Phenology and phylogeny of animal-dispersed plants in a Dry Chaco forest (Argentina)

• Published in: Journal of arid environments Vol. 52; no. 1; pp. 1 - 16
• Main Authors: Marco, Diana E, Paez, Sergio A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier 01.09.2002
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; environmental factors; fruits; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; perennials; phenology; phylogeny; Plants and fungi; rain; shrubs; solar radiation; trees; tropical forests; Argentina; South America; America; Climate; Seeds; Genetic variability; Tropical zone; Insolation; Environmental factor; Tropical dry forest; Tropical forest; Phylogeny; Ecophysiology; Dispersion; Semi arid zone; Phenology; Dissemination; Tree; Flowering; Atmospheric precipitation; Zoochory; Small tree; Fructification
• ISSN: 0140-1963; 1095-922X
• DOI: 10.1016/s0140-1963(02)90976-6

Phenological patterns of dry tropical forests have been related to environmental factors, mainly rainfall and insolation, and to plant endogenous rhythms inherent to trees as large, perennial plants. Superimposed to these environmental (‘external hypothesis’) and intrinsic (‘endogenous hypothesis’) explanations, there may be phylogenetic constraints contributing to shape phenology. The phenology of tree and shrub species with fleshy fruits in a Dry Chaco forest in Argentina was studied addressing these hypotheses and following two approaches, with the species average values taken as independent data points, and removing phylogenetic effects. The hypotheses addressed are largely complementary to one another. Strong environmental restrictions conditioned general flowering patterns with species endogenous characteristics acting secondarily. Phylogenetic patterns were also masked by climatic variables. When considering fruiting phenology, however, phylogeny, representing a set of species shared traits, predominated over environmental restrictions.