Masting, the intermittent and synchronous production of large seed crops, may result from either of two major processes: resource matching and economy of scale. Components of cone production in Araucaria araucana were partitioned among populations and trees to ascertain the existence of masting and the processes involved. Cone production data from seven populations were obtained during a 9-year period and seed gathering data were available for an 18-year time series from six sites in an area of more than 7600 km 2 . Araucaria araucana showed environmentally triggered, intermittent, moderately fluctuating, and highly regionally synchronous reproduction.The mean pairwise correlations of cones production among populations and seed gathering sites were 0.89 and 0.74, respectively, suggesting synchrony in reproduction. Among trees we observed a mean correlation of 0.74 with values ranging from 0.66 to 0.81 for the analysed populations. The existence of negative autocorrelation in seed production between year 0 and year -2 at the individual tree level suggests the presence of 'switching' or internal resource allocation, thus discarding the Resource Matching hypothesis. Mean coefficient of variation (CVp) among populations was moderate (0.95) and similar to the modal CVp values reported in the published reports. Mean CVi among individual trees was 1.16, suggesting a large number of equally and synchronously fluctuating trees, rather than a few largely fluctuating individuals. These results suggest that pollination efficiency and/or predator satiation hypotheses could be responsible for the masting cycles in this conifer. Ancillary data about limitation of airborne pollen dispersion and temporal variation in the amount of seeds per cone and about seed predator satiation, also support both proposed mechanisms.

Post-dispersal seed predation can severely limit plant recruitment, but its ultimate impact could be modulated by environmental factors and by the composition of the granivore guild. Here, we analyze the relative impact of the non-native wild boar and native rodents on seed survival and seedling establishment of the mast conifer Araucaria araucana. Predation, seed survival and seedling establishment were measured at different microsites and distances from 11 isolated trees in Lanín National Park (Argentina) over a period of marked fluctuation in seed production. Wild boar consumed between 10 and 30% of available seeds on a 13-day period, threefold less than rodents. Wild boar predation was mainly affected by forest canopy composition, while microsite conditions influenced both kind of predators, with high chronic rodent predation underneath dense vegetation and moderate (but interannually variable) wild boar predation at poorly vegetated microsites. Predation by rodents was spatially clustered at the microsite scale, particularly during non-mast years; while predation by wild boar was spatially structured at a coarser scale and less modified by masting. The exclusion of wild boar increased significantly the amount of surviving seeds, resulting in higher seedling establishment in intermediate production years, but not affecting it during the mast year. At tree level, seedling establishment was negatively correlated with predation; while at stand level, cone production accounted for most of the seedling establishment variability. The current wild boar population may not be affecting the seedling establishment at population scale, probably due to minimization of its impact by the Araucaria masting strategy. However, if wild boar population numbers continue to increase, their impact may shift from individual tree scale to stand scale, threatening Araucaria forest regeneration.

The American mink Mustela vison has spread widely beyond its native North American range and is associated with problems for the conservation of native species because of its impact as both predator and competitor. We investigated the impact of feral mink on waterfowl in Lanín National Park, southwest Neuquén, Patagonia, Argentina, an area in which the predator is currently expanding. Statistically significant differences were observed in the number of waterfowl species at lakes without mink (7.3-SE 0.7) compared to those with mink (4.0-SE 0.6). Overall abundance of birds observed per day was higher at lakes without (104.2-SE 20.6) than with mink (21.2-SE 22.3). The great grebe Podiceps major, speckled teal Anas flavirostris, Chiloe wigeon Anas sibilatrix and red-gartered coot Fulica armillata were more abundant on water bodies without mink, and flocks of the ashy-headed goose Chloephaga poliocephala were larger in areas without mink. Other species, such as the white-tufted grebe Rollandia rolland, coscoroba swan Coscoroba coscoroba, black-necked swan Cygnus melanocoryphus, cinnamon teal Anas cyanoptera, Andean duck Oxyura jamaicensis and Andean gull Larus serranus were never observed in areas harbouring mink. We conclude that at least 12 of the 25 waterfowl species observed are sensitive to the presence of the mink, either being absent or having a lower abundance where mink are present.

Pre-dispersal seed predation by Austral parakeets, Enicognathus ferrugineus, on pehuén, Araucaria araucana, was studied to assess the relationship between predation and seed production. We collected falling seeds in four araucaria forests of southwestern Neuquén Province, Argentina during four years that included both mast and intermast years. Predation rates were negatively correlated with seed production. When seed production was high, predation rates ranged from 0.6 to 3.3 %; when it was low, predation rates ranged from 13.0 to 20.6 %. Years differed in the pattern of monthly seed fall with peak seed fall in March 2002 and April 2003. Predation rates were lower and more uniform in the year of higher seed production, but did not differ between sites. In an intermast year, predation rates increased during the season, reaching their highest rates after peak seed fall. Parakeets handled seeds differently in mast and intermast years, dropping fewer slightly-damaged seeds when production was low. We discuss these results in the context of the predator satiation hypothesis.Key words: pre-dispersal seed predation, masting, Araucaria araucana, Enicognathus ferrugineus RESUMEN Se estudió la depredación predispersión de semillas del Pehuén, Araucaria araucana, por la cachaña, Enicognathus ferrugineus, para evaluar la relación entre depredación y producción de semillas. Durante cuatro años, incluyendo años de alta ("semillazón") y baja producción de semillas, se colectaron semillas caídas de los árboles en bosques del sudoeste de la Provincia del Neuquén, Argentina. Se detectó una correlación negativa entre depredación y producción de semillas. En los años de alta y baja producción de semillas, las tasas de depredación variaron entre 0,6 y 3,3 % y entre 13,0 y 20,6 %, respectivamente. Entre años existe una variación en el patrón temporal de caída de semillas, con picos de caída en marzo y abril para 2002 y 2003, respectivamente. La tasa de depredación de semillas fue más baja y uniforme en el año de alta producción de conos pero no fue diferente entre sitios. En el año de baja producción de conos, la depredación aumentó durante la temporada, observándose la máxima depredación luego del pico de caída de semillas. La cachaña manipula las semillas con diferente eficiencia en años de alta y baja producción de conos, dejando caer menos semillas parcialmente dañadas en años de baja producción. Se discuten estos resultados en el contexto de la hipótesis sobre saciedad de predadores.Palabras clave: depredación predispersión de semillas, Araucaria araucana, Enicognathus ferrugineus

ARTÍCULO DE INVESTIGACIÓNEfectos de la producción de semillas y la heterogeneidad vegetal sobre la supervivencia de semillas y el patrón espacio-temporal de establecimiento de plántulas en Araucaria araucana RESUMENEl establecimiento de plántulas puede estar limitado por la producción de semillas y asociada a la producción intermitente y sincronizada de semillas (masting) y/o por granivoría, o por falta de micrositios aptos para la germinación y crecimiento de las plantas. La dispersión y supervivencia de semillas desde el árbol madre pueden determinar el patrón espacial del establecimiento y la literatura propone varios modelos de distancia madre-plántula. En este trabajo se estudiaron los efectos del masting, de la depredación de semillas y de la vegetación sobre el establecimiento en A. araucana. A partir de datos sobre producción de conos, sobre supervivencia de semillas y mediante el registro de plántulas a escala del árbol en distintos micrositios se evaluó el patrón temporal y espacial del establecimiento. A. araucana presentaría un establecimiento en forma de pulsos, sincronizados entre árboles, y asociado al masting debido a un significativo aumento en la supervivencia de semillas. En micrositios densos, especialmente de bambúes, la regeneración se encuentra fuertemente inhibida por la excesiva depredación de semillas y no debido a competencia con los bambúes. El patrón distancia madre-plántula observado parecería ajustarse al modelo Janzen-Connell considerando el aumento de supervivencia de semillas con la distancia y el pico de establecimiento alejado del árbol madre. Sin embargo, se detectó una significativa diferencia en el patrón distancia madre-planta entre la regeneración joven y avanzada por lo cual habría luego del establecimiento otro patrón de mortalidad edad y distancia dependientes. Los resultados sugieren que la ocurrencia de regeneración en A. araucana se encontraría controlada por la producción de semillas mientras que la granivoría, y su interacción con la vegetación, modularían la intensidad del establecimiento.Palabras clave: Araucaria araucana, establecimiento, masting, modelo de Janzen-Connell. ABSTRACTSeedling establishment may be limited by a poor seed production and/or granivory, or the availability of microsites for germination and plant growth. Seed dispersal and survival from mother tree could determine the spatial pattern of seedling establishment and the literature proposes several distance mother-recruit models. We studied the effects of masting, seed predation and understory vegetation on seedling establishment in A. araucana. Using tree cone production and seed survival data and through seedling surveys in different microsites we evaluated the temporal and spatial establishment pattern. In the study site A. araucana showed a pulsed pattern for seedling establishment, synchronized among trees, and associated with masting due to an increase of seed survivorship. At dense microsites, mainly Chusquea bamboo, seedling regeneration was strongly inhibited by an excessive seed p...