Wings, feathers and sequins: How is the fruiting of anemochorous species in a cerrado site, according to the diaspore type?

Abstract

Winged and plumed seeds tend to be dispersed during the dry periods. These different dispersal units have been analyzed in a combined way in the scientific literature and the seasonal patterns commonly registered may be hiding relevant ecological information. The present work aimed to investigate the fruiting seasonality of anemochorous species of the cerrado according to the type of dispersal unit. In a cerrado community in São Paulo, 108 wind-dispersed species were registered. When analyzing all anemochoric species, the proportion of species fruiting was not uniformly distributed throughout the year. Fruiting peak of winged- and plumed-diaspore species occurred in September, while the dust-diaspore species peaked in April. In open vegetations, where plumed-seed herbs predominate, as the studied community, fruiting tends to be more seasonal and oriented to dry months than the fruiting of anemochorous species in rain forests.

Keywords: phenology, cerrado, wind-dispersal