Herbivory and leaf traits of two tree species from different successional stages in a tropical dry forest

Figures & data

Figure 1. Map of Brazil locating Paraiba state and the study area map (Fazenda Tamanduá). In details a google map of Fazenda Tamandua with the successional stages sites points. Historical series of annual rainfall (mm), accumulated precipitation from January to April (mm) and annual average air temperature (°C) over the last 10 years in the tropical dry forest (Santa Terezinha, Paraíba, Brazil)

Figure 2. General view of late-successional stage of Seasonally dry tropical forest (Caatinga) at rainy season (a); Aspidosperma pyrifolium (Apocynaceae) and a branch with leaves and green fruits in details (b) and Cenostigma pyramidale (Fabaceae) and the leaves in details (c)

Table 1. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) of functional leaf traits: specific leaf area (SLA), leaf density (DEN), leaf thickness (THICK), total phenolic compounds (PC), nutrient content (N, P, K, N:P), and leaf tissue lost to herbivory (HERB) in tropical dry forest (Santa Terezinha, Paraíba, Brazil)

Species	Aspidosperma pyrifolium				Cenostigma pyramidale
Response variables	F	df	P		F	df	P
SLA	73.034	18	0.000		11.02	18	0.004
DENS	49.73	18	0.000		52.77	18	0.000
THICK	124.764	18	0.000		162.16	18	0.000
N	36.292	18	0.000		286.64	18	0.000
P	110.077	18	0.000		29.54	18	0.000
K	321.59	18	0.000		28.63	18	0.000
N:P	339.232	18	0.000		165.22	18	0.000
PC	9.851	18	0.006		146.37	18	0.000
HERB	73.034	18	0.000		173.15	18	0.000

Significance of bold values: P>0.05

Figure 3. Leaf tissue lost to herbivory for Aspidosperma pyrifolium (a) and Cenostigma pyramidale (b) individuals from early and late succession stages of tropical dry forest over two consecutive years (Santa Terezinha, Paraíba, Brazil). Bars ± standard error followed by similar letters indicate a non-significant difference according to the Bonferroni test (5%), n = 10

Figure 4. Leaf traits for Aspidosperma pyrifolium and Cenostigma pyramidale individuals from early and late succession stages of tropical dry forest over two consecutive years (Santa Terezinha, Paraíba, Brazil). (a; b) specific leaf area; (c; d) leaf density; (e; f) leaf thickness; (g; h) phenolic compounds. Bars ± standard error followed by similar letters indicate a non-significant difference according to the Bonferroni test (5%), n = 10

Table 2. Leaf nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content, and N:P ratio for Aspidosperma pyrifolium and Cenostigma pyramidale individuals from early and late succession stages of tropical dry forest over two consecutive years (Santa Terezinha, Paraíba, Brazil). Averages ± standard error followed followed by similar letters indicate a non-significant difference according to the Bonferroni test (5%), n = 10

Sucessional Stage	Year	N (g.Kg¯^1)	P (g.Kg¯^1)	K (g.Kg¯^1)	N:P (ratio)
Aspidosperma pyrifolium
Early	2016	22.4 ± 0.5 c	3.0 ± 0.1 a	2.0 ± 0.1 a	7.3 ± 0.1 c
	2017	29.2 ± 0.1 a	3.0 ± 0.1 a	1.9 ± 0.2 a	9.8 ± 0.2 b
Late	2016	13.9 ± 0.3 d	2.7 ± 0.1 b	1.7 ± 0.1 b	5.1 ± 0.2 d
	2017	24.0 ± 0.2 b	2.2 ± 0.1 c	1.6 ± 0.1 b	10.9 ± 0.1 a
Cenostigma pyramidale
Early	2016	26.6 ± 0.4 b	3.9 ± 0.1 a	1.7 ± 0.1 a	6.8 ± 0.1 a
	2017	29.2 ± 0.2 a	3.8 ± 0.1 a	1.9 ± 0.1 b	7.6 ± 0.1 b
Late	2016	13.0 ± 0.2 c	3.5 ± 0.1 b	1.8 ± 0,1 ab	3.7 ± 0.1 c
	2017	25.8 ± 0.1 b	3.4 ± 0.1 b	1.9 ± 0.1 b	7.6 ± 0.1 bd

Figure 5. Principal component analysis of the data collected from Aspidosperma pyrifolium (a) and Cenostigma pyramidale (b) in the tropical dry forest (Santa Terezinha, Paraíba, Brazil). Early stage (circle), late stage (square). The size of the symbols represents leaf tissue lost to herbivory. Specific leaf area (SLA), leaf density (DEN), leaf thickness (THICK), total phenolic compounds (PC) and nutrient content (N, P, K, N:P)