POST-FIRE-GERMINATIVE-RESPONSE,-FRUITS-AND-SEEDS-TRAITS-OF-SOME-SPECIES-OF-THE-TDF-IN-COLOMBIA

In fire-prone ecosystems, certain plant species possess diaspores with morphological and physiological traits that enable them to persist and thrive following fire events. Postfire germination has been associated with various fruit and seed traits, including fruit lignification, seed size, seed weight and seed dormancy. However, the collective role and interactions of these traits in determining germination tolerance after wildfires remain unclear. We characterized ten key traits (fruit type and size (length and width), seed mass and size (length and width), dispersal mechanism, storage behavior, seed dormancy, and ecological guild) across eighteen species exhibiting three post-fire germination responses (tolerant, sensitive, and stimulated). Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between these traits. Our findings suggest practical implications for restoration and enrichment strategies in Colombian tropical dry forests by prioritizing species with protective fruits, dormant and orthodox seeds to increase the probability of sexual regeneration after fires, and to contribute to the functional diversity and resilience of these ecosystems.