Phenology has achieved a prominent position in current scenarios of global change research given its role in monitoring and predicting the timing of recurrent life cycle events. However, the implications of phenology to environmental conservation and management remain poorly explored. Here, we present the first explicit appraisal of how phenology -a multidisciplinary science encompassing biometeorology, ecology, and evolutionary biology -can make a key contribution to contemporary conservation biology. We focus on shifts in plant phenology induced by global change, their impacts on species diversity and plantanimal interactions in the tropics, and how conservation efforts could be enhanced in relation to plant resource organization. We identify the effects of phenological changes and mismatches in the maintenance and conservation of mutualistic interactions, and examine how phenological research can contribute to evaluate, manage and mitigate the consequences of land-use change and other natural and anthropogenic disturbances, such as fire, exotic and invasive species. We also identify cutting-edge tools that can improve the spatial and temporal coverage of phenological monitoring, from satellites to drones and digital cameras. We highlight the role of historical information in recovering long-term phenological time series, and track climate-related shifts in tropical systems. Finally, we propose a set of measures to boost the contribution of phenology to conservation science. We advocate the inclusion of phenology into predictive models integrating evolutionary history to identify species groups that are either resilient or sensitive to future climatechange scenarios, and understand how phenological mismatches can affect community dynamics, ecosystem services, and conservation over time. We hereby submit the revised draft of our 'Perspectives' manuscript entitled "Linking plant phenology to conservation biology" to which we now incorporate the rather minor changes suggested by the reviewers. While responding to those very positive comments, we also indicate how we have incorporated the reviewers' remarks. UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL PAULISTAWe thank you and the reviewers again for all the suggestions that have improved our The MS is well written, integrates interesting different aspects of plant phenology and provide a guide to include phenology in prospective long-term studies and management plans. Therefore the study is of general interest for a wide audience, particularly for Biological Conservation readers.Next, I suggest some changes to improve the current version of the MS 1. Authors comment the effect of climate and land use change on Section 4. For example, they argue that edge effect "increase of flowering and fruiting activity" (Line #389) or fragmentation affect reproductive success. Yet, these are functional responses of plant populations to different types of disturbances/changes, but they do not necessary entail changes in phenology. Please, review the MS and make sure that you only include ...

The beginning of the rainy season was the most favourable period for seed germination in cerrado, and the germination phenology was controlled by both the timing of seed dispersal and seed dormancy. Dormancy class was influenced by dispersal syndrome and season. Moreover, dormancy avoided seed germination during the rainy-to-dry transition, independently of dispersal syndrome. The variability of dormancy classes with dispersal syndrome allowed animal-dispersed species to fruit all year round, but seeds germinated only during the rainy season. Conversely, seasonally restricted wind-dispersal species dispersed and germinated their non-dormant seeds only in the rainy season.

Aim: Regeneration traits are crucial for understanding patterns and processes in plant communities. However, regeneration traits are not reported much in community ecology, preventing a better assessment of trait-based community assembly. Here we assessed habitat-related regeneration traits by comparing species from open (grassland and shrubland) and closed (woodland) Brazilian savannas (cerrado). Location: Our study site comprised two cerrado areas in southeastern Brazil that range from open to closed vegetation types, as examples of an ecological gradient of resources and environmental conditions. Methods: We classified 82 species according to dormancy (non-dormant, physiological, physical, physiophysical, morphological, and morphophysiological dormancy), dispersal syndrome (autochory, anemochory, exozoochory, endozoochory), and dispersal season (rainy, dry, rainy-to-dry and dry-to-rainy transitions). We determined seed mass, germination percentage, mean germination time and coefficient of variation of germination time in conditions of optimal temperatures. Principal coordinates Analysis (PCoA) was used to explore the relationships between regeneration traits and vegetation types. Results: The two main axes of the PCoA explained 38% of the total variance. The first axis was related to germination traits (germination percentage, mean gemination time, and coefficient of variation of gemination time) and separated dormant from non-dormant species, whereas the second axis was related to seed mass, growth form, and dispersal syndromes which sharply separated open-and closed-savanna species. Unexpectedly, seed germination and dormancy traits did not differ among open-and closed-savanna species. Conclusions: Seasonality is a strong filter for both germination and seedling establishment that shapes germination strategies regardless of vegetation type. The dominant strategy was dispersal of non-dormant seeds in the rainy season, while the least common strategy was dispersal of dormant seeds during the rainy-to-dry season transition. Habitat-related germination strategies were related to growth form and seed mass, improving our understanding of community assembly in species-rich Brazilian savannas.

Germination timing is determined by several plant life-history traits. Seed dormancy regulates the time and place of early plant development and spreads recruitment risks over time. Dispersal phenology and syndrome can influence germination timing and buffer spatial heterogeneity. The ecological requirements for germination (the germination niche) can also influence when and where germination takes place. To date, the relative importance of each of these four traits to ensure the phenological adaptation of individual species in diverse communities remains unexplored. Here, we investigated the functional interactions among them and their relevance in heterogenous, seasonally dry environments.We collected seed dispersal phenology and syndrome for 82 species of the Brazilian savanna (cerrado) and evaluated the dormancy and germination behavior of the seeds of every taxon. Based on these data, we developed two new ecological indexes to estimate the likelihood of a non-dormant seed to germinate upon dispersal (∆G) and the overall variability of germination through time (σT). We then evaluated the influence of each trait on germination timing within a phylogenetically controlled framework.Our results show that even though germination is concentrated at the beginning of the rainy season, seed dispersal takes place year-round. Non-dormant seeds released during the dry season were characterized by high ∆G values that delayed their germination until the onset of the favorable season. Simultaneously, seed dormancy and spatial dispersal (i.e., the two risk-reduction mechanisms) were negatively correlated

Seed morphology and post-seminal development in species of Comanthera (Eriocaulaceae). Comanthera brasiliana, C. magnifica and C. suberosa (Eriocaulaceae) are included in the Brazilian list of endangered species, due to intensive harvest and micro-endemism. These species form the clade of Comanthera magnifica, along with C. brunnea and C. linearis. Germination, seed morphology and post-seminal development were studied aiming to characterize all five species and to provide information for their conservation. Seeds were collected in "campos rupestres" of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Seed morphology was examined using scanning electron microscope. For germination tests, mature seeds were placed in Petri dishes lined with filter paper dampened with distilled water at 25 °C and fluorescent light; four repetitions with 15 seeds were performed for each species. For the anatomical analysis of post-seminal development, seedlings at different developmental stages were included in historesin, cut with a rotatory microtome and examined under a light microscope. The structure of the seed coat and the shape and size of the seeds were characteristics that allowed species differentiation, and based on the seeds morphological characteristics, an identification key is provided. The seed germination was high (> 90 %) and fast (< 7 days). Germination occured through the axis protrusion of the embryo. Approximately four days after germination, the first leaf develops and is followed by the adventitious roots. After 10-15 days, the second leaf and the new adventitious roots develop. In field conditions, the studied species occur in quartzite soils and their small seeds (dust-like type) germinate faster than the other Eriocaulaceae species (from mesic soils). These results provide reliable information that may contribute to the species management and conservation. Rev. Biol. Trop. 63 (4): 1127-1135. Epub 2015 December 01.

<p><em>Miconia chartacea</em> es un árbol con amplia distribución altitudinal y latitudinal en Brasil, que se encuentra desde formaciones vegetales estacionales xerofíticas como <em>Caatinga</em> y <em>Cerrado</em> hasta bosques pluviales como <em>Mata Atlántica</em>, en pastizales con árboles aislados hasta interior de bosques maduros. Fue descrita la respuesta germinativa de las semillas de <em>M. chartacea </em>a la luz, temperatura, hormonas vegetales y posmaduración a baja temperatura. Los frutos se recolectaron en la reserva de <em>Cerrado</em> “Prof. Karl Arens”, en el municipio Corumbataí (San Paulo, Brasil), la cual presenta una estación seca y fría desde abril hasta septiembre y una estación húmeda y caliente de octubre a marzo. Las semillas se dispersaron durante la estación seca, son fotoblásticas positivas bajo temperaturas constantes y variables, la germinación disminuye bajo irradiaciones de luz blanca inferiores a 17 μmol/m²s, la razón rojo/rojo lejano (R/RL) no afectó el porcentaje de germinación, pero la velocidad de germinación aumentó a partir de razones R/RL ≥ 0.4. Las semillas germinaron en el intervalo térmico de 15 a 35 °C, la temperatura optima esta entre 20 y 25 °C, la alternancia de temperatura no estimuló la germinación respecto a las temperaturas constantes. Las semillas presentaron latencia fisiológica no profunda, la cual fue rota mediante posmaduración durante 93 días a 7 °C y el etileno estimuló la germinación. La gama de temperaturas en la cual germinan las semillas fue menor en las semillas maduradas bajo las condiciones más calientes de la transición de la estación lluviosa a seca que las semillas maduradas en la estación seca. El requerimiento de un periodo frío para romper latencia disminuye la probabilidad de que las semillas germinen durante el invierno, quedando listas para germinar en el verano. Así, la detección de cambios estacionales de temperatura del suelo y el aumento de sensibilidad a la temperatura después de un periodo de frío son responsables por el control temporal de la germinación de <em>M. chartacea</em>, mientras que la respuestas a luz permite que solo germinen las semillas que están en la superficie del suelo, y favorece la germinación en claros de bosque pequeños a grandes.</p>

Morfología, ecofisiología y germinación de semillas del árbol neotropical Alibertia patinoi (Rubiaceae). Alibertia patinoi (Rubiaceae) is of economic and cultural importance for communities in the Colombian Pacific and Amazon regions, where it is cultivated and mature fruits are highly appreciated and consumed. Since there is a lack of knowledge of the seed physiology of this species, we describe here the germination behavior and morphometry of seeds of Alibertia patinoi, and relate them to its habitat. Fruits were collected from a mixed food crop and a commercial plantation in Guaimía village, Buenaventura, Colombia, a tropical rain forest area. We measured length, width, thickness, mass (n=1 400), and moisture content of seeds (n=252). Primary dormancy tests were conducted (n=200), followed by imbibition (n=252) and germination dynamics, under different conditions of light and temperature specific to understory and forest clearings (n=300 seeds). Finally, seed storage behavior was established (n=100 seeds). We observed that size and mass of seeds had a narrow range of values that did not differ within or among fruits and that the species did not exhibit primary dormancy. The seeds are recalcitrant, and recently harvested seeds exhibited higher seed moisture content (ca. 44%) and continuous metabolism. The seed germination percentage was observed to be higher under the specific dense canopy forest light and temperature conditions; furthermore, neither enriched far-red light nor darkness conditions inhibited germination. We concluded that rapid germination could be the establishment strategy of this species. Also, the physiological traits (i.e., rapid germination rate, low germination requirements, absence of primary dormancy, and recalcitrant behavior) and seed size and mass, suggest that A. patinoi is adapted to conditions of mature tropical rain forests. Rev. Biol. Trop. 61 (2): 547-556. Epub 2013 June 01.