Abstract
Tachigalia versicolor (Leguminosae: Caesalpinoideae) is a monocarpic canopy tree species on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. For the weighted average of 2 trees, percentage of offspring surviving from dispersed seed to germination, 1 yr, and 2 yr was 30, 7.2, and 4.3% respectively. The large seeds (500-600 mg) suffered greater mortality in absolute numbers than did seedlings. Major mortality agents of seeds were bruchid beetles (Amblycerus tachygaliae) and terrestrial vertebrates, while vertebrate herbivores and damping-off fungi killed seedlings. Seeding survival and growth were enhanced under canopies of dying T. versicolor adults, relative to under canopies of living conspecific and nonconspecific adults. Most 2-yr-old seedlings occurred within 0-40 m from the parent trees, reflecting the original peak of the distribution of wind-dispersed seeds. Few seedlings persisted beyond 40 m. Seedling survival in the first 2 mo was higher in shaded understory due to higher vertebrate herbivory in sun. Seedling growth and survival beyond 2 mo was higher in light-gaps. T. versicolor seedlings exhibited a wide range in maximum net photosynthetic rate when grown in contrasting light conditions, and could acclimate to sudden increase in light level by means of morphological and physiological adjustments of newly developed leaves. Relative to nonmonocarpic wind-dispersed tree species in the same community, T. versicolor ranks near the top in its seed mass, dispersal capability, photosynthetic flexibility to contrasting light conditions, and probability of seedling survival in the shaded understory through 1 yr. These characterstics enable T. versicolor to establish large numbers of seedlings. -from Authors
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1102-1114 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Ecology |
| Volume | 70 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 1989 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cite this
Seed and seedling ecology of a monocarpic tropical tree, Tachigalia versicolor. / Kitajima, K.; Augspurger, Carol K.
In: Ecology, Vol. 70, No. 4, 01.01.1989, p. 1102-1114.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Seed and seedling ecology of a monocarpic tropical tree, Tachigalia versicolor
AU - Kitajima, K.
AU - Augspurger, Carol K
PY - 1989/1/1
Y1 - 1989/1/1
N2 - Tachigalia versicolor (Leguminosae: Caesalpinoideae) is a monocarpic canopy tree species on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. For the weighted average of 2 trees, percentage of offspring surviving from dispersed seed to germination, 1 yr, and 2 yr was 30, 7.2, and 4.3% respectively. The large seeds (500-600 mg) suffered greater mortality in absolute numbers than did seedlings. Major mortality agents of seeds were bruchid beetles (Amblycerus tachygaliae) and terrestrial vertebrates, while vertebrate herbivores and damping-off fungi killed seedlings. Seeding survival and growth were enhanced under canopies of dying T. versicolor adults, relative to under canopies of living conspecific and nonconspecific adults. Most 2-yr-old seedlings occurred within 0-40 m from the parent trees, reflecting the original peak of the distribution of wind-dispersed seeds. Few seedlings persisted beyond 40 m. Seedling survival in the first 2 mo was higher in shaded understory due to higher vertebrate herbivory in sun. Seedling growth and survival beyond 2 mo was higher in light-gaps. T. versicolor seedlings exhibited a wide range in maximum net photosynthetic rate when grown in contrasting light conditions, and could acclimate to sudden increase in light level by means of morphological and physiological adjustments of newly developed leaves. Relative to nonmonocarpic wind-dispersed tree species in the same community, T. versicolor ranks near the top in its seed mass, dispersal capability, photosynthetic flexibility to contrasting light conditions, and probability of seedling survival in the shaded understory through 1 yr. These characterstics enable T. versicolor to establish large numbers of seedlings. -from Authors
AB - Tachigalia versicolor (Leguminosae: Caesalpinoideae) is a monocarpic canopy tree species on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. For the weighted average of 2 trees, percentage of offspring surviving from dispersed seed to germination, 1 yr, and 2 yr was 30, 7.2, and 4.3% respectively. The large seeds (500-600 mg) suffered greater mortality in absolute numbers than did seedlings. Major mortality agents of seeds were bruchid beetles (Amblycerus tachygaliae) and terrestrial vertebrates, while vertebrate herbivores and damping-off fungi killed seedlings. Seeding survival and growth were enhanced under canopies of dying T. versicolor adults, relative to under canopies of living conspecific and nonconspecific adults. Most 2-yr-old seedlings occurred within 0-40 m from the parent trees, reflecting the original peak of the distribution of wind-dispersed seeds. Few seedlings persisted beyond 40 m. Seedling survival in the first 2 mo was higher in shaded understory due to higher vertebrate herbivory in sun. Seedling growth and survival beyond 2 mo was higher in light-gaps. T. versicolor seedlings exhibited a wide range in maximum net photosynthetic rate when grown in contrasting light conditions, and could acclimate to sudden increase in light level by means of morphological and physiological adjustments of newly developed leaves. Relative to nonmonocarpic wind-dispersed tree species in the same community, T. versicolor ranks near the top in its seed mass, dispersal capability, photosynthetic flexibility to contrasting light conditions, and probability of seedling survival in the shaded understory through 1 yr. These characterstics enable T. versicolor to establish large numbers of seedlings. -from Authors
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0024878915&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0024878915&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2307/1941379
DO - 10.2307/1941379
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0024878915
VL - 70
SP - 1102
EP - 1114
JO - Ecology
JF - Ecology
SN - 0012-9658
IS - 4
ER -