Edge effect and phenology in Erythroxylum tortuosum (Erythroxylaceae), a typical plant of the Brazilian Cerrado
The edge of a forest fragment can be considered a zone of transition between the interior of the fragment and the surrounding habitat matrix. Plants along the edge are more exposed to disturbance and microclimate variation than interior plants, resulting in the so-called edge effect. In this study,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Instituto Internacional de Ecologia
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| Series: | Brazilian Journal of Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-69842012000300023&lng=en&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1818381630597758976 |
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| author | MN. Ishino PR. De Sibio MN. Rossi |
| author_facet | MN. Ishino PR. De Sibio MN. Rossi |
| author_sort | MN. Ishino |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The edge of a forest fragment can be considered a zone of transition between the interior of the fragment and the surrounding habitat matrix. Plants along the edge are more exposed to disturbance and microclimate variation than interior plants, resulting in the so-called edge effect. In this study, we compared leaf area, fluctuating asymmetry and chemical (water, nitrogen and tannins) leaf traits between Erythroxylum tortuosum plants inhabiting the edge with those growing in the interior of a cerrado fragment in Brazil. We also describe the temporal variation in the vegetative and reproductive phenological events of E. tortuosum plants throughout the season. Nitrogen, leaf area and fluctuating asymmetry did not differ between the two plant groups. Young leaves of the edge plants had significantly higher levels of tannins and lower levels of water than those of interior plants. We suggest that differences in leaf chemical concentrations between edge and interior plants may occur due to factors such as light intensity, wind, temperature and leaf age rather than plant stress. With respect to plant phenology, most reproductive events occurred during the spring. Leaf buds and young leaves prevailed during the rainy season. In the dry season, however, the vegetative events decreased due to leaf senescence followed by leaf abscission. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T02:37:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a57c8f40a7f54860821d0adfe7973cb3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1678-4375 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T02:37:38Z |
| publisher | Instituto Internacional de Ecologia |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brazilian Journal of Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-a57c8f40a7f54860821d0adfe7973cb32022-12-21T23:20:06ZengInstituto Internacional de EcologiaBrazilian Journal of Biology1678-437572358759410.1590/S1519-69842012000300023S1519-69842012000300023Edge effect and phenology in Erythroxylum tortuosum (Erythroxylaceae), a typical plant of the Brazilian CerradoMN. Ishino0PR. De Sibio1MN. Rossi2Universidade Estadual PaulistaUniversidade Estadual PaulistaUniversidade Federal de São PauloThe edge of a forest fragment can be considered a zone of transition between the interior of the fragment and the surrounding habitat matrix. Plants along the edge are more exposed to disturbance and microclimate variation than interior plants, resulting in the so-called edge effect. In this study, we compared leaf area, fluctuating asymmetry and chemical (water, nitrogen and tannins) leaf traits between Erythroxylum tortuosum plants inhabiting the edge with those growing in the interior of a cerrado fragment in Brazil. We also describe the temporal variation in the vegetative and reproductive phenological events of E. tortuosum plants throughout the season. Nitrogen, leaf area and fluctuating asymmetry did not differ between the two plant groups. Young leaves of the edge plants had significantly higher levels of tannins and lower levels of water than those of interior plants. We suggest that differences in leaf chemical concentrations between edge and interior plants may occur due to factors such as light intensity, wind, temperature and leaf age rather than plant stress. With respect to plant phenology, most reproductive events occurred during the spring. Leaf buds and young leaves prevailed during the rainy season. In the dry season, however, the vegetative events decreased due to leaf senescence followed by leaf abscission.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-69842012000300023&lng=en&tlng=enCerradoforest fragmentationphysical and chemical leaf traitsplant phenologyplant stress |
| spellingShingle | MN. Ishino PR. De Sibio MN. Rossi Edge effect and phenology in Erythroxylum tortuosum (Erythroxylaceae), a typical plant of the Brazilian Cerrado Brazilian Journal of Biology Cerrado forest fragmentation physical and chemical leaf traits plant phenology plant stress |
| title | Edge effect and phenology in Erythroxylum tortuosum (Erythroxylaceae), a typical plant of the Brazilian Cerrado |
| title_full | Edge effect and phenology in Erythroxylum tortuosum (Erythroxylaceae), a typical plant of the Brazilian Cerrado |
| title_fullStr | Edge effect and phenology in Erythroxylum tortuosum (Erythroxylaceae), a typical plant of the Brazilian Cerrado |
| title_full_unstemmed | Edge effect and phenology in Erythroxylum tortuosum (Erythroxylaceae), a typical plant of the Brazilian Cerrado |
| title_short | Edge effect and phenology in Erythroxylum tortuosum (Erythroxylaceae), a typical plant of the Brazilian Cerrado |
| title_sort | edge effect and phenology in erythroxylum tortuosum erythroxylaceae a typical plant of the brazilian cerrado |
| topic | Cerrado forest fragmentation physical and chemical leaf traits plant phenology plant stress |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-69842012000300023&lng=en&tlng=en |
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