Variation in plant-animal interactions along an elevational gradient of moist forest in a semiarid area of Brazil

Abstract

Pollination and dispersal are critical ecological processes that directly affect the reproductive success of plants and are important for understanding the structure of plant communities. We compiled data on pollination and dispersal syndromes of 406 plant species distributed among different elevations in Área de Proteção Ambiental da Serra de Baturité (APASB) in northeastern Brazil. We aim to determine how the dispersal and pollination of the flora in the mountainous rainforest of APASB are affected by climate, relief and growth form. We hypothesized that plant community is comprised of different ecological groups based on biotic and abiotic syndromes. Melittophily was the most common (57%) pollination syndrome followed by non-specialized and ornithophily (7%). We found that 64% of species exhibited zoochory, 19% exhibited anemochory and 17% exhibited autochory. Pollination syndromes differed significantly only between types of growth form. Dispersal syndromes differed between topology, growth form and elevation. Six ecological groups were formed based on the interaction between dispersal-pollination and growth form, with predominantly zoochory in woody and anemochory in non-woody plants. Water availability may be the principal factor responsible for variation among dispersal syndromes. The proportion of ruderal species in the non-woody component explains the differences in syndromes between growth forms.

Effects of topography and climate on Neotropical mountain forests structure in the semiarid region

“…However, it is a relevant factor only at values over 40° (Fernández‐Palacios and Nicolás, 1995; Montade et al, 2016). Nevertheless, the distribution of individuals in a given environment is not only determined by abiotic factors, but may also result from biological interactions such as competition, and mutualismssuch as herbivory, dispersal and pollination (Wisz et al, 2013; Diogo et al, 2016).…”

Are the assemblages of tree pollination modes being recovered by tropical forest restoration?

“…herbivores, pathogens and abiotic stressors), may be interacting (Sargent & Otto, ; Strauss & Whittall, ). Underrepresented modes such as beetle, bat and bird pollination seem to be more common in understorey plants (Bawa, ; Buzato, Sazima, & Sazima, ; Diogo, Martins, Verola, & Costa, ; Fleming & Muchhala, ; Frankie et al., ; Sazima, Buzato, & Sazima, ; Schatz, ), for example, in many herbaceous monocots ( Costaceae and Heliconiaceae by hummingbirds and bats and Cyclantaceae by beetles) and epiphytes ( Araceae by beetles and bromeliads by hummingbirds and bats). Such large trait divergence among plant growth forms is expected and seems to be a pattern for various functional traits (de Bello et al., ).…”

“…Conflicting results may also occur as a consequence of ambiguous methods for plant classification. In previous studies conducted in semi‐deciduous (Kinoshita et al., ; Yamamoto, Kinoshita, & Martins, ) and other tropical forests (Araújo, Gadelha Neto, Quirino, & Araújo, ; Diogo et al., ; van Dulmen, ; Girão et al., ; Kress & Beach, ), there was a predominance of bee pollination instead of generalized insect pollination because the authors used the traditional pollination syndromes (i.e. Fægri & van der Pijl, ) or just included the most efficient pollinators during plant species classification.…”

Flora and Annual Distribution of Flowers and Fruits in the Ubajara National Park, Ceará, Brazil

“…It seems to be a tendency for this kind of biological community to have flower and fruit availabilities all year long (Locatelli & Machado, 2004). Also, it seems to be a predominance of zoochory in moist areas, while autochory and anemochory are predominant in dry areas (Diogo et al, 2016).…”