Effects of landscape disturbance on seed germination of Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Fabaceae) in Brazilian seasonally tropical dry forest: Are seeds a sensitive biomarker of environmental stress?

Habitat disturbance of native forests is currently the major threat to biodiversity conservation. Plant species can be negatively affected as a result of landscape conversion; thus, it is essential to detect the potential effects of environmental stress on plant performance using reliable bioindicat...

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Main Authors: Isabela Botelho Cardoso, Marina do Vale Beirão, Pablo Cuevas-Reyes, Yurixhi Maldonado-López, Joan Sebastian Aguilar-Peralta, Patrícia de Abreu Moreira
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2021-06-01
Series:Ecological Indicators
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X21001163
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author Isabela Botelho Cardoso
Marina do Vale Beirão
Pablo Cuevas-Reyes
Yurixhi Maldonado-López
Joan Sebastian Aguilar-Peralta
Patrícia de Abreu Moreira
author_facet Isabela Botelho Cardoso
Marina do Vale Beirão
Pablo Cuevas-Reyes
Yurixhi Maldonado-López
Joan Sebastian Aguilar-Peralta
Patrícia de Abreu Moreira
author_sort Isabela Botelho Cardoso
collection DOAJ
description Habitat disturbance of native forests is currently the major threat to biodiversity conservation. Plant species can be negatively affected as a result of landscape conversion; thus, it is essential to detect the potential effects of environmental stress on plant performance using reliable bioindicators of quick, cheap diagnosis. Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) describes the degree of the random differences in shape and size among two sides of a bilateral trait of the organisms and reflects the developmental instability of an organism, so we can use it to predict the effects on plant fitness. We evaluated the land-use change stress on seed FA levels, seed germination, and the subsequent seedling development of seed produced by trees that occur in an anthropized and a preserved area of seasonally tropical dry forests (STDF) in Brazil. We sampled 10 ten reproductive trees of Enterolobium contortisiliquum of each landscape condition, and then, 100 seeds per each tree were collected. Additionally, 50 seeds were randomly selected for each tree to determine plant fitness. Despite, we found no true FA in the community, the anthropized area had a lower seed nutritional quality and percentage of germination, and higher germination time of seeds produced than in preserved areas. The dry weight of the aerial part of seedlings did not differ between areas. However, root dry weight and total dry weight were higher in seedlings developed from seeds of anthropized than in preserved areas. Our findings show that seeds of E. contortisiliquum are not a sensitive biomarker to detect full stress conditions of habitat disturbance. However, we demonstrate that habitat disturbance negatively affects plant fitness, decreasing germination percentage, and nutritional quality, and increasing germination time. This fact has potential consequences on recruitment, establishment and survival of E. contortisiliquum in regenerating areas of STDF’s in Brazil.
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spelling doaj.art-996307aaaef24bacb78b8b5b286fce772022-12-21T20:34:04ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2021-06-01125107451Effects of landscape disturbance on seed germination of Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Fabaceae) in Brazilian seasonally tropical dry forest: Are seeds a sensitive biomarker of environmental stress?Isabela Botelho Cardoso0Marina do Vale Beirão1Pablo Cuevas-Reyes2Yurixhi Maldonado-López3Joan Sebastian Aguilar-Peralta4Patrícia de Abreu Moreira5Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Departamento de Evolução, Biodiversidade e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto – UFOP, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, BrazilPrograma de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Departamento de Evolução, Biodiversidade e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto – UFOP, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, BrazilLaboratorio de Ecología de Interacciones Bióticas, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Francisco J. Mújica S/N Col. Felicitas del Río, Ciudad Universitaria, Morelia C.P. 58030, Michoacán, MexicoCátedras CONACYT-Instituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos Naturales, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Av. San Juanito Itzícuaro S/N, Nueva Esperanza, Morelia C.P. 58030, Michoacán, MexicoLaboratorio de Ecología de Interacciones Bióticas, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Francisco J. Mújica S/N Col. Felicitas del Río, Ciudad Universitaria, Morelia C.P. 58030, Michoacán, MexicoPrograma de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Departamento de Evolução, Biodiversidade e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto – UFOP, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Corresponding author at: Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (UFOP), Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas (ICEB), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, 35400.000 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil.Habitat disturbance of native forests is currently the major threat to biodiversity conservation. Plant species can be negatively affected as a result of landscape conversion; thus, it is essential to detect the potential effects of environmental stress on plant performance using reliable bioindicators of quick, cheap diagnosis. Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) describes the degree of the random differences in shape and size among two sides of a bilateral trait of the organisms and reflects the developmental instability of an organism, so we can use it to predict the effects on plant fitness. We evaluated the land-use change stress on seed FA levels, seed germination, and the subsequent seedling development of seed produced by trees that occur in an anthropized and a preserved area of seasonally tropical dry forests (STDF) in Brazil. We sampled 10 ten reproductive trees of Enterolobium contortisiliquum of each landscape condition, and then, 100 seeds per each tree were collected. Additionally, 50 seeds were randomly selected for each tree to determine plant fitness. Despite, we found no true FA in the community, the anthropized area had a lower seed nutritional quality and percentage of germination, and higher germination time of seeds produced than in preserved areas. The dry weight of the aerial part of seedlings did not differ between areas. However, root dry weight and total dry weight were higher in seedlings developed from seeds of anthropized than in preserved areas. Our findings show that seeds of E. contortisiliquum are not a sensitive biomarker to detect full stress conditions of habitat disturbance. However, we demonstrate that habitat disturbance negatively affects plant fitness, decreasing germination percentage, and nutritional quality, and increasing germination time. This fact has potential consequences on recruitment, establishment and survival of E. contortisiliquum in regenerating areas of STDF’s in Brazil.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X21001163Seed fluctuating asymmetryLand-use changeSeed germinationTropical dry forest
spellingShingle Isabela Botelho Cardoso
Marina do Vale Beirão
Pablo Cuevas-Reyes
Yurixhi Maldonado-López
Joan Sebastian Aguilar-Peralta
Patrícia de Abreu Moreira
Effects of landscape disturbance on seed germination of Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Fabaceae) in Brazilian seasonally tropical dry forest: Are seeds a sensitive biomarker of environmental stress?
Ecological Indicators
Seed fluctuating asymmetry
Land-use change
Seed germination
Tropical dry forest
title Effects of landscape disturbance on seed germination of Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Fabaceae) in Brazilian seasonally tropical dry forest: Are seeds a sensitive biomarker of environmental stress?
title_full Effects of landscape disturbance on seed germination of Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Fabaceae) in Brazilian seasonally tropical dry forest: Are seeds a sensitive biomarker of environmental stress?
title_fullStr Effects of landscape disturbance on seed germination of Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Fabaceae) in Brazilian seasonally tropical dry forest: Are seeds a sensitive biomarker of environmental stress?
title_full_unstemmed Effects of landscape disturbance on seed germination of Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Fabaceae) in Brazilian seasonally tropical dry forest: Are seeds a sensitive biomarker of environmental stress?
title_short Effects of landscape disturbance on seed germination of Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Fabaceae) in Brazilian seasonally tropical dry forest: Are seeds a sensitive biomarker of environmental stress?
title_sort effects of landscape disturbance on seed germination of enterolobium contortisiliquum fabaceae in brazilian seasonally tropical dry forest are seeds a sensitive biomarker of environmental stress
topic Seed fluctuating asymmetry
Land-use change
Seed germination
Tropical dry forest
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X21001163
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