Subsídios para o manejo da invasão biológica de uma palmeira em áreas de Mata Atlântica / Subsidies to ecological management of the biological invasion by a palm tree in Atlantic forest areas

AUTOR(ES)
FONTE

IBICT - Instituto Brasileiro de Informação em Ciência e Tecnologia

DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

30/08/2011

RESUMO

The introduction of alien species in natural habitats resulting in processes of biological invasions is one of the indirect human actions which nowadays threaten global biodiversity. Although bioinvasions usually cause huge negative impacts in the native biota, they are still little studied in the megadiverse tropical environments. The Australian palm tree Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, initially introduced for ornamental purposes, became an invader in remnant patches of the Atlantic forest, in São Paulo state. The substitution of A. cunninghamiana by the native palm Euterpe edulis has been proposed as a management action. The main objective of this study was to compare the first demographic stages of these two palm species, aiming at subsidizing the substitution of A. cunninghamiana in invaded forest patches. We performed experiments inside an urban Atlantic forest patch (Reserva Florestal do Instituto de Biociências, São Paulo/SP) impacted by the invasive species. Inside the fragment we assessed local seed rain (through seed traps distributed above soil level), seed longevity (performing a burying experiment) and seedling establishment (resulting from direct seed sowing) of both species. At laboratory, we tested both direct and indirect effects of the invasive species over E. edulis germination through combined experiments - species were put to germinate together - and by testing for the release of allelopathic substances from A. cunninghamiana leaves and fruits on leachate solutions. The invasive palm did not show any effect on E. edulis germination and seedling formation. Even so, the native palm showed lower performance at these stages, due to low germination and viability rates, and consequently little seedling formation, evidencing a demographic bottleneck. The seed rain composition indicated high propagule pressure of the invasive palm over the forest community, since more than 30% of the zoochorous seeds belonged to A. cunninghamiana. The longevity experiment showed transient seed banks for both species, what is advantageous for controlling the alien species but not for reintroducing the native palm through seed sowing. In the seed sowing experiment, seedling survival of both species together pointed to a much better performance of A. cunninghamiana. In conclusion, our results showed advantages of the invasive palm in the initial phases when co-occuring with E. edulis in the forest conditions. We then recommend management actions directed primarily to A. cunninghamiana reproductive individuals, as they provide high amounts of seeds that quickly establish.

ASSUNTO(S)

archontophoenix cunninghamiana atlantic forest biological invasion chuva de sementes estabelecimento de plântulas euterpe edulis germinação invasão biológica longevidade de sementes mata atlântica alelopatia allelopathy archontophoenix cunninghamiana

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