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Habitat-dependent fruiting behaviour of an understorey tree, Miconia centrodesma, and tropical treefall gaps as keystone habitats for frugivores in Costa Rica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Douglas J. Levey
Douglas J. Levey
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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Abstract

Fruit production by an understorey tree, Miconia centrodesma, was monitored in treefall gaps and under intact canopy in a Costa Rican lowland rain forest. Trees in gaps displayed much less seasonality in fruit production than trees of intact forest sites. For example, ripe fruits were common on gap trees for a six month period (January-June) when few or no trees under intact canopy were in fruit. The frequent and aseasonal fruiting of gap trees demonstrates that they are not constrained by phenological cueing mechanisms; the influence of such cues is overridden by habitat. Trees in gaps also produced larger crops, had more extended fruiting episodes, and fruited more frequently than shaded conspecifics. This level of intraspecific variation in fruiting behaviour suggests that treefall gaps play an important role in determining the reproductive success of M. centrodesma. A substantial proportion of an individual's lifetime seed output may be produced during the brief period it occupies a gap. In addition, the large and continuous supply of fruits produced in gaps by M. centrodesma and other understorey plants, may mean that gaps function as ‘keystone habitats’ by providing resident frugivores with fruit during periods of general fruit scarcity.

Resumen

Se midió la producció de fruta del árbol del sotobosque, Miconia centrodesma, en árboles en claros y en árboles a la sombra del dosel intacto. La producción de frutos fué menos estacional en árboles en claros que en sitios de selva intacta. Los árboles en claros comúnmente tuvieron frutos maduros durante seis meses (enero-junio) durante los cuales pocos o ninguno de los árboles que se encontraban bajo el dosel tenía fruto. La fructificación frecuente y no estacional de los árboles en claros demuestra que éstos no están restringidos por mecanismos de contról fenológico; la influencia de estos mecanismos es menos importante que la que ejerce el habitat. Los árboles en claros produjeron cosechas mayores, tuvieron episodios de fructificación más prolongados, y fructificaron más frecuentemente que conespecíficos creciendo bajo la sombra. Este nivel de variatión intraespecifica en la fructificación sugiere que los claros producidos por árboles caídos juegan un papel importante en el éxito reproductive de M. centrodesma. Una fracción substancial de la producción vitalicia de semillas de un árbol puede ser producida durante el breve período que este árbol ocupa un claro. Adicionalmente, la abundante y continua oferta de frutos que M. centrodesma y otras plantas del sotobosque producen, puede querer decir que los claros actúan como ‘habitats-clave’ para frugivoros residentes durante períodos de escasez de fruta.

Keywords

Costa Ricafrugivoresfruitfruitingkeystone speciesMiconia centrodesmaphenologyseed dispersaltreefall gapstreelet
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 6 , Issue 4 , November 1990 , pp. 409 - 420
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

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