Estudio Fenológico de Cactáceas en el Enclave Seco de la Tatacoa, Colombia1

Abstract

RESUMENDurante un afio se realiz6 el estudio fenol6gico de tres cacticeas columnares Stenocerewgriseus (Haw.) Britton & Rose, Pilosocereus sp., Cereur hexagonw (L.) Mill., y una cacticea decumbente, Monvillea cf. smithiana (Britton & Uose) Backeberg., en el enclave seco interandino de La Tatacoa, Colombia. Los polinizadores y/o dispersores de las cacticeas fueron capturados mensualmente y se recolectaron las muestras fecales para la identificaci6n de 10s granos de polen y las semillas de 10s frutos consumidos. La floraci6n de todas las especies fue prolongada y mostraron patrones bimodales, multimodales, o irregulares. La fructificaci6n en todas las especies tambikn se extendib durante todo el afio, con un desfase de dos meses con respecto a la floraci6n. Aunque no se encontrb una correlaci6n significativa entre 10s valores mensuales de precipitaci6n y la producci6n de Bores y frutos, la floracibn durante la kpoca seca fue mayor en S. griseus, mientras que Pilosocereus sp. y C. hexagonus mostraron 10s valores m6s altos durante la tpoca de Iluvias. La producci6n de frutos tambikn fue estacional, con un increment0 durante la kpoca de lluvias para S. griseus y C. hexagonus. La floraci6n y fructificacibn en M. cf. smithiana no mostraron diferencias significativas entre la Cpoca seca y la Iluviosa. Los murciklagos Glossophaga longirostris, Carollia perspicillata, Sturnira lilium y algunas aves como Melanerpes rubricapillw (Picidae) y Mimus gilvus (Mimidae), y una mariposa nocturna (Sphingidae), fueron algunos de 10s polinizadores y/o consumidores de estas especies de cacticeas. ABSTRACTA one-year phenological study of three columnar cacti, Stenocereus griseus (Haw.) Britton & Rose, Pilosocereus sp., Cereus hexagonus (L.) Mill., and a decumbent cactus Monvillea cf. smithiana (Britton & Rose) Backeberg., was carried out in the Andean arid region of La Tatacoa, Colombia. Pollinators and/or dispersers of the cacti species also were studied monthly, and fecal samples were collected for the identification of pollen and seeds. The flowering of all species was prolonged and showed bimodal, multimodal, or irregular patterns. Fruiting in all species also was prolonged and followed flowering with a lag of less than two months. Although there were no simple correlations between rainfall and flowering or fruiting, flower production during the dry season was higher for S. griseus, while Pilosocereus sp. and C. hexagonus showed higher flower production during the wet season. Fruit production was also seasonal, with higher production during the wet season for S. griseus and C. hexagonus. The patterns of flowering and fruiting in M. cf. smithiana showed no relationships with dry and wet seasons. The bats Glossophaga longirostris, Carollia perspicillata, Sturnira lilium, the birds Melanerpes rubricapillw (Picidae) and Mimw gilvus (Mimidae), and moths of the family Sphingidae, were identified as pollinators and/or fruit consumers of these cacti species.

Frugivory and seed dispersal by birds in Cereus jamacaru DC. ssp. jamacaru (Cactaceae) in the Caatinga of Northeastern Brazil

“…Compared with the available lists of birds associated with columnar cacti in other Neotropical arid ecosystem (Silvius, 1995;León de la Luz and Domínguez, 1991;Soriano et al, 1999;Ruiz et al, 2000;Godinez-Alvarez et al, 2002;Naranjo et al, 2003;Carlos Rengifo et al, 2007), the Caatinga showed a bird community with the same richness. Likewise, compared with the results found in Atlantic Rainforest by Silva (1988), the list of frugivorous birds associated with C. jamacaru fruits, also showed similar species composition, visitor behavior and temporal pattern of visits.…”

“…jamacaru fruits present characteristics indicating ornithochory as their dispersion syndrome (as is common by cactus species) (Silva, 1988;León de la Luz and Domínguez, 1991;Silvius, 1995;Soriano et al, 1999;Ruiz et al, 2000;Godinez-Alvarez et al, 2002;Naranjo et al, 2003;Carlos Rengifo et al, 2007) and represent an important food resource for the avifauna. Due the high fruit production of these plants and elevated sinchronicity, a high proportion of fruits are available daily during the ripening period, and the high synchrony limit the supply of the resource to a short period of time.…”

“…P. dominicana, L. pileatus, M. saturninus, E. chlorotica, and C. flaveola were previously characterized as dispersers of Cactaceae (Silva, 1988;Silvius, 1995;Soriano et al, 1999;Ruiz et al, 2000;Godinez-Alvarez et al, 2002;Naranjo et al, 2003;Carlos Rengifo et al, 2007). Our observations indicated that P. dominicana and E. chlorotica were among the most frequent visitors to C. jamacaru and act as potential dispersers, swallowing the whole seeds and defecating intact seeds.…”

“…These fruits constitute an important resource for different groups of animals, such as birds, insects, reptiles, and mammals, that can manipulate and/or ingest seeds and transport them without damages, therefore contributing to its germination in sites distant from the mother plant (Silva, 1988;León de la Luz and Domínguez, 1991;Silvius, 1995;Soriano et al, 1999;Ruiz et al, 2000;Godinez-Alvarez et al, 2002;Naranjo et al, 2003;Carlos Rengifo et al, 2007).…”

Woody woodpecker enjoys soft drinks: the blond-crested woodpecker seeks nectar and pollinates canopy plants in south-eastern Brazil

“…Faegri & van der Pijl 1980). As for Neotropical woodpeckers, the former idea seems more likely than the latter, since species in the genera Melanerpes (Kattan 1988, Ruiz et al 2000 and Celeus habitually feed on ripe fruits and berries (Sick 1997, Winkler & Christie 2002). Moreover, sap-feeding remains to be recorded for these two genera in the Neotropics.…”