Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) is the primary seed disperser of whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis), which is in decline throughout its range. There is concern that a decline in whitebark pine will lead to a subsequent decline in local populations of Clark's Nutcracker. Because natural regeneration depends on the presence of Clark's Nutcracker, the process of harvesting whitebark pine seeds needs to be fully understood. In addition, resource managers need a cost-effective method for monitoring nutcracker occurrence in whitebark pine stands during the seed harvest season. I visited eleven study sites in Glacier National Park, Montana, where I searched for Clark's Nutcracker and surveyed whitebark pine cones for seed harvesting scars, the presence of which indicated that nutcrackers harvested seeds. I documented cone use patterns of Clark's Nutcracker and the major cone predator, red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), at five sites. To identify factors that influence cone use, I ran a correlation analysis with nutcracker and red squirrel seed harvesting variables with physical, compositional, and whitebark pine-related factors. I found that nutcrackers harvested seed at every site that had cones available. Nutcrackers harvested seed from a greater proportion of whitebark pine cones in stands where they started intensively harvesting seeds earlier. Nutcrackers began intensively harvesting seeds earlier in stands with higher relative dominance of whitebark pine. Red squirrels depleted the cone source more rapidly in stands with greater whitebark pine mortality, and at one site depleted the cone source completely before nutcrackers began intensively harvesting seeds from that site. The results of this study suggest that Clark's Nutcracker will continue to harvest seeds even as whitebark pine declines, but the decline in whitebark pine may lead to decreased seed dispersal due to greater pre-dispersal cone predation by red squirrels. Finally, I evaluated direct and indirect monitoring methods to identify a cost-effective method to accurately monitor Clark's Nutcracker occurrence in whitebark pine stands during the seed harvest season. I found that surveying scars made by seed-harvesting nutcrackers on whitebark pine cones was the most accurate and economical method of monitoring Clark's Nutcracker occurrence in an area with a low population of Clark's Nutcracker.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-08T16:44:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PGPV13MA126.pdf: 1438995 bytes, checksum: 92c38a9e65801fc815fae80c57176981 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-08-27 / The Mixed Rain Forest, popularly known as Araucaria Forest, is being deforested. From its original surface only approximately 1% remains. This study aimed to contribute to the restoration /recovery process of this vegetation type through studies on seeds of three native species of trees and bushes, based on harvest, overcome of possible dormancy and seed processing. The species explored in this study were: Miconia cinerascens Miq. var. Cinerascens, Vernonanthura discolor (Spreng.) H. Rob and Sapium glandulosum (L.) Morong. The ideal time to harvest for all these species was defined, considering morphological maturation parameters. Fruit harvest was performed in two remnants of Araucaria Forest (Rio Rufino and Lages, both in Santa Catarina) in 2012 and 2013, where the matrices were selected. After harvest, the seeds were extracted manually and dry matter, moisture level, germination and seed vigor were evaluated. Germination tests were conducted in germinators of B.O.D type, where conditions were controlled according to each species involved. Gerbox was used and blotting paper worked as substrate for M. cinerascens var. cinerascens and V. discolor and sand used for S. glandulosum - all moistened whenever necessary. In seeds of M. cinerascens var. cinerascens were tested lighting conditions (constant light, alternation with 12 hours photoperiod and dark) and methods for overcoming seed dormancy (sulphuric acid for five minutes, gibberellic acid (GA3) at 0.2% for 12 hours, combination of sulphuric acid for five minutes and GA3 at 0.2% for 12 hours) were tested. To evaluate the germination of V. discolor, the experiment followed a factorial 2 x 2 format, consisting of two stages of maturation and two methods of processing the seeds (with and without blower). In the seeds of S. glandulosum, the experiment was in factorial 2 X 2 X 4, with two stages of maturation; seeds with and without pressure; and four methods of scarification: alternating temperature of 15/30 oC and GA3 at 0.2% for 24 hours; alternating temperature of 20/30 oC and GA3 at 0.2% for 24 hours, plus control. The evaluations were conducted every two days, when the seed that sprouted the first pair of cotyledons was considered germinated. The experiments were conducted from randomized design, with four replicates of 25 seeds per treatment. Data was evaluated at a significance level α = 0.05. It can be concluded that the fruit of M. cinerascens var. cinerascens should be picked in their ripe stage and their seeds germinated under constant light after being soaked in GA3 at 0.2% for 24 hours. The ideal time to harvest the fruit of the V. discolor is when their achenes are immature with green coloration; however, the use of the blower is not efficient for processing. As for S. glandulosum, the ideal time to harvest is when the fruit is open, with the aril of seeds red, and they should be germinated after pressure and use of GA3 for 24 hours at alternating temperatures of 15/30 ºC under constant light / A Floresta Ombrófila Mista, popularmente conhecida como Floresta das Araucárias, está em processo de desmatamento, restando da sua superfície original aproximadamente 1%. Este estudo visou contribuir no processo de restauração/recuperação desta fitofisionomia, ofertando tecnologia na germinação de sementes de três espécies arbóreo-arbustivas nativas, tendo como princípio a colheita na época ideal, a superação da possível dormência e o beneficiamento das sementes. As espécies alvo deste trabalho foram a Miconia cinerascens Miq. var. cinerascens, a Vernonanthura discolor (Spreng.) H. Rob e o Sapium glandulosum (L.) Morong. Para essas espécies citadas foram definidos estádios de maturação para proceder à colheita de frutos na melhor época possível, tendo como referência parâmetros de maturação. As colheitas dos frutos foram realizadas em dois remanescentes de Floresta Ombrófila Mista (Rio Rufino, SC e Lages, SC), em 2012 e 2013. Após a colheita dos frutos, as sementes foram extraídas de forma manual para todas as espécies. Foram avaliados a massa seca, o teor de água, a germinação e o vigor das sementes recém-colhidas. Os testes de germinação foram conduzidos em germinadores tipo B.O.D, em condições controladas de acordo com a espécie. Utilizou-se gerbox e como substrato papel mata-borão para a M. cinerascens var. cinerascens e para a V. discolor e areia para o S. glandulosum, umedecidos quando necessário. Em sementes de M. cinerascens var. cinerascens, foram testadas condições de luminosidade (luz constante, alternância com fotoperíodo de 12 horas e escuro) e métodos para superação da dormência das sementes (ácido sulfúrico por cinco minutos, ácido giberélico (GA3) a 0,2% por 12 horas, combinação de ácido sulfúrico por cinco minutos e GA3 a 0,2% por 12 horas). Para avaliar a germinação das sementes de V. discolor o experimento seguiu em esquema fatorial 2 X 2, constituído de dois estádios de maturação e dois métodos de beneficiamento das sementes (com soprador e sem de soprador). Nas sementes de S. glandulosum, o experimento definitivo seguiu em esquema fatorial de 2 X 2 X 4 (dois estádios de maturação; sementes com e sem pressão; e quatro métodos de superação de dormência: temperatura alternada de 15/30 oC e GA3 a 0,2% por 24 horas; temperatura alternada de 20/30 oC e ácido giberélico GA3 a 0,2% por 24 horas, além da testemunha em ambas as temperaturas alternadas. As avaliações foram realizadas a cada dois dias, onde se considerou germinada a semente que emitiu o primeiro par de cotilédones. Os experimentos foram instalados a partir do delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repetições de 25 sementes por tratamento. Os dados foram avaliados a um nível de significância α = 0,05. Foi concluído que os frutos de M. cinerascens var. cinerascens devem ser colhidos no seu estádio maduro e as suas sementes colocadas para germinar sob luz constante após imersão em GA3 a 0,2% por 24 horas. A época ideal para realizar as colheitas dos frutos de V. discolor é quando seus aquênios estiverem imaturos com coloração verde, no entanto o uso do soprador não foi eficiente. Já para o S. glandulosum, o momento ideal de colheita é quando o fruto estiver aberto, com o arilo das sementes vermelho, e colocadas para germinar após pressão e com uso de GA3 por 24 horas a uma temperatura alternada de 15/30 ºC sob luz constante

No description available.