The influence of El Niño and edge effects on the reproductive phenology and floral visitors of Eschweilera tetrapetala Mori (Lecythidaceae), an endemic species of the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil

Abstract

We compared the reproductive phenology and fl oral visitors of Eschweilera tetrapetala growing along the edge and in the interior of a submontane forest in the Chapada Diamantina mountains, Bahia State, Brazil. We sought to determine if there were inter-annual diff erences in intensity and seasonality associated with environmental conditions, and if there were diff erences in fl oral visitors between the two environmental contexts. Phenological observations were performed for three years, and included the occurrence of an El Niño event. We applied circular statistics to detect seasonal trends, performed cross correlations between phenophases and climate, Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests for inter-annual variation, and the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test for edge-interior diff erences in the species richness of fl oral visitors. We observed inter-annual variations in the intensity and seasonality of fl ower production that accompanied variations in rainfall, possibly associated with El Niño events. Floral visitor richness diff ered between the forest edge and interior, with seven species recorded for the interior and only one for the edge. Reduced fruit set was also observed at the forest edge. Th is study contributes to our understanding of the infl uence of El Niño and edge eff ects on the reproductive phenologies of tropical plants.

Functional diversity of plant communities at edge and interior of a submontane Atlantic Forest: greater functional than compositional stability

“…(Couto-Santos et al 2015), the latter species is endemic to this unique forest fragment in Bahia State, and threatened with extinction (CNCFlora 2016). Menezes et al (2018) demonstrated that climatic changes (due to ElNiño) and anthropogenic alterations (in this case related to edge creation) influenced the reproductive phenology and floral visitors of E. tetrapetala, whose flowering and fruiting were more intense in the forest interior (and it was visited by potential pollinators only in that context).…”

“…Phenology, pollination and dispersal modes, especially abiotic syndromes, have been associated with plant strategies that coexist in seasonal contexts and affect ecosystem services (Jara-Gerrero et al 2011;Perez-Harguindeguy et al 2013;Sfair et al 2016). Researchers have reported significant differences in the reproductive phenologies of species as result of the formation of both natural and anthropogenic edges (Cunnigham 2000;Athayde & Morellato 2014;Pires et al 2014;Menezes et al 2018). Edge creation can strongly affect species composition and phenodynamics, strongly influence community functioning and ecosystem processes, as well as decrease the functional diversity of forest patches (Girão et al 2007).…”

Buds, Bugs and Bienniality: The Floral Biology of Eschweilera tenuifolia (O. Berg) Miers in a Black-Water Flooded Forest, Central Amazonia

“…Such a supra-annual flowering also occurs in other igapó tree species, including Aldina latifolia Spruce ex Benth and Cieba pentandra (L.) Gaertn. [74], as well as other members of the genus Eschweilera (e.g., E. tetrapetela S.A. Mori [63]). This form of phenology could allow individual plants to maximize effective energy investment in reproduction, both in terms of attractiveness to pollinators, and as a means of diminishing proportion of (energetically-demanding) produced seed crop lost to seed predators.…”

“…They then move in further to reach the nectar, receiving pollen from the fertile anthers of the basal ring in the process [62]. Together, the size and weight of the hood greatly reduce ingress by smaller-bodied nectar and pollen thieves [63]. Members of the Xylocopine genus Xylocopa and the Euglossine genus Eulaema are known pollinators for Eschweilera (e.g., E. decolorans and E. longipes [58]; E. ovata [64]; E. nana [65]).…”

Comparing Data Collection Methods in Phenological Evaluations of Himatanthus drasticus

“…The qualitative method did not generate easily distinguishable intensity peaks. Data collection using the Fournier method, however, has been widely employed in phenological studies due to its efficiency and standardized measurements (Menezes et al, 2018). Quantitative methods require more intensive field efforts, although they proved to be more accurate in demonstrating the intensities of flowering and fruiting as resources invested in pollination and dispersal processes of H. drasticus.…”