Small-scale patterning in the recruitment of forest species during succession in tropical dry forest, Mozambique

Dry forests are among the most threatened ecosystems and have been extensively converted into grasslands, secondary forest, savanna or agricultural land. Knowledge of seed germination and seedling establishment is required for the success of efforts on restoration of these forests. This review focuses on the ecological requirements at seed and seedling stages, and collates the current knowledge of seed viability, dormancy, germination pattern and seedling behaviour of dry tropical tree species. The spatio-temporal variations within the tropical dry forest biome in soil moisture, light, temperature, nutrients and intensity of predation, significantly affect the seed and seedling traits of component species. The majority of dry tropical species possess orthodox seeds which are characterized by dormancy, while a few have recalcitrant seeds which possess little or no dormancy. Seed coat dormancy, which can be overcome by mechanical or acid scarification or sometimes by transit through animal guts, is most prevalent in the dry tropical forest species. Persistent species dominating the undisturbed portions of the forest have bigger seeds compared to those that mostly occur in disturbed regions and require shade for the survival of their seedlings. Shade demand is associated with drought endurance, and may be absolute in species such as Guettarda parviflora and Coccoloba microstachya, or facultative as in Plumeria alba and Bursera simaruba. The fluctuation in temperature significantly affects seed germination in several species of dry Afromontane forest trees of Ethiopia. Seedling mortality is primarily a function of moisture stress during the dry period. Adaptive responses of seedlings to drought stress include increased chlorophyll content, for example in Acacia catechu, and root biomass, as in several dry forest species (for example Drypetes parvifolia, Teclia verdoornia) of Ghana. Mulching, application of fertilizers, interplanting of leguminous species and mycorrhizal inoculation are useful tools for promoting seedling establishment in nutrient-poor dry tropical soils. Periodic forest fires, and predation affect recruitment and seedling development according to their intensity. Many species experiencing frequent fires have evolved thick seed coats, produce fire-hardy seedlings, or escape the effect by temporal separation of seed dispersal and fire events. Predation may result in abortion of fruits or may enhance germination and recruitment by scarification and dispersal, as in most species of the Guanacaste dry forest. Exposure to elevated CO2 has increased relative growth rate, total leaf area and water use efficiency in most of the dry tropical seedlings tested, but the magnitude of the effect has varied markedly among species. Due to the availability of a large source of energy, large seeds show higher germination percentage, greater seedling survival and increased growth. Seeds originating from different provenances exhibit differences in germination and seedling growth (for example Prosopis cineraria, Albizia lebbeck, Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Acacia mangium), efficiency of nodulation (for example Acacia nilotica, A. auriculiformis), and stress resistance (for example Populus deltoides, Dalbergia sissoo). The review points out the need for coordinated, long-term, field-based studies for identification of multiple cues and niches for germination, on seed and seedling dynamics in response to fire, and on within-species genetic variability for selection of suitable provenances. Field-based studies at species and community levels are also needed to permit manipulations of biotic components to augment the recruitment of desired species and to suppress that of undesirable species.

Flowering phenology, growth forms, and pollination syndromes in tropical dry forest species: Influence of phylogeny and abiotic factors

American Journal of Botany ◽

10.3732/ajb.1600305 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 104 (1) ◽

pp. 39-49 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Jorge Cortés-Flores ◽

Karen Beatriz Hernández-Esquivel ◽

Antonio González-Rodríguez ◽

Guillermo Ibarra-Manríquez

Keyword(s):

Abiotic Factors ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Flowering Phenology ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Growth Forms ◽

Forest Species ◽

Pollination Syndromes

Traits and trade-offs of wood anatomy between trunks and branches in tropical dry forest species

Trees ◽

10.1007/s00468-019-01931-5 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (2) ◽

pp. 497-505 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Esperanza Pulido-Rodríguez ◽

René López-Camacho ◽

Juliana Tórres ◽

Eduard Velasco ◽

Beatriz Salgado-Negret

Keyword(s):

Wood Anatomy ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Forest Species ◽

Trade Offs

Different heights of resprouting by trees: Response to small-scale environmental restrictions in a non-fire-prone Caatinga tropical dry forest

Forest Ecology and Management ◽

10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119541 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 498 ◽

pp. 119541

Author(s):

Cléber R. Souza ◽

Fernanda M. Gianasi ◽

Vinícius A. Maia ◽

André Maciel da Silva ◽

Wilder B. Silva ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Small Scale

Wood density, deposits and mineral inclusions of successional tropical dry forest species

European Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1007/s10342-019-01236-9 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 139 (3) ◽

pp. 369-381

Author(s):

Eunice Romero ◽

Raymundo Dávalos-Sotelo ◽

Jorge A. Meave ◽

Teresa Terrazas

Keyword(s):

Wood Density ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Forest Species ◽

Mineral Inclusions

Climate variability, tree increment patterns and ENSO-related carbon sequestration reduction of the tropical dry forest species Loxopterygium huasango of Southern Ecuador

Trees ◽

10.1007/s00468-016-1362-0 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 1245-1258 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Susanne Spannl ◽

Franziska Volland ◽

Darwin Pucha ◽

Thorsten Peters ◽

Eduardo Cueva ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Carbon Sequestration ◽

Climate Variability ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Forest Species ◽

Southern Ecuador ◽

Tree Increment

Survival, growth and photosynthesis analysis of native forest species established in the tropical dry forest in Antioquia, Colombia

Revista Facultad Nacional de Agronomía Medellín ◽

10.15446/rfnam.v72n1.69575 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 72 (1) ◽

pp. 8751-8761 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Nora Isabel Bravo Baeza ◽

Luis Fernando Osorio Vélez ◽

Felipe Bravo Oviedo ◽

Enrique Martínez Bustamante

Keyword(s):

Statistical Significance ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Net Photosynthesis ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Native Forest ◽

Cedrela Odorata ◽

Forest Species ◽

Dry Period ◽

Rainy Period

The tropical dry forest (TDF) is one of the most affected ecosystems by anthropic activities in the world; so, it is necessary to study the dynamics of its ecosystem in order to restore it. With the aim of determining the survival, development, and photosynthetic behaviors of forest species at a young age, a field study was performed using three species Cedrela odorata L. (Spanish cedar), Pachira quinata (Jacq.) W.S. Alverson (red ceiba) and Ochroma pyramidale (Cav. ex Lam.) Urb. (balsa) species. Field data were collected in different periods whose climatic conditions were: dry period (S.0), first rainy period (Ll.1), first dry period (S.1), second rainy period (Ll. 2), and second dry period (S.2). The total height (H) and the root collar diameter (RCD) were measured repeatedly, and two harvests were made to measure dry weight. Besides, photosynthetic performance and its effect on the species development species during three contrasting rainfall periods was evaluated by measuring photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), stomatal conductance (gs), intercellular carbon (Cint), net photosynthesis (NP), transpiration (trans), efficient water use (EWU) and efficient light use (ELU) from 8:00 and 17:00 h during the day. Analysis of variance was performed obtaining significant differences (P<0.05) in the interaction time×species regarding variables H and RCD, and the photosynthetic variable NP. The gs and trans variables showed statistical significance with the species and rainfall periods; Cint was significant only for the rainfall periods. The species O. pyramidale presented the best survival and tolerance to weather by adapting physiological mechanisms, while C. odorata was the most affected species by climatic conditions concerning overall survival.

Structural aspects and floristic similarity among tropical dry forest fragments with different management histories in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil

Revista Árvore ◽

10.1590/s0100-67622011000100016 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 131-142 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Daniel Meira Arruda ◽

Diego Oliveira Brandão ◽

Fernanda Vieira Costa ◽

Gláucia Soares Tolentino ◽

Reinaldo Duque Brasil ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Minas Gerais ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Small Scale ◽

Forest Fragments ◽

Floristic Similarity ◽

Useful Knowledge ◽

Structural Differences ◽

Negative Impacts ◽

Structural Aspects

In order to produce useful knowledge to the initiatives of protection and management of forest fragments, more specifically for tropical dry forests which suffer with frequent anthropic activities, and due to the lack of specific studies, this article aimed describe the structure and the floristic similarity among three areas of dry forest with different management histories. The study was developed in Capitão Enéas municipality, Northern Minas Gerais, Brazil, where three fragments were evaluated, being one in regeneration for 30 years, another submitted to occasional fire and the third with selective cut in small scale. The sampling was developed through the point quarter method considering all the alive phanerophyte individuals with circumference at breast height (CBH) > 15 cm. In the three fragments, 512 individuals, distributed in 60 species, 47 genera, and 23 families were sampled. The most representative families were Fabaceae (26), Anacardiaceae (4), Bignoniaceae (3) and Combretaceae (3). However, fourteen families were represented by only one species. Only eight species were common to all fragments - Myracrodruon urundeuva standed out with 26.9% of all sampled individuals - while a great number of species were exclusive of each fragment. The floristic and structural differences between the fragments are possibly related to the history and intensity of management in each area besides the topography variations and the presence or absence of limestone outcrops. These results show the importance of each fragment, indicating that the loss of anyone would cause negative impacts on the regional flora and consequently to the associated biodiversity.