| Seed rain is mechanism used by plants to colonize new sites, escape from predators or inhibitors present under the mature tree and reach safe micro sites to germinate. Most of the ecological studies on seed rain have been performed in tropical ecosystems in savannas and rain forests. In contrast, tropical and subtropical dry forest studies are scarce (Murphy and Lugo, 1986). In this research a comparison was performed to determine the diversity of seed rain below native and introduced trees in the National Wildlife Refuge in Cabo Rojo Puerto Rico, a dry subtropical forest in the southwest of Puerto Rico. Forty seed traps were used, five for each of eight tree species: four for introduced species (Melicoccus bijugatus Jacq., Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth., Prosopis pallida (Humb. & Bonpl. ex. Willd.) H. B. K. and Tamarindus indica L.) and four for native species (Bucida buceras L., Guaiacum officinale L., Hymenaea courbaril L., and Guazuma ulmifolia Lam.). Results indicate no significant difference in richness and abundance of seeds under native or introduced species. The results suggest the biogeography origin of the studied trees is not a factor in seed rain in this refuge. |
