Plant–animal interactions of understory species in an area of tropical rainforest, north‐eastern Brazil

Abstract

We studied the reproductive attributes (reproductive phenology, pollination and seed dispersion) of understory woody species from a rainforest area in the Araripe‐Apodi National Forest (FLONA), NE Brazil. The FLONA has a representative number of fauna and flora species that are important for the local climatic, hydrological and ecological equilibrium of the region. The community was composed of 68 species distributed in 43 genera and 26 plant families. Melastomataceae was the family with the highest species richness. Most species (61.76%) shared floral traits that promoted bee pollination, for example white, dish type, medium‐sized flowers with pollen as the main resource. Zoochory was the most frequent dispersion system (76.47%), followed by autochory (16.17%) and anemochory (7.35%). Resource distribution (flowers and fruits) was uniform throughout the year, and pollination and dispersion networks were significantly modular, composed of five and four modules, respectively. In the pollination network, bees occurred in almost all modules, but flies, hummingbirds, butterflies and hawk moths were more restricted to certain modules, partially highlighting the idea of pollination syndromes. In the dispersion network, the modules were composed of birds from different families; only one module was comprised of all sampled mammals. Our results show that most species depend on the action of biotic vectors during their reproductive processes (pollination and dispersal). Those interactions are fundamental for maintaining biological diversity in different tropical ecosystems.

A predatory waterbird as a vector of plant seeds and aquatic invertebrates

“…However, it is now clear that many non‐frugivorous vertebrates (including ducks, shorebirds, and other waterbirds) are key vectors for many plants assigned to other syndromes (Green et al., 2021). Primary dispersal by waterbirds is of cosmopolitan importance, carrying seeds over distances that greatly exceed those predicted by their dispersal syndromes (Green et al., 2021; Lovas‐Kiss et al., 2019; Reynolds & Cummings, 2016; Silva et al., 2021). However, our knowledge on secondary dispersal interactions in aquatic ecosystems is largely based on anecdotal observations (Green et al., 2008; Sterbertz, 1992).…”

Effects of active molecules of Korean pine seed on rodent health and implications for forest regeneration

“…Research on the coevolution or cooperative evolution of animals and plants has become an important topic in conservation biology and recovery ecology (Wall and Jenkins 2011;Gómez et al 2018;Silva et al 2021). Many plant species are dispersed by animals (e.g., birds, rodents and ants) that feed on the fruits or seeds while foraging, providing an unexpected dispersal service and forming a coevolutionary relationship.…”

A long fruiting series of Myrcia neoregeliana (Myrtaceae) shows the maintenance of seasonal resource supplies for dispersal by birds

“…The availability of food resources for frugivores in tropical forests is crucial to the maintenance of bird species (Silva, 2022) that, in turn, strongly modulate the continuous fruiting patterns observed at plant community levels in humid tropical forests (Chiarello, 1995;Staggemeier et al, 2010;Costa et al, 2017;Silva et al, 2021). Myrtaceae species, largely demonstrating seasonally flowering in neotropical forests, are especially influenced by photoperiod and temperature (Staggemeier et al, 2010;Orellana et al, 2020;Pereira et al, 2022).…”