Inter-annual variability in Prosopis caldenia pod production in the Argentinean semiarid pampas: A modelling approach

Abstract

The driest part of the Argentinean pampas is occupied by semiarid woodlands dominates by Prosopis caldenia Burkart (Calden). Calden pods are a highly valuable fodder supplement for livestock but its production is highly variable. Our objective was to analyze and model the temporal pattern in inter-annual variability of Calden pod production. Our key hypothesis is that weather conditions are the main determinant of the pod masting behavior. Tree size and climatic variables were evaluated as explanatory covariates using a zero-inflated log-normal modelling approach. The proposed final model structure incorporated 25 parameters, including four variance components, two intercepts for both the logistic and the log-normal parts of the model, and nineteen parameters associated with fixed effects. Climate had a strong influence on the flowering-fruiting Calden process and on the inter-annual variability of the final pod production at the tree level. Temperatures during bud breaking, flowering and fruit shedding, together with the precipitation from the final month of fruit shedding and the total amount of the prior vegetative cycle, were the main weather covariates that affect the processes. KeywordsZero-inflated, fruit, non-wood forest product, calden.Abbreviation list g per crown area square metre grams per square metre of crown area; ZILN zero inflated log normal

Identifying Plant Physiological and Climatic Drivers in the Woody Shrub Prosopis strombulifera: Effects of Spring Traits on Flower Sprouting and Fruit Production

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Sustainable long‐term mitigation of floods and droughts in semiarid regions: Integrated optimal management strategies for a salt lake basin

“…In particular, Prosopis sp. fruits can be used to make flour of high nutritional value, as supplements for human consumption and cattle fodder (Pérez et al, 2020; Risio et al, 2016). In 2016, Argentina had a production of 7000 t of wood from Prosopis caldenia , Prosopis alpataco and Prosopis flexuosa (MAyDS, 2016), which shows that in the long‐term the proposed woodland could also enhance incomes in the area under study.…”

Seed germination and early seedling survival of the invasive speciesProsopis juliflora(Fabaceae) depend on habitat and seed dispersal mode in the Caatinga dry forest

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