Loss of native vegetation cover is thought to be a major driver of declines in pollination success worldwide. However, it is not well known whether reducing the fragmentation of remaining vegetation can ameliorate these negative effects. We tested the independent effects of composition vs. configuration on the reproductive success of a keystone tropical forest herb (Heliconia tortuosa). To do t...

and deterministic processes regulate spatio-temporal variation in seed bank diversity" (2012). USDA Forest Service / UNL Faculty Publications. Paper 231. Abstract Question: Seed banks often serve as reservoirs of taxonomic and genetic diversity that buffer plant populations and influence post-disturbance vegetation trajectories; yet evaluating their importance requires understanding how their c...

Given current accelerated trends of tropical land conversion, forest fragments are being incorporated into many conservation programs. For investing in fragments to be a viable conservation strategy, forest fragments must maintain their ecological integrity over the long term. Based on fieldwork in 22 forest fragments in the crater lakes region of western Uganda and in the continuous forest of ...

Due to the nutritional content and commercial value of its seeds, Bertholletia excelsa is one of the most important species exploited in the Amazon region. The species is hermaphroditic, insect pollinated, and its seeds are dispersed by barochory and animals. Because the fruit set is dependent on natural pollinator activity, gene flow plays a key role in fruit production. However, to date, ther...

Pre-dispersal seed predation (PDSP) is commonly observed in woody plants, and recognized as a driver of seed production variability that is critical for successful regeneration. Earlier studies on PDSP and its determinants were mostly species specific, with community-level PDSP rarely estimated; and the interactions between the temporal variability of seed production and PDSP remain elusive. In...

The three primate species of Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica (Ateles geoffroyi, Alouatta palliata, Cebus capucinus) have diets in which fruits are major components. All three primate species defecated seeds of many fruiting species; the majority of which (60%) germinated under experimental conditions. The sampling of seed traps placed throughout he forest indicated that, on average, 392 la...

Contents 1. Introduction 2. The unique character of forestry planting stock 2.1 Nursery-cultured planting stock 2.2 Wildings 3. The role of forest nurseries in forest management 4. Does the nursery affect the planting stock? 5. Types of nurseries 5.1 Bareroot nurseries 5.2 Container nurseries 5.3 A combination of container and bareroot nursery culture 6. Establishing a new nursery 6.1 Economic ...