparian forest with an open canopy

espanolEn los ambientes acuaticos, especialmente en las zonas de sombra (donde la produccion primaria esta limitada por las condiciones de poca luz), el flujo de energia y el ciclo de materia organica son fundamentales para el mantenimiento del metabolismo del sistema. La descomposicion de los detritos organicos es un proceso clave para su movilizacion a traves de las cadenas troficas. Nuestro objetivo fue describir la dinamica temporal de la descomposicion de hojarasca en un arroyo tropical con un bosque de ribera degradado por la extraccion de palmeras. Se recogio la entrada vertical de la hojarasca mensualmente en un arroyo natural y se incubaron las hojas en el arroyo afectado. Cada mes, se recogieron las muestras, y se incubaron un conjunto de nuevas muestras. Se estimaron las tasas de descomposicion de la hojarasca (k), la biomasa microbiana, la esporulacion de hongos y la comunidad de invertebrados. Se observan valores mas altos de k en verano, muy probablemente debido a las altas temperaturas (aumento de la actividad metabolica) y precipitacion (mayor abrasion fisica).Los invertebrados(mayoritariamente trituradores) y el numero total de microorganismos no mostraron influencia en las tasas de descomposicion. Por lo tanto, en este muestreo temporal, el flujo de agua, la temperatura y la precipitacion fueron los factores que controlan la k en este arroyo. Los valores de k son similares con otros entornos naturales, muy probablemente debido a que la degradacion del bosque de ribera es una modificacion estructural y no representa una fuente de contaminacion. EnglishIn aquatic environments, especially in shaded patches (where primary production is limited by the low-light conditions), energy flow and organic-matter cycling are fundamental for maintaining a system’s metabolism. The breakdown of this organic detritus is a key process for its remobilization into the trophic chains. Our objective was to describe the temporal dynamics of leaf breakdown in a tropical stream with a riparian canopy degraded by the extraction of palm trees. The vertical input of leaves was collected monthly in a natural stream and incubated for 30 days in a stream with a degraded canopy. Leaf breakdown rates (k), and leaf associated microbial biomass, fungal sporulation and invertebrate community were estimated. Higher values of k were observed in summer most likely due to high temperatures (increased metabolic activity) and rainfall (higher physical abrasion). Aquatic invertebrates (mainly shredders) and total microorganisms showed no overall influence on leaf breakdown rates. Therefore, in this large temporal sampling, water flow, temperature and precipitation were the factors controlling k in this stream. There were no observed changes in k compared to natural environments, most likely because the canopy degradation is a structural modification and does not represent a source of pollution.

Importance of riparian habitat for frugivorous bats in a tropical dry forest in western Mexico

Abstract:Riparian forests (RF) provide shelter, feeding resources and commuting areas and are fundamental for local fauna during long drought periods in tropical dry forests. Nevertheless, information regarding vertebrate ecology in tropical RF is scarce. The studies of bats in riparian habitats have been mostly focused on insectivorous assemblages in non-tropical regions. We contrasted the occurrence of frugivorous bats between RF and upland dry forest (UDF) in a Neotropical dry forest region and evaluated how vegetation structure modulates frugivorous bat presence and abundance. We sampled bat ensembles and vegetation structure in three UDF and three RF sites in Jalisco, Mexico. Bat ensembles and populations were analysed with generalized linear models, including as independent factors: (1) habitat and (2) vegetation attributes. In 72 nights we captured 840 bats belonging to seven species. No effect of habitat type or vegetation structure on species richness was found, but habitat type did affect bat species composition and abundance. Moreover, vegetation structural traits affected frugivorous bat abundance. Frugivore abundance was higher in RF than in UDF probably because RF provides greater resources and more roosting sites. Riparian forests also present more canopy cover and accessible flight spaces. Our results support the importance of RF for frugivorous bats in terms of abundance and composition. Additionally, the lack of differences in species richness between UDF and RF highlights the importance of both habitats for maintaining frugivorous bats, as well as the related ecosystem processes and services in tropical dry forest landscapes.

Assessing Restoration Outcomes in Light of Succession: Management Implications for Tropical Riparian Forest Restoration

Today there is a wide variety of approaches on how to determine when a river restoration project can be considered ecologically successful. The limited information on river restoration responses renders this practice a subjective component of river management. We aimed to contribute to this issue by assessing the ecological outcomes of a restoration project conducted in Quebrada Chiclana, a first-order tropical stream located in the headwaters of the Rio Piedras in the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico. We focused on the reforestation component of the restoration project using current structure and composition of riparian vegetation as an indicator of restoration success. Recovery of riparian vegetation was studied eight years after restoration using a forest succession approach. We conducted a vegetation census and measured structural variables on vegetation at restored and nearby reference areas. We encountered a riparian vegetation community composed of 35 tree and 84 non-tree species. The non-native trees tall albizia ( Albizia procera ) and African tuliptree ( Spathodea campanulata ) were the most abundant tree species within the study area. We observed 11 out of the 16 woody species initially proposed in the reforestation plan but with lower tree density than proposed. Even though we demonstrate that the river restoration project has not yet met its reforestation objectives, our results show recovery of the vegetation community in the impacted area has occurred through natural succession.

Unravelling the role of allochthonous aquatic resources to food web structure in a tropical riparian forest.

The role of matter and energy flow across ecosystem boundaries for the subsidized consumer populations is well known. However, little is known on the effects of allochthonous subsidies on food web structure and trophic niche dimensions of consumers in the tropics. We excluded allochthonous aquatic insects from tropical streams using greenhouse-type exclosures to test the influence of aquatic allochthonous subsidies on the trophic structure and niche dimensions of terrestrial predators using stable isotope methods. In exclosure treatments, abundance and biomass of terrestrial predators, and biomass of phytophages decreased and increased, respectively. Vegetation-living predators were more responsive to allochthonous inputs than those living on the ground. Overall, lower availability of allochthonous inputs did not affect community-wide metrics and niche width of predators. However, the niche width of some spider families had very low overlap between treatments, and others had wider isotopic niches in the control than in the exclusion treatment. Most of the C and N in predators living in control stretches came from aquatic subsidies, and those predators living in the exclusion treatments switched their diets to terrestrial sources, showing a preference of predators for allochthonous subsidies. Our results suggest that allochthonous subsidies are also relevant to tropical fauna living upon vegetation. Moreover, allochthonous resources may amplify the niche dimension of certain predators or considerably change the trophic niche of others. Our study highlights the importance of including modern isotopic tools in elucidating the role of allochthonous resources on the patterns of trophic structure and niche dimensions of consumers from donor ecosystems.

Mimosa sotoi (Leguminosae), a new species from Michoacán, Mexico

Mimosa sotoi, a new species from the state of Michoacan, Mexico is described and illustrated. It presently is known only from tropical deciduous and tropical riparian forest in the Zicuiran-Infiernillo Biosphere Reserve in the lower Balsas Basin. The new species belongs to Mimosa sect. Batocaulon series Distachyae and is similar to Mimosa spirocarpa and M. egregia. It possesses coiled fruits like those of the former and leaves like those of the latter. However, it differs from both in having pods with setae on the valves and replum. It is further distinguished from M. spirocarpa by having smaller flowers and legumes that are undulate to rolled into a lax spiral and from M. egregia by its spikes arranged in shorter pseudoracemes.

Composition of bat assemblages (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in tropical riparian forests

Various studies have focused on the richness and abundance of bats in tropical forests and how the composition of these forests affects bat assemblages, but there are few studies on the relationship of bats with riparian forests. The aim of this study was to ascertain the differences among bat assemblages of three riparian forest areas of the Tinguá region, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. These areas were: I) an agricultural area (Takume); II) a reforested area in primary succession (Canavarro); and III) an area with late secondary vegetation (Tinguá Biological Reserve). Assessments of bat species composition in these areas may shed light on how anthropogenic modifications in riparian forests can influence local bat assemblages. Bats were captured with mist nets during 72 sampling nights. Total bat abundance was 1,511 individuals in 26 species. The three areas differed in their species composition. The Tinguá Biological Reserve was the richest area, Canavarro presented the lowest diversity and the highest abundance of individuals, and the evenness index was highest in Takume. The differences found in the composition and ecological indices indicate that bat assemblages have distinct characteristics in the three areas studied, with varied degrees of transformation and anthropization.

Leaf-litter inputs from an invasive nitrogen-fixing tree influence organic-matter dynamics and nitrogen inputs in a Hawaiian river

We examined how invasion of tropical riparian forests by an exotic N-fixing tree (Falcataria moluccana) affects organic-matter dynamics in a Hawaiian river by comparing early stages of leaf-litter breakdown between the exotic F. moluccana and native Metrosideros polymorpha trees. We examined early decomposition stages because of low leaf-litter retention rates (<20 d) that result from the flashy nature of tropical Pacific Island streams. Leaf breakdown rates, fungal biomass, and invertebrate abundances were 40, 120, and 30% greater, respectively, for F. moluccana than M. polymorpha leaves. Leaf-litter breakdown was largely a result of stream flow and to a lesser extent fungal colonization. Invertebrates were not an important factor in leaf-litter breakdown. Initial tannin content, leaf C∶N, and toughness were important intrinsic factors inhibiting leaf breakdown and fungal colonization. Regression analyses between remaining N content (%) and ash-free dry mass of leaf litter revealed that the early stages of F. moluccana leaf-litter breakdown are a source of N to streams invaded by F. moluccana and contribute a conservatively estimated 2.1 to 5.7% to the available total dissolved N pool. Direct input of F. moluccana leaf litter influences early stages of leaf-litter breakdown in tropical streams with low leaf-litter retention rates. Direct input of leaf litter also contributes somewhat to N inputs, but subsurface flows through N-rich soils of F. moluccana-invaded riparian forests probably are a greater source.

Uso de hábitats modificados por aves dependientes de bosque tropical en la región caribeña de Guatemala

Modified-habitat use by tropical forest-dependent birds in the Caribbean region of Guatemala. As natural areas are reduced into isolated remnants, the importance of secondary habitats for species conservation will increase. Consequently, the conservation value of human-modified or created secondary habitats must be determined. In this study, we evaluated the conservation potential of three habitats associated to cattle ranching (riparian forest, live fence, and pasture) for tropical forest birds in the Caribbean region of Guatemala. We studied the bird communities of five tropical forest and riparian forest (henceforth river) sites, three live fence sites and four pasture sites, in five cattle ranches in the region, and compared the four habitats based on the following parameters: species richness, number of individuals, species composition and an index of conservation importance. A 10-point series was sampled (six repetitions of each series) in each habitat site using the point-count method, in march and april of 1998 and 1999. Although forest, river and live fence had similar mean species numbers, considering all species (111, 96 and 94 species, respectively), and river and live fence surpassed the forest in mean number of individuals (80 and 72 compared to 56 individuals), river and live fence had significantly fewer mean numbers of interior-forest resident species and individuals (56, 21 and 15 species, and 61, 19 and eight individuals in forest, river and live fence, respectively). River and live fence, when compared to forest, had no significant differences in the number of resident forest-edge species and individuals, but their edge-species composition was significantly different from forest. Those resident edge species that were relatively abundant in forest had very low abundances in the modified habitats, and those that were abundant in river and live fence were rare or absent in forest sites. With respect to migratory species, both river and live fence were very important, and the river was more important than forest, according to the conservation importance index. We conclude that these modified habitats have very little value for tropical forest-dependent resident species, but are extremely important for migratory species, particularly those of arboreal habits. We also stress that the conservation importance of alternative habitats should be based on species composition, as opposed to species richness and abundance, and defined as a function of species of particular conservation importance, in our locality, those dependent of tropical lowland forest.

Isolation and characterization of eleven polymorphic microsatellite loci in Aegiphila sellowiana and their transferability

We isolated and characterized eleven polymorphic microsatellite loci for Aegiphila sellowiana an outcrossing pioneer tree species that is frequently used in reforestation programs of tropical riparian forests in Brazil. A total of 38 alleles were detected across a sample of 45 individuals of A. sellowiana, with an average number of 3.45 alleles per locus. The average polymorphic information content (PIC) was 0.430 and the observed (HO) and expected (HE) heterozygosity values varied from 0.156 to 1.000 and 0.145 to 0.730, respectively. Eight loci exhibited significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P ≤ 0.001) and 32 pair combinations of loci showed significant linkage disequilibrium (P ≤ 0.001). All 11 primers were tested for cross amplification in 12 species belonging to the family Lamiaceae and 5 species belonging to the related family Verbenaceae. The sequence and diversity information obtained using these microsatellites and their cross-transferability to other species of Lamiaceae as well as Verbenaceae will increase our understanding of genetic structures and species relationships within Aegiphyla and other genera of these families.