The coast of the Gulf of Mexico is characterized as a region with high variation in climatic conditions and rich in drought-tolerant or subhumid species. Prosopis juliflora traits allow this species to take multiple benefits from human presence and thus operating as a human commensal. The quality of the seed dispersal service varies among livestock species, but this key mutualism between exotic species is due to the arillate, hard-coated and palatable seeds. This plant also benefits from seed deposition/dispersal by livestock in these landscapes, since cattle manure represents a nutrient-rich and humid substrate for both seeds and seedlings. Therefore, they benefit from the humid soils often present across human-disturbed flooding plains. Prosopis juliflora seeds and seedlings are sensitive to water stress and habitat desiccation. Prosopis juliflora seedling survival and life expectancy were higher in the case seeds were mixed with cattle manure. However, survival and life expectancy were higher in the flooding plain at 75 days and lower in the plateau. Survival rate was highest in the first 30 days and declined between 30 and 60 days with stabilization at 70 days after germination in all seed treatments and habitats. juliflora was dramatically reduced with few seedlings still alive elapsed a year. Seed dispersal by cattle and mule also positively impacted seed germination. Total seed germination was relatively low (14.5%), with the highest score among seeds buried in the flooding plain (47.4 ± 25.3%). Soils differed among habitats, particularly its nutrient availability, texture and water with finely-textured and more fertile soils in the flooding plain. Seeds and seedlings were monitored through a year and their performance examined with expectancy tables. Seeds were exposed to four seed dispersal methods: deposition on the soil surface, burial in the soil, passed through cattle (Boss taurus) digestive tracts and mixed with cattle manure and passed through mule (Equus africanus asinus × Equus ferus caballus) digestive tracts and mixed with mule manure. Seed germination, early seedling survival, life expectancy and soil attributes were examined in 10 plots located across three habitats (flooding plain, alluvial terrace and plateau) into a human-modified landscape of the Caatinga dry forest (a total of 12,000 seeds). Here we examine how seed dispersal ecology and soil conditions collectively affect seed germination, early seedling performance and consequently the P. As other invasive species, it may benefit from the soils and seed dispersal by livestock. (Fabales: Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae) was introduced in the Caatinga dry forest of Northeast Brazil at early 1940s and successfully spread across the region. When seeds were treated with H2SO4 for 20 minutes, germination percentages increased to 96% and 80% for mesquite and sweet acacia, respectively.īiological invasion is one of the main threats to tropical biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. In vivo germination percentages were 51% for mesquite and 6% for sweet acacia. Viability percentages (tetrazolium test) were 62% for mes-quite and 7% for sweet acacia. Te seeds of sweet acacia were oval-globose, green olive in color, 4.36 mm wide by 5.32 mm long, and an average weight of 0.44 g. Seeds of mesquite were fattened lozenge, brown-yellow in color, with an average size of 4.21 mm wide by 6.97 mm long and an average weight of 0.34 g. A morpho-metric analysis and studies of seed viability and germination in vivo and in vitro were conducted to know some characteristics related to the physiological quality of the seeds of these two species. As a result, it is necessary to conduct studies to produce seedlings for reforestation of degraded ecosystems. Te indiscriminate use and lack of a management plan have determined a much lower availability of these resources. They collect and store the dry pods to feed livestock, and stems are used to obtain fence posts and make charcoal. Species native to arid and semiarid regions of Mexico, including honeycreeper mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa Torr.) and sweet acacia (Vachellia farnesiana Wright), constitute a plant resource of great economic importance to the rural population.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |