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Plant community dynamics governed by red harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus) activities and their role as drought refugia in a semi-arid savannaNicolai, Nancy Carol 01 November 2005 (has links)
This study examined modifications made by Pogonomyrmex barbatus, by their
processes of granivory and nest construction, to forb and grass dynamics under large-scale
disturbances of fire, recent drought and long-term, large-mammalian herbivory using
comparative studies, field experimental manipulations, and a simulation model on the
Edwards Plateau, Texas. Ant nests are refugia for grass survival during extreme droughts
as demonstrated during the drought of 1998 to 2002. Significantly greater cover of grasses
and lower abundance and cover of forbs was found beside nests compared with surrounding
habitat throughout the drought and recovery. Grasses near nests may be the seed source for
surrounding habitats during recovery.
Seeds were differentially collected among most forbs and grasses despite seed
abundance. Harvest was significantly reduced in the fall relative to spring. During
preference experiments, harvest differences were found between grazing treatments for two
of four species, but only during the spring. High lipid content seeds were unpreferred in fall
compared to high protein and carbohydrate content seeds.
Granivory influences on seedling establishment were studied by comparing seedling
recruitment among sown and naturally occurring seeds excluded and open to foragers.
Exclosures were placed in three nest densities and two burn treatments. Seeds in exclosures
produced significantly more seedlings than open arenas only during the first year of drought
recovery. Densities of grasses and annual forbs were higher in open arenas the second year due to indirect effects of granivory. By reducing seeds ants release seedlings from
competition. Sown seedling abundance was unaffected by colony density and fire.
Colony density and distribution were influenced by topography, soil types, soil depth
and woody cover, but not by historical grazing treatments. Cleared vegetation on nest disks
impacted less than 1% of total surface area and losses were compensated by greater basal
cover of grasses next to disks compared to surrounding habitats. Foraging areas influenced
17.3-73.6% of surface area and could diminish seed populations for potential seedlings.
Model results agree with experimental observations that communities may be
modified by P. barbatus presence due to differential responses of grass species to interaction
between nests or granivory and rainfall amounts.
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Dispersão direcional por formigas e fase regenerativa pos-dispersão da especie ruderal Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae) / Directed dispersal by ants and post-dispersal regenerative phase of the ruderal species Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae)Martins, Valeria Forni 06 January 2006 (has links)
Orientadores: João Semir, Claudia Regina Baptista Haddad / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-06T19:56:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1
Martins_ValeriaForni_M.pdf: 483481 bytes, checksum: de1841bbb07595e099d234a9e852e91e (MD5)
Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: A reprodução vegetal por meio de sementes compreende duas fases: a de regeneração dos indivíduos de uma população e a de estabelecimento dos adultos. A fase regenerativa consiste de uma série de estádios, como liberação, dispersão, dormência/quiescência e germinação de sementes, e estabelecimento de plântulas, cada um com variações na duração e no mecanismo de acordo com a espécie ou a população. Desta forma, a dispersão de sementes é a etapa do ciclo reprodutivo das plantas que inicia a renovação das populações vegetais. Vantagens da dispersão incluem a deposição desproporcional mente maior de sementes em sítios que são melhores para a sobrevivência de sementes e o estabelecimento de plântulas, sendo estes os componentes da hipótese de dispersão direcionaI. Apesar da dispersão direcional ser considerada de comum ocorrência e de grande importância ecológica, há poucos exemplos descritos na literatura. No entanto, um dos casos mais reconhecidos é a mirmecocoria, ou dispersão de sementes por formigas. Ricinus communis, popularmente conhecida como mamona, tem sementes tipicamente mirmecocóricas que são dispersas secundariamente por formigas. Estes insetos carregam as sementes com elaiossomo até seus ninhos, onde retiram e retêm este apêndice, e descartam as sementes sem elaiossomo no exterior dos formigueiros. Assim, formigas podem atuar como dispersores direcionais de R. communis, além de provavelmente desempenharem um importante papel na germinação de suas sementes, uma vez que é atribuída a existência de substâncias inibidoras de germinação ao elaiossomo. É popularmente conhecido que R. communis forma bancos de sementes persistentes, apesar de não existirem registros científicos dos mesmos. Devido à capacidade de ocupar os mais diversos habitats após perturbação, o que pode ser atribuído à regeneração a partir de bancos de sementes, esta espécie é considerada ruderal. Os objetivos deste estudo foram determinar se R. communis apresenta dispersão direcional por formigas e se a ocupação de novos habitats pode ser atribuída às possíveis características ruderais da fase regenerativa pós-dispersão desta espécie. Foi encontrado um maior número de sementes sem elaiossomo, plântulas e jovens de R. communis nos locais de descarte de formigueiros, e sementes com elaiossomo foram igualmente encontradas nestes locais e em suas redondezas. A remoção de sementes pós-dispersas de R. communis não diferiu entre locais de descarte de formigueiros e suas redondezas. A remoção apresentou um pequeno aumento ao longo do tempo e foi inversamente dependente de densidade. No entanto, a redução da remoção não foi proporcional ao aumento da densidade dê sementes originalmente depositadas nos locais de descarte de formigueiros e em suas redondezas. Solos de formigueiros não apresentaram maior concentração de nutrientes, e não houve diferença no número de sementes germinadas e no vigor de jovens entre locais de descarte de formigueiros e suas redondezas. Além disto, formigas não conferiram proteção diferencial contra herbivoria às plântulas crescendo nos locais de descarte de seus ninhos. Sementes de R. communis de diferentes idades apresentaram respostas de germinação distintas, porém, foi observada germinação em todas as condições às quais foram expostas. Além disto, sementes com um ano não apresentaram resposta de germinação esperada para sementes que são incorporadas em bancos de sementes. Foram encontradas poucas sementes viáveis de R. communis no solo, apesar de ser observada emergência maciça de plântulas após perturbação do solo em diversas áreas. A espécie é heliófila, porém capaz de ocupar habitats consideravelmente sombreados. Além disto, R. communis é uma fraca competidora, mas é capaz de se estabelecer em áreas que têm alta densidade de indivíduos. O presente estudo demonstrou que a deposição de sementes pós-dispersas em locais de descarte de formigueiros não confere vantagens adicionais a R. communis e que formigas não atuam como dispersores direcionais desta espécie. Além disto, R. communis não apresenta todas as características típicas de plantas ruderais, e seu sucesso em colonizar os mais variados habitats pode ser atribuído à sua plasticidade de respostas às diversas condições ambientais / Abstract: Plant reproduction through seeds has two phases: the regeneration of the individuals of a population and the establishment of the adult plants. The regenerative phase consists of many stages, such as seed release, dispersal, dormancy/quiescency and germination, and seedling establishment, each with differences in duration an? in mechanisms according to the species or to the population. In this way, seed dispersal is the event of plant reproduction cycle that initiates plant population regeneration. Advantages of seed dispersal include the disproportional higher seed deposition in micro-habitats that are more suitable for seed survival and seedling establishment, which are the components of the directed dispersal hypothesis. Although directed dispersal is considered common and ecologically important, few examples are described in literature. However, one of the best-known cases is myrmecochory, or seed dispersal by ants. Ricinus communis, the commonly known castor, has typical myrmecochorous seeds that are secondarily dispersed by ants, which remove seeds with elaiosome into their nests and discard them out in the pile mound without the appendage. Therefore, ants may act as directed dispersers of this species, and may also play a major role in seed germination, once the elaiosome of R. communis seeds is regarded as having germination inhibitory substances. It is commonplace that this species forms persistent soil seed banks, though no study has demonstrated the existence of such seed banks. Due to its ability to occupy the most different habitats after local disturbance, which may be attributed to the regeneration through seed banks, R. communis is considered a ruderal species. This study aimed to determine whether seeds of R. communis present directed dispersal by ants and whether the ruderal features of the post-dispersal regenerative phase assure the species ability to successfully occupy new habitats. There was a greater number of R. communis seeds without elaiosome, seedlings and juveniles in ant nest pile mounds, and seeds with elaiosome were equally distributed between the pile mounds and their vicinities. The removaI of post-dispersed seeds of R. communis from the pile mounds did not differ from the removal in their vicinities. AIso, the removal presented a small increase along time and was inversely density-dependent. However, the reduction in the removal was not proportional to the rise in the density of seeds originally placed in the pile mounds and in nheir vicinities. Ant nest pile mound soils were not nutrient-enriched, and we found no differences in the number of germinated seeds and in the juveniIe vigor measurements between the pile mounds and their vicinities. Also, ants did not provide differential protection for seedlings in the piles mounds against herbivores. Fresh and one year old seeds presented distinguished germination response, although they germinated in all conditions they were submitted to. Also, one year oId seeds did not present typical germination response of seeds that may constitute seed banks. We found few viable seeds of R. communis in the soil, though massive seedling emergence after soil disturbance was observed in many sites. Ricinus communis is light-demanding, but may occupy pretty shady sites. Also, the species is a poor competitor, especially with individuaIs of other species, but is capable of establishing in areas with high density of individuaIs. This study demonstrated that the deposition of post-dispersed seeds in the pile mounds does not provide additional advantages for R. communis and that ants do not act as directed dispersers of this species. AIso, R. communis does not present all typicaI features of ruderal plants, and its success in coIonizing the most different habitats may be attributed to the species' plasticity facing environmentaI conditions / Mestrado / Mestre em Ecologia
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