The Role of Environmental Heterogeneity in the Seed Rain Pattern

ABSTRACT We focus on understanding the influence of environmental variables on ecological processes, and such a focus promotes an integrated view of forest ecological patterns. The following questions were made: Do variations in temperature, precipitation, litterfall deposition and light intensity influence the density and composition of seed rain in a stretch of the Montane Atlantic Rainforest? Is there a pattern for dispersal syndrome in Montane Atlantic,? Over a period of 12 months, the deposition patterns of seed rains were evaluated. Seed density and species richness correlated with temperature and precipitation, with species richness decreasing with increasing altitude and seed density increasing as a function of the light incidence. Seed rain followed a seasonal deposition pattern with higher seed density and species richness in the higher rainfall period. Increasing trend in seed density was found in mountainous areas with northern and northeastern aspects (higher light incidences).