Seed germination in Chrysophyllum sp. nov., a large-seeded rainforest species in north Queensland: effects of seed size,litter depth and seed position

Leaf litter affects seed germination in many ways and past studies have shown greater impacts on relatively small seeds, both within and among species. In this shade-house experiment I examined the impact of forest litter on seed germination in Chrysophyllum sp. nov. (Sapotaceae), a large-seeded (2.4 g) rainforest tree from north Queensland. Seed mass varies more than 30-fold in this species, making it useful for studying the role of litter as a possible selective pressure in the evolution of seed size in large-seeded species. Seeds of varying size (small, medium, large) were sown in planting boxes containing one of three litter levels (low, medium, high) and placed either below or on top of the litter. Seed size and litter biomass had no significant impact on the number of germinating seeds or the time to germination but seeds placed below the litter germinated around twice as frequently, and 20% sooner, than seeds placed on top of the litter. There were no significant interactions between any of the three factors. This shade-house experiment suggests that leaf litter is not an important selective pressure in the evolution of seed size in this species. However, if litter disturbance under field conditions differentially affects the probability of seed germination in relation to seed size and/or litter biomass, then litter could still act as a selective pressure in the evolution of seed size in Chrysophyllum and other large-seeded species.     

Postdispersal seed predation and seed viability in forest soils: implications for the regeneration of tree species in Ethiopian church forests

Almost all dry Afromontane forests of Northern Ethiopia have been converted to agricultural, grazing or scrub lands except for small fragments left around churches (‘Church forests’). Species regeneration in these forests is limited. We investigated (i) how intense postdispersal seed predation was in church forest, and if this seed predation varied with species and/or habitat, and (ii) for how long tree seeds maintained their viability while buried in forest soil. In the seed predation experiment, we monitored seeds of six tree species in four habitats for a period of 14 weeks (the peak seeding season). In the seed viability experiment, we assessed seed viability of five species in four habitats after being buried 6, 12, or 18 months. Ninety‐two percent of the tree seeds were predated within 3.5 months. Predation was mainly dependent on species whereas habitat had a weaker effect. Seed viability decreased sharply with burial time in soil for all species except for Juniperus. To minimize seed availability limitation for regeneration of such species in the forest, the standing vegetation needs to be persistently managed and conserved for a continuous seed rain supply. Additional seed sowing, and seed and seedling protection (by e.g. animal exclosures) may increase successful regeneration of important species in these forests.     

From ratites to rats: the size of fleshy fruits shapes species' distributions and continental rainforest assembly

Seed dispersal is a key process in plant spatial dynamics. However, consistently applicable generalizations about dispersal across scales are mostly absent because of the constraints on measuring propagule dispersal distances for many species. Here, we focus on fleshy-fruited taxa, specifically taxa with large fleshy fruits and their dispersers across an entire continental rainforest biome. We compare species-level results of whole-chloroplast DNA analyses in sister taxa with large and small fruits, to regional plot-based samples (310 plots), and whole-continent patterns for the distribution of woody species with either large (more than 30 mm) or smaller fleshy fruits (1093 taxa). The pairwise genomic comparison found higher genetic distances between populations and between regions in the large-fruited species (Endiandra globosa), but higher overall diversity within the small-fruited species (Endiandra discolor). Floristic comparisons among plots confirmed lower numbers of large-fruited species in areas where more extreme rainforest contraction occurred, and re-colonization by small-fruited species readily dispersed by the available fauna. Species'' distribution patterns showed that larger-fruited species had smaller geographical ranges than smaller-fruited species and locations with stable refugia (and high endemism) aligned with concentrations of large fleshy-fruited taxa, making them a potentially valuable conservation-planning indicator.     

The Effect of Dung and Dispersal on Postdispersal Seed Predation of Attalea phalerata (Arecaceae) by Bruchid Beetles1

Low postdispersal mortality of palm seeds in tapir dung is hypothesized to result from the mechanical barrier provided by dung against bruchid infestation and/or from the distance to adult palms at which seeds are dispersed. We tested these hypotheses by distributing endocarps of Attalea phalerata Mart. ex Spreng. in experimental dung piles in Beni, Bolivia. Predation rates were significantly lower for seeds covered by dung than for exposed or partially covered seeds, but did not differ between seeds placed below and 50 m away from palms. Thus, dung, not short‐distance dispersal, protects seeds against bruchid beetles, and may ultimately promote survival of palm seeds.     

Seed removal,seed dispersers,and the allocation of tissues in Myrtaceae seeds

To avoid seed predation, plants may invest in protective seed tissues. Often related to seed size, allocation in seeds' physical defenses can also be influenced by dispersers. We explore the relationships between seed traits (seed mass and hardness) and seed removal in 22 Myrtaceae species of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, a dominant and diverse fleshy-fruited taxon dispersed by birds, rodents, and other mammals. Our goal is to understand how seed traits influence seed removal rates, and whether dispersers can affect tissue allocation in the seed coat. Seeds were exposed to field removal experiments. In the laboratory, total seed mass and seed coat mass were obtained. To evaluate the influence of seed traits on removal, we performed Kruskal–Wallis and Simple Linear Regression tests. We assessed seed coat and seed mass covariation through standardized major-axis allometric regressions. Harder seeds were larger than softer ones. Seed traits affect removal rates, as tougher and heavier seeds had lower removal. Seed mass significantly predicts seed coat proportion in seven of the 14 species tested. Bird-dispersed species tend to exhibit lower proportions of seed coat as seed mass increases, whereas rodent-dispersed species apparently present the opposite trend, with seed coat proportion increasing with seed mass. Such difference may be caused by the contrasting seed predation pressure represented by birds and rodents. Energy allocation for defense, expressed in seed coat proportion, is greater in large seeds, as these are mostly dispersed by rodents whose propensity to cache and disperse seeds is greater for large and well-protected seeds.     

Forest cover and fruit crop size differentially influence frugivory of select rainforest tree species in Western Ghats,India

Forest fragmentation and habitat loss are major disruptors of plant–frugivore interactions, affecting seed dispersal and altering recruitment patterns of the dependent tree species. In a heterogeneous production landscape (primarily tea and coffee plantations) in the southern Western Ghats, India, we examined effects of surrounding forest cover and fruit crop size on frugivory of four rainforest bird-dispersed tree species (N = 131 trees, ≥30 trees per species, observed for 623 hr). Frugivore composition differed among the four tree species with the large-seeded Canarium strictum and Myristica dactyloides being exclusively dependent on large-bodied avian frugivores, whereas medium-seeded Persea macrantha and Heynea trijuga were predominantly visited by small-bodied and large-bodied avian frugivores, respectively. Using the seed-dispersal-effectiveness framework, we identified effective frugivores and examined their responses to forest cover and fruit crop size. Results were idiosyncratic and were governed by plant and frugivore traits. Visitations to medium-seeded Persea had a positive relationship with forest cover but the relationship was negative for the large-seeded Myristica. In addition, two of the three effective frugivores for Persea responded to the interactive effect of forest cover and fruit crop size. Frugivore visitations to Heynea were not related to forest cover or fruit crop, and there were too few visitations to Canarium to discern any trends. These results highlight the context-specific responses of plant–frugivore interactions to forest cover and fruit crop size influenced by plant and frugivore traits.     

Response of primary and secondary rainforest flowers and fruits to a cyclone,and implications for plant‐servicing bats

The response of primary (PF) and secondary (SF) rainforests to cyclones has broad implications for servicing fauna and the resilience of forest functions. We collected fine‐scale data on the reproductive phenology of plant communities in Fijian PF and SF in 12 monthly surveys before and after Cyclone Tomas (2010). We generated a resource index from the reproductive loads of 2218 trees and 1150 non‐trees (>190 species) and trunk and stem diameter to assess patterns in resource abundance for nectarivores and frugivores (hereafter NF resources). We aimed to determine (i) whether species richness of NF resources differed between forests; (ii) the patterns of resilience of NF resources at community level in both forests after a cyclone; and (iii) the effect of response on NF resources for plant‐servicing bats (Pteropodidae). In 12 months preceding the cyclone, NF resources were greater in PF trees; non‐tree resources fluctuated and were greater in SF. Lower species richness of NF resources in SF indicated that fewer opportunities exist there for exploitation by a diverse fauna. More resources were available for bats in PF. In 12 months following the cyclone, PF flowers and fruits, and SF fruits specifically used by pteropodid bats decreased for trees. Non‐tree resources were especially susceptible to the cyclone. No universal pattern of decline was associated with the cyclone; instead, some NF resources declined and others were resilient or responded rapidly to a post‐cyclone environment. Both PF and SF demonstrated resilience at the community level via increased flower survival (PF) and rapid flower production (SF). Reduced species richness of NF resources in SF will compromise future resilience and response to disturbance, including for threatened pteropodid bat species. These findings are critical for long‐term management of forests, given predicted increases in cyclone frequency and intensity associated with anthropogenic climate change.     

Mycorrhizal status of some plants of the Araucaria forest and the Atlantic rainforest in Santa Catarina, Brazil

 In Brazil, the Araucaria forest and the Atlantic rainforest are two threatened ecosystems, with 10% or less of their original areas presently existing. To assess the mycorrhizal status in these forests, roots of 29 native species, belonging to 19 families, were collected throughout the year from different regions of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Roots were washed, and then cut in a cryo-microtome to seek ectomycorrhizal colonization. Other roots were stained before being examined for vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizas (VAM). Patterns of colonization were identified and photographed. All plants presented evidence of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization. No evidence of ectomycorrhizal colonization was found. Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization patterns varied from single intracellular aseptate hyphae, coils, and/or appressoria, to vesicles and/or arbuscules. Results confirmed that VAM hosts are predominant in South American forests while ectomycorrhizas are extremely rare even among genera known as ectomycorrhizal in other regions of the humid tropics. Accepted: 27 August 2000     

Evaluation of the heat pulse velocity technique for measurement of sap flow in rainforest and eucalypt forest species of south-eastern Australia

Sap flow in the stems of two cut saplings each of Eucalyptus maculata (a canopy eucalypt forest tree), Doryphora sassafras and Ceratopetalum apetalum (both canopy rainforest trees of south-eastern coastal Australia) was measured by the heat pulse velocity technique and compared with water uptake from a potometer. Scanning electron micrographs of wounding caused by implantation of temperature sensor and heater probes into the sapwood showed that wounding was similar in rainforest and eucalypt species and was elliptical in shape. A circular wound has been implicitly assumed in previous studies. Accurate measurements of sapling water use were obtained using the smaller transverse wound dimension rather than the larger longitudinal dimension because maximum disruption of sap flow through the xylem vessels occurred in the transverse plane. Accurate measurements of sap flux were obtained above a minimum threshold sap velocity. These velocities were 15·7,10·9 and 9·4 cm h^?1 for E. maculata, C. apetalum and D. sassafras, respectively. Below the threshold sap velocity, however, sap flow could not be accurately calculated from measurements of heat pulse velocity. The minimum threshold sap velocity appeared to be determined by probe construction and xylem anatomy. Despite the elliptical wounding and inaccurate measurement of sap flow below the threshold sap velocity, total sap flow over the experimental period for two saplings of each species was within 7% of water use measured by the potometer.     

Effects of environment,habitat configuration and forest continuity on the distribution of forest plant species

In present day European landscapes many forest plant species are restricted to isolated remnants of a formerly more or less continuous forest cover. The two major objectives of this study were (1) to determine the relative importance of habitat quality (mainly in terms of soil parameters), habitat configuration (patch size and isolation) and habitat continuity for the distribution of herbaceous forest plant species in a highly fragmented landscape and (2) to examine if groups of species with different habitat requirements are affected differently. Deciduous forest patches in northwestern Germany were surveyed for the presence of a large set of forest species. For each patch, habitat quality, configuration and continuity were determined. Data were analysed by Redundancy Analysis with variation partitioning for effects on total species composition and multivariate logistic regression for effects on individual species, for two different data sets (base‐rich and base‐poor forest patches). Overall, we found strong effects of habitat quality (particularly of soil pH, water content and topographic heterogeneity in the base‐rich forest patches; and of calcium content and disturbance in the base‐poor patches), but only relatively weak effects of habitat configuration and habitat continuity. However, a number of species were positively affected by patch area and negatively affected by patch isolation. Furthermore, the relative importance of habitat configuration tended to be higher for species predominantly growing in closed forests compared to species occurring both in the forest and in the open landscape.     

Light requirements for regeneration in tropical forest plants: Taxon-level and ecological attribute effects

Abstract Understanding co-adapted traits and strategies in organisms has been increasingly shown to require a broader view of structure, function, taxonomic affiliation (phylogeny) and their possible interactions. In order to understand mechanisms of recruitment dynamics in tropical forest, nine juvenile (fruit, seed and seedling) and seven adult ecological and morphological traits were examined in 89 woody plant species, from 75 genera, 35 families and 21 orders. The species were from tropical rainforest in northern Queensland and varied widely in light requirements and hence regeneration niches. The importance of taxonomic (phylogenetic) constraints was considered using various techniques. Data were collected mostly from herbarium specimens, augmented by observations in the field. The main source of variation in most traits was at the species level, although fruit size and light requirement varied most at the genus level, and flower size at the level of order. Covariation among attributes increased in strength with increasing taxonomic level. Cluster analyses of the species arising either from five or three groups reflected juvenile rather than adult attributes. However, these groups were not morphologically distinct. Sets of juvenile traits poorly predict adult functions (and vice-versa) at species, genus and family levels, but do so more strongly at the order level. Analyses of variance and multivariate analyses, with and without the effects of phylogeny, indicated that fruit size, seed size, hardness of seed coat, seedling cotyledon function, fruit maturation period and, to a lesser extent, seed number per fruit and wood density could predict light requirement, and hence regeneration niche. Flower size showed a strong phylogenetic effect, and thus is conserved along taxonomic lines. It is concluded that as different traits may vary at different taxonomic levels, the influence of phylogeny on interspecific variation needs to be routinely recognized by ecologists involved in comparative analyses of plant life-history functions.     

Interaction between ants and seeds of a nonmyrmecochorous neotropical tree, Cabralea canjerana (Meliaceae), in the Atlantic forest of southeast Brazil

On the forest floor of two Atlantic forest sites in southeast Brazil, we recorded 26 ant species (12 genera) interacting with the seeds of Cabralea canjerana (Meliaceae), a typical ornithochorous tree whose seeds are covered by a lipid-rich aril. The ants treat the arillate seeds in three different ways: (1) the large ponerine ants Pachycondyla striata and Odontomachus chelifer individually remove the seeds to their nests, (2) many species (Pheidole spp.) recruit workers to remove the aril on the spot, or (3) Solenopsis spp. recruit nestmates and cover the seeds with soil before removing the aril on the spot. The ants remove the aril exceptionally rapidly, and removal greatly facilitates seed germination. Seed predation by insects below fruiting trees is severe, and field experiments using vertebrate exclosures showed that rodents also prey heavily upon seeds found near parent trees. Ponerine ants actively remove seeds from this predation-prone zone. By removing bird-manipulated and naturally fallen seeds, ants can play a key role in the fate of medium-sized seeds like those of C. canjerana.     

濒危树种闽楠种子和幼苗生态学研究

从1995至1998年,通过种子收集器布设、不同程度圈围的样方处理、实验室和野外发芽实验、相邻格子样方调查和土壤中种子的筛选等一系列方法,对福建罗卜岩闽楠种子质资源保护区内闽楠为优势的常绿阔叶林群落中闽楠种群的果实、种子库、种子散布、果实／种子捕良、种子萌发和幼苗存活等进行了研究。结果表明：1995至1996年果实量为116个／m^2,成熟高峰期在1996年1月中旬。1997年至1998年为103个/m^2,成熟高峰期在1997年12月中旬。1997年至1998年,绝大部分（90．1％）的果实直接从母树上掉落,低于9．5％的果实由鸟类传播。实验室的种子发芽率为93％,而在野外仅为12％。野外发芽率低多由种子霉烂引起。闽楠的种子寿命较短,其种子在次年4月初开始萌发,7月之后地面种子即丧夫活力。动物捕食不仅影响种子的存活,同时也影响幼苗的死亡率,未经圈围与样地中被取食的果实和幼苗数量有显著差异。在新形成的林窗中或远离母树均降低了果实的迁移和幼苗的死亡率。但各因素交互作用有所不同。密度相关效应发生在2－3个月的幼苗阶段,之后,密度高低对果实被取食和幼苗死亡没有显著的影响。这些结果表明,闽楠种子和幼苗经历较大的环境压力,即在高湿度生境中母树树冠下的种子不仅易受到土壤病原菌的感染,同样容易遭受动物所捕食,从而导致较低的野外种子发芽率和幼苗存活率。这是闽楠致濒的重要原因之一。     

Effects of fragmentation on forest structure and litter dynamics in Atlantic rainforest in Pernambuco, Brazil

This study evaluates the effects of fragmentation on the spatial and temporal dynamics of small litterfall production in Atlantic rainforest in Pernambuco State, Brazil. Litterfall was collected for 24 months at two 0.2 ha sites, located in the forest edge zone and the forest interior, within a rainforest patch of about 300 ha. Structural parameters of both forest sites were recorded. Litter was sorted into six fractions (foliage, twigs, buds/flowers, fruits/seeds, peduncles, rest), dried and weighed. The interior forest plot contained 314 live trees with a dbh 5 cm and a stand basal area of 41.8±8.7 m², whereas the forest edge contained 211 live trees and a stand basal area of 23.4±3.6 m². Total small litterfall was extraordinarily high and totalled 12.62±4.73 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in interior forest and 14.74±2.78 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in forest edge. High litterfall rates are probably due to a pronounced periodicity, edge effects alter litterfall strongly.     

Inflow of seeds through the forest edge: evidence from seed bank and vegetation patterns

To determine the influence of the proximity of a forest edge on seed bank composition and diversity, we performed a seed bank sampling at ancient deciduous forests bordering intensive arable fields. Also vegetation patterns were taken into account. We hypothised that forest edges may facilitate the entrance of diaspores of invasive species into the forest and the successive incorporation of these species in the forest seed bank. We noticed a substantial influence of the proximity of an edge on seed bank composition at as well the forested side of the edge as the field side. The forest edge zone was limited to 3 m into the forest and the field edge zone extended 3m into the field. The seed bank samples of field and forest edge are characterised by a higher species diversity and seed density and a higher similarity between seed bank and vegetation, compared to field or forest samples. The forest edges contains fewer pioneer species in comparison with the forest interior and more competitive species and species of edges and clearings compared with field and forest samples. The seed longevity index increases towards the forest interior. We can conclude from our data that the forest and edge seed bank are composed by both seeds from recent dispersal processes and local seed set and by seeds originating from past vegetation on the site. Near the edge, actual seed input seems of primal importance. Further towards the forest interior seed input decreases and long-living seeds of past vegetation become more important. Ancient forest edges thus act as a barrier for seeds of species of the surrounding arable field.     

Wood density predicts plant damage and vegetative recovery rates caused by cyclone disturbance in tropical rainforest tree species of North Queensland,Australia

Abstract The ability to withstand disturbance (resistance) and the ability to recover biomass following disturbance (resilience) were investigated in Australian wet tropical rainforest tree species. These two attributes are expected to be negatively correlated, because investment of biomass in structural support (conferring resistance) results in trees exhibiting high wood densities and slow growth rates, and vice versa. We examined species’ responses to disturbance caused by a severe tropical cyclone to test this hypothesized trade‐off. We assessed cyclone damage in six species in three Mabi rainforest fragments on the Atherton Tablelands. Species differed in the proportion of individuals within four damage categories (minor damage, severe branch damage, snapped, uprooted). Resistance was positively related to wood density. We found a positive correlation between the proportion of trees experiencing minor damage only and wood density, supporting the hypothesized association between resistance and mechanical strength. Among the subset of trees in which stems snapped, rates of resprouting differed between species and were highest in low wood density species and lowest in species with highest wood density. Resilience, characterized as the ability to recover biomass following disturbance and estimated as growth rate standardized for stem diameter at breast height (g day^?1 · mm^?1), was negatively related to wood density. Thus, species with low wood densities were more likely to suffer stem and branch damage owing to cyclonic winds, but also demonstrated highest resprouting and fastest responses in terms of redeveloping biomass in the 8 months following disturbance. This suggests that a species’ position along the resistance–resilience spectrum can be predicted by mean wood density, which may allow managers to predict species’ responses to future cyclones. Our findings also provide mechanistic evidence for the ‘direct regeneration’ model of post‐cyclone succession, where response is characterized by resprouting and species composition is unchanged.