Oviposition pattern and within-season spatial and temporal variation of pre-dispersal seed predation in a population of Mimosa bimucronata trees |
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Authors: | Marcelo N Rossi Ligia M da Silva Rodrigues Marcos N Ishino Débora Kestring |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University of S?o Paulo (Unifesp), Diadema, S?o Paulo, 09941-510, Brazil;(2) Department of Botany, IB, S?o Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, S?o Paulo, 18618-000, Brazil |
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Abstract: | Spatial and temporal variation of pre-dispersal seed predation was investigated in a population of Mimosa bimucronata trees located in the south-east region of Brazil. Three main hypotheses were addressed: (1) that the life stages of the seed
predator Acanthoscelides schrankiae are synchronised with the reproductive stages of its host plant; (2) that seed predation levels vary spatially as a result
of differences in fruiting phenology synchrony and fruit production among trees; and (3) that predation levels should be affected
by the proximity of trees, showing a spatial structure. Also investigated was the oviposition pattern of A. schrankiae among seeds and fruits. Twenty spatially referenced trees were monitored throughout a year to examine tree phenology and
egg laying and adult emergence. The bruchine’s life stages were synchronised with the reproductive stages of M. bimucronata trees. Egg distribution among seeds and fruits was aggregated. Infestation rates of adult bruchines were not spatially related
to fruiting phenology and there is evidence that seed predation is a spatially density-independent process, because the relationship
between infestation rates and fruit production was not significant. Finally, it was observed that the distribution of adult
bruchines was spatially structured, because similar levels of infestation were found among nearby trees. |
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