The reinstatement of biodiversity and ecological processes must be the major goal in restoration projects, which requires the establishment of biological interactions in addition to native plant population recovery. Therefore, we assessed the flower visitors of five tree species in a restored area of Semideciduous Seasonal Forest, in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. The specimens were collected using entomological net on flowers of Acacia polyphylla, Aegiphila sellowianna, Croton floribundus, Croton urucurana and Schinus terebinthifolius from October 2007 to September 2008. A total of 139 insect species belonging to five orders were collected. Hymenoptera was the most diverse order collected. From a total of 37 families, Vespidae (15 species), Cabronidae (12), Apidae (10), Halictidae (10), Syrphidae (12), Tachinidae (6) and Hesperidae (7) were the richest ones. Schinus terebinthifolius flowers presented the most abundant and diverse insect visitors (60), suggesting it is an important attractive species to the fauna in restoration programs. Our data suggest that mutualistic interactions between some of these plants and their flower-visiting insects may be in a reinstatement process, and will support the design and monitoring of future restoration efforts.

Com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos do crescimento e do amadurecimento de folhas de Xylopia aromatica sob o ataque de lagartas de Stenoma scitiorella, foram estudados a variação da área, massa foliar específica, bem como os teores de água, nitrogênio, hidratos de carbono e taninos durante estes processos. O trabalho foi desenvolvido numa fisionomia de cerrado stricto sensu na Gleba Pé-de-Gigante do Parque Estadual de Vassununga, localizado no município de Santa Rita do Passa Quatro, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. A expansão e o amadurecimento das folhas de Xylopia aromatica resultaram na redução da qualidade nutricional e no aumento de defesas químicas e físicas. Concordando com as observações realizadas sobre a herbivoria, os resultados permitem supor que a redução na palatabilidade das folhas pode explicar a preferência das lagartas por folhas jovens ainda no início do processo de expansão.

Variations in specific foliar mass and water content, nitrogen, soluble carbohydrates and tannins were studied during the growth and maturation processes of the Xylopia aromatica leaves, to determine the effects of such alterations on the herbivory of Stenoma scitiorella caterpillars. This work was carried out in the physiognomy of the typical cerrado of the Parque Estadual de Vassununga, Gleba Pé-de Gigante, Santa Rita do Passa Quatro, São Paulo State, Brazil. While nutritional quality (water and nitrogen) decreases during expansion and maturation of Xylopia aromatica leaves, the chemical (tannins) and physical (sclerophylly) defenses are raised. In agreement with the observations on herbivory, the results support the hypothesis that the reduction in palatability and increase in chemical defenses of Xylopia aromatica leaves account for the caterpillars' preference for young expanding leaves.