TITLE:
Is the Seed Dispersal Related to Spatial Pattern of Individuals in Populations? The Case of Dalbergia cearensis
AUTHORS:
Francisco Carlos Barboza Nogueira, Sebastião Medeiros Filho, Raquel Negrão Baldoni, Talita Ariela Sampaio e Silva
KEYWORDS:
Clusters, Patches, Spatial Pattern, Aggregation, SADIE System
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.5 No.20,
September
26,
2014
ABSTRACT: The
spatial distribution of plant species reveals how members of a population are
horizontally organized in the environment. Individuals at different development
stages can be influenced differently by abiotic and biotic factors because they
are temporally separated. This may cause changes in spatial patterns in
ontogenetic stages. The objectives of this study were to verify the pattern of
spatial distribution of saplings and adults in Dalbergia cearensis Ducke
and relate it to the pattern of seed dispersal. In two areas of 4.0 ha each,
located in a Private Natural Heritage Reserve (RPPN) “Não Me Deixes”, there
were counted all saplings and adults. This data were applied to the spatial
analysis by distance indices, using the software Sadie Shell, version 8.0. The
aggregation index (Ia) of adults was significant for both areas and showed
aggregated distribution. D. cearensis saplings showed an aggregated distribution in the area I and area II. The
dispersion distance was proportional for both areas, and the highest proportion
of seeds was 10 - 20 m away from the center of the aggregation. Spatial analysis by distance indices showed an aggregated spatial
distribution pattern for saplings and adults of D. cearensis.