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Hurricane Disturbance, Plant‐Animal Interactions, and the Reproductive Success of a Tropical Shrub 1
Author(s) -
Pascarella John B.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
biotropica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.813
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1744-7429
pISSN - 0006-3606
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7429.1998.tb00075.x
Subject(s) - biology , shrub , population , generalist and specialist species , inflorescence , reproductive success , disturbance (geology) , predation , ecology , pollination , pollinator , habitat , demography , pollen , paleontology , sociology
Hurricane disturbance may have strong effects on plant‐animal interactions important in plant reproductive success. Components of reproductive success (flowering, pollination, seed predation) in the tropical shrub Ardisia escallonioides (Myrsinaceae) were examined from 1991–1994 in four southern Florida populations. Hurricane Andrew struck three of the four populations on 24 August 1992. Hurricane Andrew delayed flowering by two months in 1992. In 1993 and 1994, the three hurricane‐damaged populations had increased flowering and inflorescence production compared to 1991 and 1992, while the undamaged population had no flowering. Hurricane disturbance had different effects on generalist versus specialist plant‐animal interactions. Species composition and relative abundance of the generalist pollinator community that visits A. escallonioides was similar before and after the hurricane, indicating little effect of the disturbance on this interaction. In contrast, populations of a specialist flower galling moth ( Periploca sp., Cosmopterigidae) declined in 1992 following Hurricane Andrew. Although moth populations increased at two of the three sites in 1993, the relative impact of moth predation on seed production was low due to extensive flower production. One moth population suffered local population extirpation for two years, reestablishing itself in November 1994. Hurricane disturbance resulted in a window of opportunity for massive seed production of Ardisia escallonioides in south Florida. Total seed production in 1993 increased twelve to seventy‐three times the 1992 levels. Total seed production declined in 1994, but remained high compared to prehurricane levels.