Allometry of two columnar cacti in a tropical deciduous forest


Por: Lezama-Delgado, Ernesto, Angeles, Guillermo, Mendez-Alonzo, Rodrigo, Lopez-Portillo, Jorge, Golubov, Jordan, Arroyo-Cosultchi, Gabriel, Martinez, Armando J.

Publicada: 1 jun 2022
Categoría: Plant science

Resumen:
In tropical deciduous forests (TDF), the scaling relations between size attributes in columnar cacti vary across species, partially because of environmental pressures to reach the canopy. This study aims to compare the growth-related allometric relationships between Pilosocereus leucocephalus (Poselg.) Byles & G.D. Rowley and Cephalocereus scoparius (Poselg.) Britton & Rose, two conspicuous species of columnar cacti in the TDF of Mexico. Nonlinear regression models were used to estimate maximum height (H-max) from diameter and Reduced Major Axis (RMA) regression models to relate crown cover a height and diameter. The scaling exponents in both species were similar to other pachycaulous plant species. However, despite a lower maximum height (H-max) in the species P. leucocephalus, it has an allometric height exponent than that recorded in C. scoparius, which suggests that P. leucocephalus allocates more biomass to vertical development in the early stages of growth. Our results showed that the stems of C. scoparius increased in height at a far less rate concerning high than P. leucocephalus, demonstrating that cacti display different interspecific strategies to coexist in TDF. In contrast, greater height enables C. scoparius to reach the forest canopy and compete with C-3 tree species. The columnar cacti also differed in size and branch number through their development, thus representing two biomass allocation strategies to optimize light capture or cope with seasonal drought stress.

Filiaciones:
Lezama-Delgado, Ernesto:
 Univ Veracruzana, Ctr Invest Trop, Jose Maria Morelos 44 Colonia Ctr, Xalapa 91000, Veracruz, Mexico

 Univ Veracruzana, Inst Neuroetol, Dr Luis Castelazo S-N, Xalapa 91190, Veracruz, Mexico

Angeles, Guillermo:
 Inst Ecol AC, Red Ecol Func, Carretera Antigua Coatepec 351, Xalapa 91070, Veracruz, Mexico

Mendez-Alonzo, Rodrigo:
 Ctr Invest Cient & Educ Super Ensenada CICESE, Dept Biol Conservac, Carretera Ensenada Tijuana 3918, Ensenada 22860, Baja Ca, Mexico

Lopez-Portillo, Jorge:
 Inst Ecol AC, Red Ecol Func, Carretera Antigua Coatepec 351, Xalapa 91070, Veracruz, Mexico

Golubov, Jordan:
 Univ Autonoma Metropolitana, Dept Hombre & Ambiente, Calzada Hueso 1100, Ciudad Mexico 04960, Mexico

Arroyo-Cosultchi, Gabriel:
 Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Fac Ciencias, Dept Ecol & Recursos Nat, Ciudad Mexico 04510, Mexico

Martinez, Armando J.:
 Univ Veracruzana, Inst Neuroetol, Dr Luis Castelazo S-N, Xalapa 91190, Veracruz, Mexico
ISSN: 01008404
Editorial
Springer International Publishing, CAIXA POSTAL 57088, SAO PAULO, SP 00000, BRAZIL, Brasil
Tipo de documento: Article
Volumen: 45 Número: 2
Páginas: 833-842
WOS Id: 000788440400001