Influence of leaf phenology, nutrient intake and growth rate of native species established in homogeneous stands on the initial growth and survival of seedlings of native species

• Grant number: 15/17357-4
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2016
• End date: April 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Flavio Antonio Maës dos Santos
• Grantee: Flavio Antonio Maës dos Santos
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Both abiotic conditions as the community's internal dynamics can act as ecological filters selecting the set of community-forming species and affecting its development. Individual trees of the forest canopy can affect directly and indirectly the dynamics and functioning of the ecosystem by altering the physical conditions of the environment or interacting directly with other community organizations, and so have central importance in these ecosystem dynamics. To facilitate the understanding of the effect of the canopy species on, for example, the regeneranting community, these may be grouped according to their functional traits, then allowing the generalization of patterns. Thus, the study of the influence of the functional traits of canopy species established in homogeneous stands is important for the understanding of its isolated effect (without interference from species with different traits around) on the community dynamics and, therefore, for achieve better management and conservation strategies. The aim of this study is to verify how the established species studied, as well as their functional traits affect the physical environment and the development of regenerating species in the understory. We will address homogeneous stands of 9 native species with different combinations of functional traits focused in this study (leaf phenology, nutrient intake and growth rate) which are: pau-marfim (Balfourodendron riedelianum (Engl.) Engl.), jequitibá-rosa (Cariniana legalis (Mart.) Kuntze), louro pardo (Cordia trichotoma (Vell.) Arráb. ex Steud.), timbori (Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Vell.) Morong), pau-d'alho (Gallesia integrifolia (Spreng.) Harms), ipê-roxo (Handroanthus heptaphyllus (Vell.) Mattos), ipê-amarelo (Handroanthus vellosoi (Toledo) Mattos), aroeira (Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão), and guarucaia (Peltophorum dubium (Spreng.) Taub.). The plantations were established between the years 1982 and 1990 in an randomized block design in the Experimental Station of Luiz Antonio-SP maintained by the Instituto Florestal. We will set up 27 plots, 3 plots under the canopy of each species established in homogeneous stands. In each plot we will plant 90 seedlings of 9 native species (the same species established in homogeneous stands), interspaced in two meters apart and arranged in rows between the lines of canopy trees, summing 2,430 seedlings throughout the experiment. Assuming that the conditions of the physical environment and the development of the species that we will plant will vary depending on the functional traits of the canopy species, we will assess: photosynthetic active radiation; nutrients intake; soil moisture; mortality and early growth of planted seedlings and the seedlings leaves condition. The results will be submitted to specific statistical analysis in order to associate the functional traits of the canopy species with the conditions of the physical environment and the development of planted seedlings. (AU)