Fenologia e atributos reprodutivos de três populações herbáceas em floresta seca com diferentes tempos de regeneração

Abstract

Plant phenophases, especially flowering and fruiting, and reproductive attributes, such as the production of fruits and seeds, seed morphology, pre-dispersal predation, reproductive success, among others, suffer negative influence of human activities. Thus, the aim in this thesis the preparation of two scientific articles, in which it evaluated the phenology and reproductive attributes three herbaceous species in areas with different ages of natural regeneration. The study was conducted in three areas of hypoxerophytic caatinga in the city of Caruaru, Pernambuco, Brazil, belonging to the Agronomic Institute of Pernambuco (IPA). The first area it is a mature forest, over 50 years of storage. The other two suffered shallow cut vegetation and move on natural regeneration for 17 years (young forest) and 5 years (field). The phenology of species was monitored weekly during the rainy season and early dry for three years, 30 individuals per species in mature forest and young forest. Reproductive and vegetative phenophases these individuals were observed with respect to time, synchronism and intensity. For reproduction attributes evaluated the morphometry of flowers, fruits and inflorescences, the amount of formed fruits and seed, pre-dispersion predation and pre-emergent reproductive success of each species in three areas. There was significant phenological variation among the populations of the two forests, with seemingly trends temporal amplitude, timing and intensity of phenophases. There was anticipation of some phenophases in the young forest populations but with low intensity and frequency. There was also phenophases anticipation of the mature forest. In relation to reproductive attributes, some differences were found, such as the morphology of flowers, inflorescences and fruits between areas, and the production of fruits and seeds. However, pre-dispersal predation and pre-emergent reproductive success of herbaceous did not differ between areas. We conclude that the herbaceous showed little change in phenology and reproductive attributes, being little influenced by the age of the forest. The study indicated that the phenological intensity is the best phenological feature for comparing the herbaceous phenology between areas of different ages and the morphology of inflorescences, flowers and fruits is the best attribute for comparison of these areas.