The role of vertebrate seed disperses /predators and parasitoids wasps on the rate of seed predation by beetles in forest fragments in southeastern Brazil

Author(s)

Janaina Rosa Cortinoz

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Biologia
• Defense date: 2011-02-14

Examining board members

João Vasconcellos Neto; Marco Aurélio Pizo; Wesley Rodrigues Silva

• Advisor: João Vasconcellos Neto

Abstract

Plants with large seeds such as palm trees are more affected in defaunated areas. The absence of seed dispersers results in a higher accumulation of seeds beneath the parent plant, where seed predation is more intense. Rodents and beetles are major predators of palm seed and can interact with each other, competing for seeds. Rodents can also prey on beetles' larvae when consume seed previously infested, and beetles may have their larvae attacked by parasitoid wasps. Thus, the aim of this work was investigate the effects of seed dispersal and predation of the palm Syagrus romanzoffiana by vertebrates on seed predation by beetles and the parasitoid attack in areas that differ with regard to the presence of vertebrate seed dispersers and/or predators. Data was collected at four sites. One of them at Jundiai, at Serra do Japi, and other three at Campinas, SP: Mata de Santa Genebra Municipal Reserve, Bosque dos Jequitibas and Campinas State University's Campus. Seed predation by vertebrates and beetles was compared between areas. Data regarding to the reproductive phenology and monthly rates of pre- and post-dispersal seed predation by beetles were also collected to assess how the interaction occurs throughout of the fruiting season of the plant. Seed predation by beetles was negatively related to seed predation by vertebrates, being higher in areas where vertebrate seed predators are absent or present in low densities, as at Unicamp and Mata de Santa Genebra. Seed predation by bruchids beetles was lower in the presence of the squirrels at Serra do Japi and agoutis at Bosque dos Jequitibas, but seed predation by weevils was lower only at Serra do Japi. These findings may indicate that the consumption of S. romanzoffiana seeds by vertebrates should reduce the amount of seeds available for bruchids beetles, and/or there are intraguild predation on larvae of bruchids by squirrels and agoutis, but agoutis probably reject seeds infested by weevils larvae. The flower and unripe fruit production was similar in all areas, but ripe fruit production was smaller at Serra do Japi, with a displaced peak when compared to the other sites, probably due to the high seed predation by squirrel in this area. Pre-dispersal seed predation by the beetle Revena rubiginosa (Curculionidae) occurred in all months and the period of beetles' oviposition was not related to the unripe fruits availability. Bruchids and scolytids beetles prey on post dispersed seeds, which was greater where the seed removal by vertebrate was lower. Also the post dispersal seed predation was not related to the ripe fruits availability neither to the pre dispersal seed predation. Larvae of R. rubiginosa and bruchids were attacked by braconids wasps at Unicamp and Mata de Santa Genebra. The oviposition by parasitoids was not related to the rates of seed predation by beetles, but was related to the climate. Thus, in the lack of evidence that seeds are a restrict resource, the seed predation by these insects seems to be limited by seed removal and predation by vertebrates. In the absence of vertebrate seed dispersers and/or predators, which control the seed predation by beetles, the attack by parasitoids wasps is higher (AU)