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Early establishment and survival of the neotropical dry deciduous forest tree Lysiloma microphyllum from mountainous Bajio Queretano, Mexico

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2017

José Guadalupe Hernández-Oria ,
Richard I. Yeaton Hawkins ,
Eduardo Castaño Tostado  and
Víctor L. Barradas
José Guadalupe Hernández-Oria
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología Funcional, Laboratorio de Interacción Planta Atmósfera, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. AP 70–275, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510México, D.F.
Richard I. Yeaton Hawkins
Affiliation:
Instituto de Investigación de Zonas Desérticas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Altair No. 200, Fraccionamiento del Llano, 78377, San Luis Potosí, México
Eduardo Castaño Tostado
Affiliation:
Departamento de Investigación y Posgrado en Alimentos, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas s/n, 76010, Querétaro, México
Víctor L. Barradas*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología Funcional, Laboratorio de Interacción Planta Atmósfera, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. AP 70–275, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510México, D.F.
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract:

The tropical dry deciduous forest (TDF) of the semi-arid region of Bajio in Mexico is dominated by successional communities, in which Lysiloma microphyllum is irregularly distributed, however the environmental factors influencing its establishment have been poorly studied. We conducted field experiments to isolate the impact of three factors on the early life-history stages of this tree. Over a 2-y period, we monitored the effects of (1) predation, (2) understorey light and (3) aspect on germination, seed-to-seedling transition (establishment) and seedling survival, and we found that open space negatively affected germination (14.9 ± 1.5% vs 96 ± 1.5% in shade; mean ± SE), while shade increased seedling establishment and survival (36.9 ± 8.2% vs 4.7 ± 3.8% in open sites). Predation decreased survival and was strongest in open conditions (0 vs 62.7 ± 9.4% in shaded exclosures). In contrast, aspect had little influence on germination and survival. The results suggest that shaded microsites positively affect the early life stages of L. microphyllum, a key process in TDF recovery.

Keywords

microhabitatmortalityseed germinationseedling establishmentsurvivalsecondary tropical dry deciduous forest
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 33 , Issue 3 , May 2017 , pp. 213 - 227
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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References

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