ABSTRACT Studies about seed dispersal and germination are important to understand patterns of plant distribution and abundance, and help establish strategies for environmental conservation. We evaluated the role of two different dispersers, the ant Atta laevigata and the maned wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus, in the germination of Copaifera arenicola seeds, a characteristically myrmecochorous plant species. Germination was evaluated for seeds subjected to four treatments: (1) seeds manipulated by the ant, (2) seeds ingested by the maned wolf, (3) seeds that had the elaiosome removed manually, and (4) seeds with elaiosome (unmanipulated seeds). Seeds manipulated by the ant and seeds that had the elaiosome removed manually required less time to germinate and had higher germination percentages (98.6% and 95.8%, respectively) than the other treatments. However, seeds ingested by the maned wolf also had a high germination percentage (87.7%), above that of unmanipulated seeds (34.7%). Probably, elaiosomes of unmanipulated seeds and small remnants of this structure that resist digestion by maned wolf can decrease to some extent seed germination. We argue that dispersal of C. arenicola seeds by the ant and by the maned wolf result in different patterns of seed distribution in the environment and that they have complementary roles in structuring plant populations.

Abstract The arboreal essences Clitoria fairchildiana, Piptadenia gonoacantha and Schizolobium parahyba were analyzed by chemical prospection besides NMR (1H and or 13C) spectral analysis of the fractions from methanolic extracts of the healthy wood and after exposure on natural woodborer beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae e Platypodidae) habitat. The NMR spectral analysis did not show chemical difference of the woods extracts on the both experimental conditions. C. fairchildiana had more woodborer beetles incidence. Only the high concentration of tannins and phenols on both other species was used to make a relationship among chemical differences on natural classes of compounds and the woodborer beetles incidence.

Resumo As essências arbóreas Clitoria fairchildiana, Piptadenia gonoacantha e Schizolobium parahyba foram analisadas através de prospecção química do extrato metanólico das madeiras com auxílio da análise com RMN de frações do extrato das madeiras sadias e expostas às condições naturais de ataque por insetos xilófagos (Coleoptera: Scolytidae e Platypodidae). A comparação dos espectros de RMN (1H por 13C) não revelou diferença na composição química da madeira nas duas condições experimentais. A menor concentração de taninos e fenóis em C. fairchildiana e alta ocorrência nas outras espécies, foi o único parâmetro químico que justifica a maior incidência de insetos degradadores nesta espécie.