Factors affecting establishment success of the endangered Caribbean cactus Harrisia portoricensis (Cactaceae)

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Main Author: Julissa Rojas-Sandoval
Format: Artículo científico
Language:en
Published: Universidad de Costa Rica 2012
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author Julissa Rojas-Sandoval
author_facet Julissa Rojas-Sandoval
contents Factors affecting establishment success of the endangered Caribbean cactus Harrisia portoricensis (Cactaceae) Julissa Rojas-Sandoval Elvia Meléndez-Ackerman Biología Mona Island nurse plants Columnar cactus seed germination seedling survival Early plant stages may be the most vulnerable within the life cycle of plants especially in arid ecosystems. Interference from exotic species may exacerbate this condition. We evaluated germination, seedling survival and growth in the endangered Caribbean cactus Harrisia portoricensis, as a function of sunlight exposure (i.e., growing under open and shaded areas), different shade providers (i.e., growing under two native shrubs and one exotic grass species), two levels of predation (i.e., exclusion and non-exclusion) and variable microenvironmental conditions (i.e., temperature, PAR, humidity). Field experiments demonstrated that suitable conditions for germination and establishment of H. portoricensis seedling are optimal in shaded areas beneath the canopy of established species, but experiments also demonstrated that the identity of the shade provider can have a significant influence on the outcome of these processes. Harrisia portoricensis seedlings had higher probabilities of survival and grew better (i.e., larger diameters) when they were transplanted beneath the canopy of native shrubs, than beneath the exotic grass species, where temperature and solar radiation values were on average much higher than those obtained under the canopies of native shrubs. We also detected that exclusion from potential predators did not increase seedling survival. Our combined results for H. portoricensis suggested that the modification of microenvironmental conditions by the exotic grass may lower the probability of recruitment and establishment of this endangered cactus species. 2012 artículo científico 0034-7744 https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=44923872028 en http://www.redalyc.org/revista.oa?id=449 Revista de Biología Tropical application/pdf Universidad de Costa Rica Revista de Biología Tropical (Costa Rica) Num.2 Vol.60
format Artículo científico
id redalyc_44923872028
institution Redalyc
language en
publishDate 2012
publisher Universidad de Costa Rica
spellingShingle Factors affecting establishment success of the endangered Caribbean cactus Harrisia portoricensis (Cactaceae)
Julissa Rojas-Sandoval
Biología
Mona Island
nurse plants
Columnar cactus
seed germination
seedling survival
Factors affecting establishment success of the endangered Caribbean cactus Harrisia portoricensis (Cactaceae) Julissa Rojas-Sandoval Elvia Meléndez-Ackerman Biología Mona Island nurse plants Columnar cactus seed germination seedling survival Early plant stages may be the most vulnerable within the life cycle of plants especially in arid ecosystems. Interference from exotic species may exacerbate this condition. We evaluated germination, seedling survival and growth in the endangered Caribbean cactus Harrisia portoricensis, as a function of sunlight exposure (i.e., growing under open and shaded areas), different shade providers (i.e., growing under two native shrubs and one exotic grass species), two levels of predation (i.e., exclusion and non-exclusion) and variable microenvironmental conditions (i.e., temperature, PAR, humidity). Field experiments demonstrated that suitable conditions for germination and establishment of H. portoricensis seedling are optimal in shaded areas beneath the canopy of established species, but experiments also demonstrated that the identity of the shade provider can have a significant influence on the outcome of these processes. Harrisia portoricensis seedlings had higher probabilities of survival and grew better (i.e., larger diameters) when they were transplanted beneath the canopy of native shrubs, than beneath the exotic grass species, where temperature and solar radiation values were on average much higher than those obtained under the canopies of native shrubs. We also detected that exclusion from potential predators did not increase seedling survival. Our combined results for H. portoricensis suggested that the modification of microenvironmental conditions by the exotic grass may lower the probability of recruitment and establishment of this endangered cactus species. 2012 artículo científico 0034-7744 https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=44923872028 en http://www.redalyc.org/revista.oa?id=449 Revista de Biología Tropical application/pdf Universidad de Costa Rica Revista de Biología Tropical (Costa Rica) Num.2 Vol.60
title Factors affecting establishment success of the endangered Caribbean cactus Harrisia portoricensis (Cactaceae)
topic Biología
Mona Island
nurse plants
Columnar cactus
seed germination
seedling survival
url https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=44923872028