Polinização por morcegos Glossophaginae versus Phyllostominae em floresta de terra firme na Amazonia Central

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2000

RESUMO

The aim of this study is to contrast attributes between plants pollinated by Glossophaginae and Phyllostominae bats in the "terra-fmne" Amazonian forest. The study was conducted in three habitats: "floresta de baixio" (BAl), "floresta de platô" (PLA) and "floresta de vertente" (VER). Thirty four individuaIs of bat-pollinated plants belonging to nine tree species were recorded throughout one year in 14.8 ha, half of them being pollinated by Glossophaginae and half by Phyllostominae. Five species in two genera, Caryocar and Parida, were mainly pollinated by Phyllostominae. Glossophaginae were pollen vectors of the other four species, in the genera Caryocar, Lecythis, Eperua and Couepia. Density of Phyllostominae-pollinated species was higher in PLA but density of Glossophaginae-pollinated species was higher in BAl and lower in PLA. In VER the density was similar between the two groups of bat-pollinated plants. Trees pollinated by Glossophaginae were smaller and presented smaller canopies and trunk diameters than those pollinated by Phyllostominae bats. Phyllostominae-pollinated trees occupied the upper canopy profile than the Glossophaginae-pollinated ones. However, allometric relationships for canopy diameter, trunk diameter and height did not indicate differences in shape between trees pollinated by Glossophaginae and Phyllostominae bats. The "cornucopia" phenological strategy was found among the Phyllostominae-pollinated species, as well as among the Glossophaginae-pollinated ones in PLA. The "steady state" flowering pattern was recorded for plants pollinated by Glossophaginae in BAl. Blossoms visited by Phyllostominae have radial symmetry, whereas flowers pollinated by Glossophaginae are mainly zygomorphic. Total nectar volume per blossom was much lower for Glossophaginaepollinated flowers than for those pollinated by Phyllostominae. However, nectar sugar concentration was slightly higher for species pollinated by Glossophaginae than for species pollinated by other group. The quantities of blossoms and nectar produced by the bat-pollinated trees at the study site varied as a function of the tree and the blossom sizes. Canopy diameter and mean blossom biomass directly and/or indirectly affected the number of inflorescences per tree, the mean number of blossoms per inflorescence, the total number of blossoms produced per tree, the mean number of open blossoms per night and the mean nectar volume per blossom. Lonchophylla thomasi (Glossophaginae) and Phyllostomus disc%r (phyllostominae) were the pollinators for the studied bat-pollinated plants. The Glossophaginae foraged alone or in pairs, and hovered while approaching flowers and drinking nectar. In contrast, visits by Ph. disc%r were typically in flocks of 5-30 individuaIs. These latter bats clung on the inflorescences and/or branches while visiting flowers. Visits of Potos flavus (procyonidae) and Ca/uromys philander (Didelphidae) were also recorded to Phyllostominae-pollinated blossoms. Differences found between species pollinated by Phyllostominae and those pollinated by Glossophaginae, at the study site, support the occurrence of two categories of neotropical plants which use bats as pollen vectors

ASSUNTO(S)

ammazonia morcego polinização

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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