Climatic correlates of fruiting seasonality across the Neotropics

• Grant number: 13/21968-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): May 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Leonor Patricia Cerdeira Morellato
• Grantee: Irene Mendoza Sagrera
• Supervisor: Carlos Augusto Peres
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Research place: University of East Anglia (UEA), England
• Associated to the scholarship: 12/21601-0 - Phenological responses of woody plants to climate change: a comparative analysis across the Neotropics, BP.PD

Abstract

Organisms have different phases during their life cycles and their timing of occurrence is affected by a combination of both abiotic and biotic factors. In the case of the tropical ecosystems, we are still lacking of a clear understanding of the triggers of plant phenology over large geographic scales. This knowledge will allow the forecasting of species' phenological responses to ongoing climate change. This BEPE project aims at disentangling the climatic cues that operate as the main triggers of fruiting phenology throughout the Neotropics. Based on a large dataset of more than 200 study locations, I am extracting fruiting and site information across a diversity of Neotropical vegetation types. During my three-month stay at the University of East Anglia (UK), I will work in tight collaboration with Prof. Dr Carlos A. Peres for analyzing the influence of climate on the annual seasonality of fruiting. In addition, we will also explore the consequences for frugivores of variations in fruit seasonality. The expected results of this project are 1) a predictive model of the variation of fruiting seasonality in function of climate and space, and 2) the detection of areas of more vulnerability and risk of famine for frugivores according to trends of phenological shift. The experience of Prof. Peres in the study of phenology and tropical wildlife conservation and the excellent conditions of the University of East Anglia are guarantees of the successful development of the project. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MENDOZA, IRENE; PERES, CARLOS A.; MORELLATO, LEONOR PATRICIA C.. Continental-scale patterns and climatic drivers of fruiting phenology: A quantitative Neotropical review. GLOBAL AND PLANETARY CHANGE, v. 148, p. 227-241, JAN 2017. (10/51307-0, 13/50155-0, 13/21968-3, 12/21601-0)