The widespread threat of species extinctions caused by the destruction and degradation of tropical primary forest (PF) could potentially be mitigated by the expansion of regenerating secondary forest (SF). However, the conservation value of SF remains controversial, and is dependent on many site- and landscape-scale factors, such as habitat age and isolation. The aim of this thesis was to assess the role that SF can play in conserving forest bird communities in central Panama. We study a chronosequence of SF aged 20 – 120-years-old, with sites either isolated from or connected to extensive PF. Our results suggest that SF supports high levels of avian species diversity, and similar community composition to PF. Whilst forest age plays a small role in determining compositional similarity to PF, connectivity to extensive PF was the main determinant of community composition. However, despite high species richness and complex community composition, some specialist PF bird species were consistently absent from SF, and isolated PF. The functional diversity of bird communities did not vary substantially across the forest age and isolation gradient, although we did find some inter-guild differences; with distinct responses in communities of avian insectivores and frugivores. Isolation caused shifts in the trophic traits of insectivores, but resulted in alterations in the dispersal traits of frugivores. The response of bird and tree community composition to forest age and isolation was similar, although isolation had a stronger impact on bird communities. Bird diversity and composition tracked changes in forest structure over succession. When examining the role of birds in seed-dispersal networks, we found bird gape width was the key predictor of seed size consumed. Large-gaped birds consume a wider variety of seed-sizes than small-gaped birds, and small-seeded trees attract a greater number of bird species than large-seeded trees. These results imply high levels of redundancy among small-gaped avian frugivores and small-seeded plant species, but low levels of redundancy among large-seeded plant species and their avian dispersers. This suggests that large-seeded plants may be most at risk of dispersal failure following any change in avian frugivore assemblages. Together, these results suggest that SF can play a key role in sustaining most tropical biodiversity, and in maintaining ecosystem services. Our findings emphasise the importance of integrating SF into conservation strategies to support and buffer tropical PF habitats.

Dolichandra s.l. é um gênero de lianas com distribuição neotropical pertencente a família Bignoniaceae, tribo Bignonieae. A atual circunscrição do gênero foi estabelecida com base em uma filogenia molecular da tribo, a qual foi interpretada a luz de caracteres morfológicos. Atualmente são reconhecidas 10 espécies, duas delas propostas nesta dissertação. Espécies de Dolichandra s.l. apresentam grande variação em sua distribuição geográfica e habitats ocupados, bem como em caracteres morfológicos relacionados aos sistemas de polinização e dispersão. O presente estudo teve como objetivos: (1) reconstruir a filogenia de Dolichandra s.l. utilizando os marcadores moleculares plastidiais ndhF e rps32-trnL e o marcador nuclear PepC, e (2) utilizar a filogenia como base para inferir os processos que atuaram na especiação do gênero. Amostras de quatro grupos externos e 20 indivíduos de Dolichandra s.l. foram obtidas, totalizando nove de Dolichandra s.l. Filogenias bem resolvidas para os três marcadores amostrados revelaram que tanto o gênero, como as espécies com mais de um indvíduo amostrados são monofiléticas. Dolichandra unguiculata é a primeira linhagem à divergir dentro da família, sendo grupo-irmão das demais espécies do gênero em todas as topologias. Dolichandra acuminata e D. quadrivalvis formam um clado bem sustentado em todas as topologias. Esse clado emergiu para todos os marcadores e critérios de reconstrução como irmão do clado formado por D. dentata, D. hispida, D. uncata e D. unguis-cati. Nesse último clado, D. uncata sempre aparece como irmã das espécies restantes em todas as topologias. Por outro lado, o posicionamento de D. chodatii, D. cynanchoides, D. dentata e D. híspida não está bem sustentado na árvore combinada, refletindo diferenças na topologia entre os marcadores plastidiais e o marcador nuclear. Todos os nós da filogenia apresentam algum grau de simpatria entre suas linhagens, indicando a importância da diferenciação de nichos para a diversificação do gênero e a prevalência de especiação simpátrica no grupo. / Dolichandra s.l. is a genus of lianas found in the Neotropics. It belongs to the family Bignoniaceae, tribe Bignonieae. The actual circumscription of the genus was based on a molecular phylogeny of the tribe and morphological synanpomorphies. Currently the genus comprises ten species, two of than proposed in this dissertation. Species of Dolichandra s.l. have great variation in geographic distribution, habitats occupied, as well as, morphological characters related to pollination and dispersal events. The goals of this study are: (1) Reconstruct the phylogeny of Dolichandra s.l. using the plastid markers ndhF e rps32-trnL and the nuclear marker PepC, and (2) use the phylogeny as base to infer process that acted in genus diversification. A sample from four outgroups and 20 individuals were obtained, accounting nine species of Dolichandra s.l. Well resolved phylogenies for the three markers revealed that the genus, and the multiple sampled species are monophyletic. Dolichandra unguiculata is the first species to diverge, being sister of a clade with the rest of the genus in all topologies. Dolichandra acuminate as sister of D. quadrivalvis is a well supported clade in all topologies. This clade emerged for all markers and criteria as sister of clade with D. dentata, D. hispida, D. uncata, and D. unguis-cati. In the latter clade, D. uncata emerged as sister of the other species in all topologies. On the other hand, the phylognetic position of D. chodatii, D. cynanchoides, D. dentate and D. hispida is not well supported in the combined analysis, revealing differences in topology between plastid and nuclear markers. All the nodes of the phylogeny have some degree of sympatry between lineages, indicating the importance of niche differences for the genus diversification and the prevalence of sympatric speciation.

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