Direct and indirect effects of landscape, forest patch and sampling site predictors on biotic interaction and seed process

Autor(es)

Molina, Michele ; Martins, Caue Paiva Vidigal ; Raniero, Mariana ; Fortes, Livia Sa ; Terra, Marcos Felipe Marques ; Ramos, Flavio Nunes ; Ribeiro, Milton Cezar ; Hasui, Erica

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: PLANT ECOLOGY; v. 224, n. 1, p. 20-pg., 2022-12-06.

Resumo

Understanding the response of seed rain and seed bank to landscape changes is critical for maintaining the forest remnants integrity and the potential for natural regeneration in abandoned lands. Ecological research typically focuses on direct responses of these seed processes (i.e., seed rain and seed bank), without considering the relationship between them or the indirect impact of landscape changes on these processes via its influence on seed dispersers and seed predation. Here, we employ structuring equation modeling to quantify the direct and indirect effects of landscape structure and biotic interaction on bird-dispersed seed rain and seed banks in the Atlantic Forest. We conducted the study in 20 highly fragmented landscapes. Our study shows that lower seed disperser, seed rain and seed bank abundances, as well as higher seed predation rates will be found in a landscape context with higher percentage of pasture, isolated forest fragments and in matrices far from forest edge. The indirect effect of landscape change was related to the negative influence of seed predation rates on the seed bank abundance. Based on our results, we recommend managing the landscapes trying to increase the connectivity among the forest remnants and reduce the percentage of pasture, in order to improve the seed dispersal and decrease the seed predation rates. In addition, it is essential that management plans evaluate these processes as a whole to accelerate forest recovery due to the complex relationships associated with seed rain and seed bank. [GRAPHICS] . (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 20/01779-5 - Biodiversidade no Antropoceno: efeito dos agroecossistemas na conservação da biodiversidade e manutenção de funções ecossistêmicas
• Beneficiário: Milton Cezar Ribeiro
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 13/50421-2 - Novos métodos de amostragem e ferramentas estatísticas para pesquisa em biodiversidade: integrando ecologia de movimento com ecologia de população e comunidade
• Beneficiário: Milton Cezar Ribeiro
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 21/10195-0 - Contribuições do pagamento por serviços ambientais sobre múltiplas dimensões na Mata Atlântica
• Beneficiário: Milton Cezar Ribeiro
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático
• Processo FAPESP: 21/08534-0 - Biodiversidade e serviços associados: PELD Corredor Cantareira Mantiqueira
• Beneficiário: Milton Cezar Ribeiro
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 22/10760-1 - Biodiversidade no Antropoceno: uma síntese dos efeitos da expansão da agricultura no Cerrado e na Mata Atlântica
• Beneficiário: Milton Cezar Ribeiro
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Pesquisador Visitante - Brasil