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 ...

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The "pollination syndrome" hypothesis predicts a direct relationship between a set of floral characters and the principal pollinating agent. The presence of flowers with poricidal anthers, heterostemony and pollen as the only reward are common traits in Melastomataceae species and are associated with buzz pollination by bees. Trembleya laniflora Cong. (Melastomataceae: Microlicieae) is an endemic species from campo rupestre tropical grassland, with large and white "pollen flowers" differing from the common purple-colored flowers of the Tribe. We examine the relationship between the distinct floral characteristics of T. laniflora and its pollination syndrome and reproduction ecology. We observed different individuals of T. laniflora randomly sampled in Serra do Cipó, Espinhaç o Range, Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. We carried out observations on their reproductive phenology (31 individuals), flower biology (3), pollination (23), and tested the reproductive system (29). Trembleya laniflora presented a seasonal flowering pattern in the dry and post-dry seasons (May-October) and set fruits during the dry, post-dry and rainy seasons (June-December). Floral aperture occurred mainly during the night and the first hours of the morning, the period with the greatest availability of fresh flowers and with the highest visitation by Xylocopa bimaculata. Tests identified the species as non-apomictic, self-incompatible and dependent on large bees such as Xylocopa, Bombus, Centris and Ptiloglossa for pollination. Trembleya laniflora showed a specialized pollination system mediated by a restricted group of bees that perform crepuscular buzz pollination. Floral characteristics and reproductive biology of T. laniflora are likely adaptive responses to pollination by large bees foraging during the crepuscular hours. Our results support the "pollination syndrome" hypothesis, demonstrating a direct relationship between a set of floral characters and the principal pollinators of the species. Dependence on interbreeding may promote outcrossing within and among the endemic populations, naturally isolated on rocky outcrops.

Background and Aims Plant individuals within a population differ in their phenology and interactions with pollinators. However, it is still unknown how individual differences affect the reproductive success of plants that have functionally specialized pollination systems. Here, we evaluated whether plant individual specialization in phenology (temporal specialization) and in pollination (pollinator specialization) affect the reproductive success of the crepuscular-bee pollinated plant Trembleya laniflora (Melastomataceae). Methods We quantified flowering activity (amplitude, duration, and overlap), plant-pollinator interactions (number of flowers visited by pollinators) and reproductive success (fruit set) of T. laniflora individuals from three distinct locations in rupestrian grasslands of southeastern Brazil. We estimated the degree of individual temporal specialization in flowering phenology and of individual specialization in plant-pollinator interactions, and tested their relationship with plant reproductive success. Key Results Trembleya laniflora presented overlapping flowering, a temporal generalization, and specialized pollinator interactions. Flowering overlap among individuals and populations was higher than expected by chance but did not affect the individual interactions with pollinators and nor their reproductive success. In contrast, a higher individual generalization in the interactions with pollinators was related to higher individual reproductive success. Conclusions Our findings suggest that individual generalization in plant-pollinator interaction reduce the potential costs of specialization at the species level, ensuring reproductive success. Altogether, our results highlight the complexity of specialization/generalization of plant-pollinator interactions at distinct levels of organization, from individuals to populations, to species.

Advancing functional ecology depends fundamentally on the availability of data on reproductive traits, including those from tropical plants, which have been historically underrepresented in global trait databases. Although some valuable databases have been created recently, they are mainly restricted to temperate areas and vegetative traits such as leaf and wood traits. Here, we present Rock n' Seeds, a database of seed functional traits and germination experiments from Brazilian rock outcrop vegetation, recognized as outstanding For affiliation refer to page 2

Since the communicative function of unripe fruits was not confirmed, seed dispersers are unlikely to select the display with bicolored fruits. Because of the absence of photosynthetic activity in ripe and unripe fruits and enhanced photoprotective mechanisms in ripe fruits rather than in unripe fruits, we could not confirm the photoprotective role of anthocyanins in unripe fruits. As an alternative hypothesis, we suggest that the bicolored fruit display could be an adaptation to diversify seed dispersal vectors instead of restricting dispersal to birds and that anthocyanins in unripe fruits may have a defense role against pathogens.

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ResumoEm fêmeas bovinas, a liberação de prostaglandina F 2a (PGF 2a ) é induzida in vivo pelo estradiol (E 2 ). Acredita-se que o E 2 estimule a síntese de proteínas essenciais na produção de PGF 2a . Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito do E 2 no incremento da concentração de proteínas totais e na modificação da composição proteica em explantes endometriais de fêmeas bovinas tratadas com E 2 no 17º dia do ciclo estral. Novilhas cruzadas foram tratadas no 17° dia do ciclo estral, via intravenosa, com 0 mg (Grupo Controle; n = 6) ou 3 mg de E 2 (Grupo E 2 ; n = 6) e abatidas duas horas após. Explantes endometriais foram isolados, submetidos à extração de proteínas totais, quantificados e avaliados por Eletroforese Unidimensional em gel de poliacrilamida 10% SDS-PAGE. A concentração de proteínas totais não diferiu entre os grupos, 6296,10 + 439,90 µg/mL para o Grupo Controle e 8426,56 + 1156,00 µg/mL para o Grupo E 2 (p = 0,1158). Não houve diferença significativa (p > 0,05) no perfil proteico dos explantes endometriais em géis corados com Coomasie Blue. Em géis corados com Nitrato de Prata verificou-se no Grupo E 2 maior porcentagem relativa das bandas referentes ao peso molecular de 75 a 76 kDa (8,40% vs. 4,89%; no Grupo E 2 e Controle respectivamente; p < 0,05) e 108 a 110 kDa (6,85% vs. 3,84%; no Grupo E 2 e Controle respectivamente; p < 0,05). Observou-se no Grupo E 2 menor porcentagem relativa da banda referente ao peso molecular de 90 kDa (5,78% vs. 9,83%; no Grupo E 2 e Controle respectivamente; p < 0,05). Conclui-se que o E 2 não incrementa a concentração de proteínas no endométrio, entretanto, altera a composição proteica nos explantes endometriais, indicando que o E 2 altera a expressão de proteínas específicas.Palavras-chave: Bovino. Estradiol. Luteólise. Prostaglandina F 2a . AbstractIn bovine females the release of prostaglandin F 2a (PGF 2a ) is induced in vivo by estradiol (E 2 ). It is believed that E 2 stimulates the synthesis of essential proteins for the production of PGF 2a . This study aimed to evaluate the effect of E 2 in increasing the concentration of total protein and modifying the protein composition of endometrial explants from bovine females treated with E 2 at the 17 th day of estrous cycle. Crossbred heifers were treated at 17 th day of estrous cycle intravenously with 0 mg (Control Group; n = 6) or 3 mg of E 2 (E 2 Group; n = 6) and killed two hours after. Endometrial explants were isolated, subjected to extraction of total protein, quantified and were analyzed by onedimensional electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel 10% SDS-PAGE. The concentration of total protein did not differ between groups, 6296.10 + 439.90 µg/mL for the Control Group and 8426.56 + 1156.00 µg/mL for E 2 Group (p = 0.1158). There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the protein profile of endometrial explants in gels stained with Coomasie Blue. In gels stained with Silver Nitrate it was verified in E 2 Group greater relative percentage of the bands referring to the molecular weight of 75 to 76 kDa (8.40% vs. 4...