Reproductive phenological patterns of a Restinga community in Northeastern Brazil

Area of Science:

• Botany
• Ecology
• Phenology

Background:

• The São Gonçalo do Amarante Botanical Garden is part of Ceará's Coastal Zone Vegetation Complex.
• Phenological studies are scarce in this region, despite environmental threats to local flora.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the reproductive phenological patterns of the São Gonçalo do Amarante Botanical Garden.
• To establish a phenological calendar for local plant species.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 245 herbarium specimens from 150 species collected between 2015 and 2019.
• Use of circular histograms and the ORIANA 4 software for phenological pattern analysis.
• Spearman correlation test (rs) to assess relationships between phenophases and meteorological data (precipitation, temperature).

Main Results:

• Flowering and fruiting exhibit significant seasonality (Rayleigh test, r = 0.946 and r = 0.985, respectively).
• Peak flowering observed in March and peak fruiting in February.
• No significant correlation found between reproductive phenophases and meteorological variables.

Conclusions:

• The São Gonçalo do Amarante Botanical Garden displays distinct seasonal reproductive patterns.
• A phenological calendar was created to aid future research and reproductive material collection.
• Understanding these patterns is crucial for conservation efforts in the face of environmental threats.