Abstract We investigated Aspidosperma discolor fruiting in three subpopulations in the inland Atlantic Forest of Northeastern Brazil, to better understand how local and global factors (such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation - ENSO) drive fruiting, and how functional traits are related to its dispersal potential and spatial distribution. Observations of mature fruits with dispersing seeds were carried out between 1993 and 2012. Dispersal potential was evaluated using seeds released at two different heights. Spatial distribution was analyzed using the Standardized Morisita dispersal index. A. discolor displayed seasonal fruiting during the dry season in all subpopulations, with variations in their average dates but without significant interannual variations in the proportions of fruiting individuals. The undulate seeds had average dispersal distances between 57.36 and 79.54 m. We found a random distribution pattern of the trees. The seasonal dry/rainy regime influenced fruiting and dispersal patterns, and seeds were released during the dry season (even in ENSO years). So, we demonstrate the importance of wind dispersal as a driving factor of fruiting, associated with an abiotic filter (low humidity) during the dry season. Additionally, the aerodynamic nature of the undulate diaspore and its dispersal potential influenced the random pattern of spatial distribution of A. discolor.

Resumo Investigamos a frutificação de três subpopulações de Aspidosperma discolor em uma área Mata Atlântica no interior do nordeste do Brasil, para entender melhor como fatores locais e globais (El Niño Southern Oscillation - ENOS) impulsionam a frutificação, e como as características da espécie estão relacionadas aos seus potenciais de dispersão e distribuição espacial. Frutos maduros com sementes em dispersão foram observados entre 1993 e 2012. A dispersão foi avaliada por lançar sementes em duas alturas diferentes. A distribuição foi analisada usando o índice de dispersão padronizado de Morisita. A. discolor apresentou frutificação sazonal durante a estação seca nas três subpopulações com variações de suas datas médias, mas sem variações interanuais nas proporções de indivíduos frutificando. As sementes onduladas evidenciaram distâncias médias de dispersão entre 57,36 e 79,54 m. Encontramos padrão de distribuição aleatório das árvores. O regime sazonal seco/chuvoso influenciou os padrões de frutificação e dispersão, e sementes foram liberadas durante a estação seca (mesmo em anos ENSO). Assim, demonstramos a importância da dispersão anemocórica como fator impulsionador da frutificação, associada a um filtro abiótico (baixa umidade) durante a estação seca. Adicionalmente, a natureza aerodinâmica do diásporo ondulado e seu potencial de dispersão influenciaram a distribuição espacial aleatória de A. discolor.

ABSTRACT We investigated intensity and seasonality of the reproductive phenology of Passiflora cincinnata Mast. and estimated its flowering and fruiting periods by interpolation using Inverse Distance Weighting, for the first time in phenology, based on herbarium collections from Bahia State, Northeastern Brazil. Data from 249 exsiccates with flowers and/or fruits were analyzed to estimate the amplitude of flowering and fruiting and test the seasonality using the circular statistics. Passiflora cincinnata flowering and fruiting was greatest from October to May. The maps generated by interpolation showed greatest probability of flowering and fruiting between March and May in sites with mean annual rainfall rates between 500 and 1000 mm. Our results indicated seasonality of flowering and fruiting, with reduced intensities during the austral winter. The interpolation methodology can be used in a complementary or preliminary way, either to organize field visits and set up experiments, or to extrapolate field results for larger-scale views.

RESUMO Nós investigamos intensidade e sazonalidade da fenologia reprodutiva de Passiflora cincinnata Mast. e estimamos seus períodos de floração e frutificação por interpolação usando a Ponderação Inversa da Distância, apresentada pela primeira vez em fenologia, com base em coleções de herbários do Estado da Bahia. Dados de 249 exsicatas com flores e/ou frutos foram analisados para estimar amplitude de floração e frutificação e testar sazonalidade usando estatística circular. A floração e frutificação de P. cincinnata foram maiores de outubro a maio. Os mapas gerados por interpolação mostraram maior probabilidade de floração e frutificação entre março e maio em locais com índices pluviométricos médios anuais entre 500 e 1000 mm. Nossos resultados indicaram sazonalidade de floração e frutificação, com intensidades reduzidas durante o inverno austral. A metodologia de interpolação pode ser utilizada de forma complementar ou preliminar, seja para organizar visitas a campo e montar experimentos, seja para extrapolar resultados de campo para visualizações em maior escala.

Resumo Comparamos a diversidade funcional de comunidades em áreas de borda e interior de um fragmento de Floresta Atlântica para testar a hipótese de que existe maior diversidade funcional ao longo da borda em consonância com sua maior abundância e diversidade florística quando comparada com o interior da floresta. Considerando um conjunto de características vegetais, reprodutivas fenológicos, e serviços ecossistêmicos dos ambientes de borda e interior, foram definimos grupos funcionais de plantas usando Análise de Cluster, e por uma análise de silhueta, juntamente com índices de diversidade funcional de riqueza, divergência, uniformidade e dispersão. Os principais grupos funcionais formados são semelhantes ao longo da borda e do interior. Riqueza funcional foi o único índice de diversidade que apresentou diferença entre borda e interior. Alterações foram percebidas em relação à riqueza de espécie e ao índice de Shannon. Efeitos de borda não foram significativos na formação de grupos funcionais. Em contraste com nossa hipótese original, grupos semelhantes foram formados tanto na borda quanto no interior, indicando que espécies desempenharam papeis ecológicos semelhantes em ambos ambientes, com respostas similares a diferentes fatores ambientais, de modo que as bordas da floresta foram colonizadas por uma série de espécies diferentes que mantinham padrões de diversidade como os encontrados no interior.

Abstract We compared the functional diversity of community at edge and interior areas of an Atlantic forest fragment to test the hypothesis that higher functional diversity exists along edges - in consonance with their higher abundance and floristic diversity as compared to the interior of the forest. By considering a set of vegetative, reproductive and phenological traits and ecosystem service aspects of edge and interior environments, we defined plant functional groups using Cluster Analysis, followed by a silhouette width analysis, together with functional diversity indices of richness, divergence, evenness and dispersion. The main functional groups formed were similar between the edges and interior. Functional richness was the only index that demonstrated differences between edge and the interior. Alterations were perceived in relation to species richness and the Shannon index. Edge effects were not significant in the formation of functional groups. In contrast to our original hypothesis, similar groups were formed both along the edge in the interior - indicating that species played similar ecological roles in both environments, with similar responses to different environmental factors - so that forest edges were colonized by a series of different species that maintained diversity patterns similar to those found in the forest interior.

Abstract Phenological studies are considerably complemented through field data and herbarium collection databases. We examined the seasonality and relationships between leafing and reproductive phenophases using field observations and herbarium data of Campomanesia eugenioides var. desertorum, Eugenia punicifolia, and Psidium schenckianum, all native species of Myrtaceae. Field observations were performed in a caatinga remnant in Bahia State, Brazil; HUEFS herbarium collections were examined. In general, all species showed seasonal reproductive phases and aseasonal leaf phases, and Spearman correlations were observed between those phases. Field observations and herbarium collections were similar and complementary, providing clues about seasonality and the relationship between leaf and reproductive phases of Myrtaceae species.

Resumo A ampla distribuição das populações de Maprounea guianensis em ambientes contrastantes (florestas secas e úmidas) na Chapada Diamantina, Brasil, pode indicar a plasticidade fenotípica dessa espécie associada aos regimes sazonais de chuva/seca e características do solo. Características funcionais foram medidas em cinco indivíduos/sítio. Potencial hídrico, suculência, espessura e densidade foliar foram avaliados nos períodos seco e chuvoso; densidade da madeira e teor de água saturada da madeira foram avaliados no período chuvoso. As chuvas foram monitoradas mensalmente por dois anos. Características funcionais e os índices fenotípicos de plasticidade (IPP) foram submetidos à análise de variância. Nossos resultados demonstraram variações sazonais e espaciais nas características funcionais das plantas. Encontramos baixa capacidade de armazenamento de água em folhas e tecidos de madeira, associada às propriedades do solo e aos regimes sazonais de chuva/seca, condicionando as variações de potencial hídrico que foram maiores durante a estação chuvosa. Parâmetros ambientais influenciaram variações nas características funcionais das populações de M. guianensis, refletindo a plasticidade fenotípica. Destacamos as conexões entre regimes de seca e respostas das plantas, demonstrando a importância das características funcionais associadas à disponibilidade de água (principalmente potencial hídrico). Nosso estudo evidencia causas associadas a ampla distribuição de M. guianensis.

Abstract The wide distribution of Maprounea guianensis populations in contrasting environments (dry and humid forests) in the Chapada Diamantina, northeastern Brazil, can indicate the phenotypic plasticity of this species in relation to seasonal rainfall, drought regimes, and soil characteristics at different sites. Functional traits were measured in five individuals in each vegetation types. Water potential, succulence, thickness and density leaf, were evaluated during the dry and rainy periods; wood density and the saturated water content of the wood were evaluated in rainy period. Rainfall was monitored monthly for two years. The functional traits and the phenotypic plasticity indices (PPI) were submitted to analysis of variance. Our results demonstrated seasonal and spatial variations in plant functional traits. We found a low capacity for storing water in leaves and woody tissues, associated with soil properties and the seasonal rainfall/drought regimes, conditioning water potential variations that were greatest during the rainy season. Local environmental parameters influenced variations in the functional traits of M. guianensis populations, reflecting phenotypic plasticity. We highlight the connections between drought regimes and plant responses, demonstrating the importance of functional traits associated with water availability (especially water potential). Our study evidences the factors associated with the wide distribution of M. guianensis.

Abstract We present a case study focusing on collection methods and phenological data analyses. Qualitative, semi-quantitative, and quantitative approaches were compared in terms of their efficiencies for describing flowering and fruiting intensities and phenophase synchrony in Himatanthus drasticus growing in a gallery forest in the Chapada Diamantina mountains, Brazil. Our results showed that phenophase intensity and synchrony were respectively each best. Determined using quantitative and qualitative methods We reinforce the importance of clearly defining research aims, as quantitative data collections require considerably greater field efforts than qualitative evaluations, especially concerning forest trees.

Abstract We present a case study focusing on the influence of inflorescence position on the relationships between foliar and reproductive phases, focusing on three Leguminoseae tree species in the Chapada Diamantina, Brazil. Both Senna multijuga and Copaifera langsdorffii produce terminal panicles and showed vegetative and reproductive phenophases that were correlated but segregated in time, with the marked concentration of reproductive data. The presence of axillary inflorescences on Inga cayennensis enables the simultaneous production of both flowers and leaves, without the segregation or the correlation of those phases, with a uniform distribution of reproductive data. This study encourages further investigations regarding the effects of inflorescence position on plant phenology.

ABSTRACT We evaluated the vegetative and reproductive phenological patterns of the orchids Cattleya elongata, Cyrtopodium aliciae, Epidendrum orchidiflorum, Epistephium lucidum, and Sobralia liliastrum (Orchidaceae) growing on sandstone outcrops in the Chapada Diamantina Mountains in northeastern Brazil. Phenological events were associated with abiotic factors, leaf longevity, life form, plant growth pattern, and pollination syndrome. Phenological observations were made for 18 months and followed the phenophases of: stem/pseudobulb emission, leaf flush, leaf fall, flowering, immature fruit and mature fruit. Seasonality, synchrony, and correlations between phenophases and environmental variables were tested. The orchid species demonstrated aseasonal vegetative phenologies, except for pseudobulb emission. Reproductive events were seasonal, except for flowering in E. orchidiflorum. There was high flowering overlap between the species pairs S. liliastrum and C. aliciae (dry season) and C. elongata and E. lucidum (rainy season). Dispersal occurred during both the rainy and dry seasons. The vegetative phenophases exhibited low synchrony, and were related to certain morphofunctional characters (stems/pseudobulbs, CAM metabolism). The reproductive phenophases showed high synchrony consistent with the deceit pollination strategy usually associated with the group.