Abiotic drivers shape seed inputs and outputs in a tropical wetland on Croton trinitatis population

Background Predicting how natural and anthropogenic drivers shape different ecological indicators, such as plant populations along environmental gradients, can be a relevant tool for establishing management and conservation criteria of tropical wetlands. We aimed to assess the effects of seasonal fl...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecological processes Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 9
Main Authors: Bao, Francielli, Pott, Arnildo, Villa, Pedro Manuel
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 21.01.2022
Springer Nature B.V
SpringerOpen
Subjects:
Abiotic factors
adults
Anthropogenic factors
Brazil
Croton
Croton trinitatis
Distribution
Earth and Environmental Science
Ecological studies
Environment
Environmental filter
Environmental gradient
Flood disturbance
Floods
Germination
Grasslands
Interspecific relationships
Pantanal
Plant population
Plant populations
Ponds
Population
Population distribution
Population ecology
Predation
Seasonal change
Seasonal variations
Seasonality
Seed banks
Seed predation
Seedlings
Seeds
Shape
soil
topography
Tropical climate
Water levels
Wetlands
Pantanal
Brazil
Flood disturbance
Pantanal
Population ecology
Seedling
Seed predation
Soil seed bank
Environmental filter
Seasonal change
ISSN:2192-1709, 2192-1709
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Background Predicting how natural and anthropogenic drivers shape different ecological indicators, such as plant populations along environmental gradients, can be a relevant tool for establishing management and conservation criteria of tropical wetlands. We aimed to assess the effects of seasonal flood disturbance, type of grasslands and topographical conditions on Croton trinitatis population distribution in a tropical wetland. Methods The study was carried out in a seasonally flooded grassland (Central-West Brazil). We conducted samplings of soil on the dry and flood hydrophases of the Pantanal. We took the samples in eight seasonal ponds, with 1 km interval between them. Transects were marked during the flood period, observing the water level, one in the lowest zone, in the middle of the pond = low (ca. 60 cm deep), one at the pond edge = mid (ca. 30 cm deep) and one in the higher zone, on the external part = high (ca. 1 cm deep). Results The results showed that the topography, seasonality, and types of grassland determine differences in the abundance patterns of adult plants and seedlings, and seed bank and seed predation. The abiotic factors can shape plant population-related ecological processes and patterns, with outputs (germination and predation) and inputs (local dispersion and from neighbouring areas) of proportional seeds for the population maintenance in this environment. Conclusion We emphasize the importance of these findings, to show that abiotic factors are not the only ones to be considered in ecological studies of distribution and structuring of populations in habitats with extreme seasonal events.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 14
content type line 23
ISSN:2192-1709
2192-1709
DOI:10.1186/s13717-021-00353-x