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Seed Dispersal Ecology in Neotropical Melastomataceae

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Systematics, Evolution, and Ecology of Melastomataceae

Abstract

Melastomataceae species successfully colonize, and in many cases dominate, ecosystems ranging from forest to open vegetation, from sea level to mountain summits, and isolated islands. This wide distribution is likely related to species dispersal ability. The dispersal mechanisms are diverse, with various fruit types. Dry and fleshy fruits evolved several times during the radiation of melastomes, and these shifts were accompanied by transitions between forests and grasslands. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the dispersal ecology of Neotropical Melastomataceae. First, we revisit the biology of dry-fruited species and their main dispersal mechanisms. Second, we explore the dispersal ecology of berries, which are keystone resources for a wide diversity of animals. We discuss the traits that contribute to their widespread consumption, provide an assessment of the consumer assemblage, and link frugivory to seed dispersal by evaluating the animal effects on germination outcomes. We argue that Melastomataceae species are excellent models to advance our knowledge of seed dispersal ecology.

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Acknowledgments

JVSM acknowledges his PhD scholarship funded by the Fulbright Commission and CAPES. FAOS acknowledges support from FAPEMIG and CNPq. MAP receives a research grant from CNPq (304742/2019-8). FAOS and TJG thank GSG for intellectual support. We thank B Loiselle and E Cazetta for comments that improved manuscript quality.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department & Ecology Program, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA

    João Vitor S. Messeder

  2. Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

    Tadeu J. Guerra & Fernando A. O. Silveira

  3. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Marco A. Pizo

  4. Instituto de Ecología Regional, CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina

    Pedro G. Blendinger

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  1. João Vitor S. Messeder
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  2. Tadeu J. Guerra
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  3. Marco A. Pizo
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  4. Pedro G. Blendinger
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  5. Fernando A. O. Silveira
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Correspondence to João Vitor S. Messeder .

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  1. Departamento de Botânica Centro Politécnico, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil

    Renato Goldenberg

  2. Institute of Systematic Botany, The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY, USA

    Fabián A. Michelangeli

  3. Department of Botany, Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Frank Almeda

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Messeder, J.V.S., Guerra, T.J., Pizo, M.A., Blendinger, P.G., Silveira, F.A.O. (2022). Seed Dispersal Ecology in Neotropical Melastomataceae. In: Goldenberg, R., Michelangeli, F.A., Almeda, F. (eds) Systematics, Evolution, and Ecology of Melastomataceae. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99742-7_33

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