Efecto de parámetros ambientales y biológicos en la depredación pre-dispersiva de semillas de especies vegetales en bosques montanos tropicales

Abstract

Abstract: In this study, the pre-dispersal predation of seeds in montane forests of Ecuador and the influence of the intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics of the individuals were evaluated to i) determine how the characteristics of the plants affect the pre-dispersive predation and ii) evaluate how environmental characteristics affect pre-dispersive seed predation. During the sampling within the Bombuscaro and San Francisco Scientific Station study areas, fruiting plant individuals were collected, which are 10m apart from each other. For each individual, data on variables such as fruit length, number of fruits, total glucose, percentage of herbivores, fruit trees and total fruits were collected. Those related to predation were fruit length and total glucose; that is, the larger fruits and with lower glucose levels had a higher rate of predation; however, none of the extrinsic factors were related to predation. It was determined that four species presented levels higher than 80% of predated seeds before their dispersal.