Fruit production and spatial pattern of populations of tropical trees

Author(s)

Kelly Fernandes de Oliveira Ribeiro

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Biologia
• Defense date: 2016-07-27

Examining board members

Flavio Antonio Maës dos Santos; Alexandre Adalardo de Oliveira; Leonardo Dias Meireles

• Advisor: Valéria Forni Martins; Flavio Antonio Maës dos Santos

Abstract

The increase or decrease aggregation of conspecific recruits nearby adults may be related to the amount of fruit produced by the parental trees because of the potential contribution to the seed density. In turn, the fruit production can be influenced by the ability of the resources acquisition and allocation associated with the plant size. The aim of this study was investigate the influence of fruit production in the spatial pattern of populations of three tropical tree in a Lowland Ombrofilous Dense Forest located in Ubatuba-SP, Brazil. For this, we used phenology¿s data with monthly observations for a year, size (diameter at ground height and canopy volume), and ontogenetic and spatial structure of species Faramea picinguabae (Rubiaceae), Mollinedia schottiana (Monimiaceae) and Pourouma guianensis (Urticaceae) in 2 ha of forest. We analyzed the phenological data frequency and intensity of phenological phases, and the influence of environmental variables in the phenological pattern. We also analyzed the relationship between the production of buttons, anthesis, unripe fruits and ripe fruits, and the individual size. We characterized the spatial pattern of each ontogenetic stage and the spatial relationship between subsequent stages within the zone of influence of each adult. Finally, we determined whether individuals who produce more fruits contribute to a higher density of individuals of each ontogenetic stage. Although our study area is considered somewhat seasonal environment in relation to rainfall and temperature, reproductive phenophases were seasonal and the intensity was related positively with the size of the individuals. We observed that the density of individuals in the early stages under the canopy of adults increased with higher fruit production. But the conspecific density decreased with recruitment for the next stages. This suggests that occurs density-dependent mortality in the studied species, but this does not undo the groups of individuals due to the numerical effect of higher seed density. Therefore, fruit production is an important factor that influences the spatial structure of the species over the stages (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/11559-1 - Fruit production and spatial structure of populations of tropical trees
• Grantee: Kelly Fernandes de Oliveira Ribeiro
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master