Functional diversity of reproductive traits increases across succession in the Atlantic forest

Abstract Niche and neutral processes shape community assembly with a possible shift of niche and neutral importance in communities undergoing temporal changes during succession. Functional diversity helps to discriminate assembly processes since trait distribution is dependent on those processes. We...

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Main Authors: Bianca Warring, Fernanda Cristina Gil Cardoso, Marcia C.M. Marques, Isabela Galarda Varassin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro
Series:Rodriguésia
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2175-78602016000200321&lng=en&tlng=en
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spelling doaj-4fa98718d35d4c66a477934bb87bd8bd2020-11-25T01:49:40ZengInstituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de JaneiroRodriguésia2175-786067232133310.1590/2175-7860201667204S2175-78602016000200321Functional diversity of reproductive traits increases across succession in the Atlantic forestBianca WarringFernanda Cristina Gil CardosoMarcia C.M. MarquesIsabela Galarda VarassinAbstract Niche and neutral processes shape community assembly with a possible shift of niche and neutral importance in communities undergoing temporal changes during succession. Functional diversity helps to discriminate assembly processes since trait distribution is dependent on those processes. We evaluated the changes in reproductive traits related to pollination and seed dispersal in a successional gradient in an Atlantic Forest area, Southern Brazil. We surveyed forests undergoing regeneration varying in age from 2 to 80 years after pasture abandonment. We expected an increase in functional diversity of reproductive traits and a greater role of limiting similarity across succession. Abiotic and mixed pollination systems, dioecious sexual system, biotic dispersed, many-seeded and small-seeded species decreased as the forest got older. Conversely, bee-pollinated, bell-shaped, small and androgynous flowers increased across forest succession as well biotic dispersed and large-seeded species. Functional richness and functional dispersion were higher in older forests. Changes in functional diversity were positively related to species richness, indicating that species enrichment in older forests added new sets of reproductive traits. These changes in trait distribution and functional diversity across succession in the Atlantic Forest suggest an increased role of biotic interactions and limiting similarity process structuring plant assemblages of second-growth tropical forests.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2175-78602016000200321&lng=en&tlng=endispersalfunctional dispersionpollinationforest regenerationfunctional richness
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Bianca Warring
Fernanda Cristina Gil Cardoso
Marcia C.M. Marques
Isabela Galarda Varassin
spellingShingle Bianca Warring
Fernanda Cristina Gil Cardoso
Marcia C.M. Marques
Isabela Galarda Varassin
Functional diversity of reproductive traits increases across succession in the Atlantic forest
Rodriguésia
dispersal
functional dispersion
pollination
forest regeneration
functional richness
author_facet Bianca Warring
Fernanda Cristina Gil Cardoso
Marcia C.M. Marques
Isabela Galarda Varassin
author_sort Bianca Warring
title Functional diversity of reproductive traits increases across succession in the Atlantic forest
title_short Functional diversity of reproductive traits increases across succession in the Atlantic forest
title_full Functional diversity of reproductive traits increases across succession in the Atlantic forest
title_fullStr Functional diversity of reproductive traits increases across succession in the Atlantic forest
title_full_unstemmed Functional diversity of reproductive traits increases across succession in the Atlantic forest
title_sort functional diversity of reproductive traits increases across succession in the atlantic forest
publisher Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro
series Rodriguésia
issn 2175-7860
description Abstract Niche and neutral processes shape community assembly with a possible shift of niche and neutral importance in communities undergoing temporal changes during succession. Functional diversity helps to discriminate assembly processes since trait distribution is dependent on those processes. We evaluated the changes in reproductive traits related to pollination and seed dispersal in a successional gradient in an Atlantic Forest area, Southern Brazil. We surveyed forests undergoing regeneration varying in age from 2 to 80 years after pasture abandonment. We expected an increase in functional diversity of reproductive traits and a greater role of limiting similarity across succession. Abiotic and mixed pollination systems, dioecious sexual system, biotic dispersed, many-seeded and small-seeded species decreased as the forest got older. Conversely, bee-pollinated, bell-shaped, small and androgynous flowers increased across forest succession as well biotic dispersed and large-seeded species. Functional richness and functional dispersion were higher in older forests. Changes in functional diversity were positively related to species richness, indicating that species enrichment in older forests added new sets of reproductive traits. These changes in trait distribution and functional diversity across succession in the Atlantic Forest suggest an increased role of biotic interactions and limiting similarity process structuring plant assemblages of second-growth tropical forests.
topic dispersal
functional dispersion
pollination
forest regeneration
functional richness
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2175-78602016000200321&lng=en&tlng=en
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AT marciacmmarques functionaldiversityofreproductivetraitsincreasesacrosssuccessionintheatlanticforest
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