Abstract

ARREDONDO-AMEZCUA, Libertad; LOPEZ-TOLEDO, Leonel  and  IBARRA-MANRIQUEZ, Guillermo. Dispersal spectrum of woody flora in Neotropical dry forests. Bot. sci [online]. 2015, vol.93, n.1, pp.143-152. ISSN 2007-4476.  https://doi.org/10.17129/botsci.233.

Through a bibliographic and herbarium review, an analysis was conducted of the dispersal spectrum of woody plants in various locations of the tropical deciduous forest of America. Our aim was to determine whether modifications to the dispersal spectrum exist among different floristic groups, particularly in the floristic checklist or within plots of 0.1 ha. The degree of similarity among dispersal spectra was estimated, considering the number of species or individuals. At the local scale, percentages of dispersal syndromes did not differ among the flora obtained by sampling, but the dispersal syndromes differed significantly from each other. At the Neotropical level, the dispersal syndromes of three floras also differed significantly. At plot level, different sites also differed significantly in terms of dispersal syndromes and in syndrome-site interactions. This result persisted on analysis of different growth forms or when considering abundance. Inter-site differences were not explained by latitude or climatic variables. At both local and Neotropical levels, the differences were more evident in terms of growth form, since trees and lianas were more zoochorous and anemochorous, respectively. This study demonstrates the complexity of dispersal in woody species of the tropical deciduous forest, and further studies should explore the influence of spatial scale, as well as proximal and historic factors.

Keywords : Chamela; dispersal syndromes; lianas; trees.

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