Reproductive phenology, seed removal and early regeneration in relation to distance from parental plants of a native palm in small Atlantic forest fragments

Abstract

Th e Brazilian Atlantic Forest is a global biodiversity hotspot, but most of what remains are small fragments. Small fragments are often harsh environments for forest plant recruitment due to edge eff ects and the loss of frugivorous animals that provide seed dispersal. We recorded the one-year reproductive phenology of the keystone palm Syagrus romanzoffi ana in small (<2.5ha) Atlantic Forest fragments in southeastern Brazil. We tested the Janzen-Connell hypothesis with seed-removal experiments and followed the fi ve-year survival of recruits in relation to the distance from parental plants. Palms produced many fruits throughout the year (mean 2,600/plant). More seedlings were found away from parental plants than near them, thereby supporting the Janzen-Connell hypothesis. Almost 45% of seedlings alive in 2010 were dead fi ve years later, but recruitment of new seedlings compensated for this mortality. Distance-dependent factors infl uenced the density of early ontogenetic stages, but had limited eff ects on juveniles or on seed removal. High seed production, seed dispersal provided by disturbance-tolerant frugivores and the relatively long-term survival of adults, seedlings and juveniles seem to allow the persistence of S. romanzoffi ana in the forest fragments, but possibly at the cost of an increased clumped distribution and reduced gene fl ow at the landscape scale.

Syagrus flexuosa (Mart.) Becc. (Arecaceae) seedling recruitment at the edge and interior of Cerrado remnants

“…Consequently, edges of forest fragments typically experience significant changes in their palm community composition (Baez and Balslev, 2007;Wright et al, 2007). However, few studies focused on the responses of palm species to habitat loss and fragmentation at the population level (Souza and Martins, 2003;Mariano and Christianini, 2016). Worth note, Galetti et al (2006) pointed out the deleterious consequences of the loss of seed-dispersing agents for the long-term sustainability of palm populations in forest remnants.…”

Phenology, biometrics and fruits production of Attalea nucifera (Arecaceae) in Colombia

“…(Fava et al, 2011), Syagrus romanzoffiana (Cham.) Glassman (Mariano and Christianini, 2016), and Butia capitata (Mart.) Becc.…”

Syagrus coronata (Arecaceae) phenology and the impact of fire on survival and reproduction of the licuri palm

“…(Nazareno & Reis 2012), Syagrus romanzoffiana (Cham.) Glassman (Freire et al 2013;Mariano & Christianini 2016), Mauritia flexuosa L.f. (Rosa et al 2013;Mendes et al 2017), and Attalea phalerata Mart. ex Spreng.…”