Gradientes ambientais e efeito de borda não afetam aspectos da história de vida e características funcionais de uma planta neotropical

Abstract

When natural areas are fragmented, edge formation occurs. In these areas, which are subject to disturbances and disorders, plants tend to occupy specific microhabitats that offer optimal conditions for obtaining resources. Sunlight differences are one of the main factors affecting the performance and distribution of some species, and may cause functional and phenotypic changes during the development of plants. In addition to morphological changes, differences in sunlight exposure may also represent an increase or decrease in the stress level of plant species. In this study we investigated how environmental gradients affect the occurrence, phenotypic, nutritional characteristics and phenology of Banisteriopsis malifolia, as well as the ecological interactions with the associated fauna. The work was carried out in a Cerrado reserve area located in the city of Uberlândia. We delineate four transects from the edge of the reserve's main trail into the forest. There were 649 plants found, however, the abundance of the individuals did not present significant statistical differences according to the transects and distance from the border. Among all variables examined in B. malifolia: structural complexity, fluctuating asymmetry, leaf area, specific foliar mass, number of floral buds and herbivory, none showed significant variations according to the vegetation cover (canopy of neighboring trees,%) and the distance from the edge. The results suggest that for this species, in this area, there were no significant changes in environmental conditions and access to different resources for this specie.