Dispersores de Euterpe edulis Mart. em uma área ecotonal entre floresta estacional semidecidual e floresta ombrófila mista no centro-oeste paranaense

Abstract

The seed dispersal by fauna is fundamentally important to the ecosystem because it represents the natural regeneration of plant species. Euterpe edulis is considered a key specie with great importance to ecosystems, therewith, the study sought to raise species of fruit-eating vertebrates that feed and disperses the fruits of this plant in the Parque Estadual Lago Azul (PELA), located in Campo Mourão and Luiziana - PR. The study was conducted between February and April 2016, with the installation of focused camera traps in arranged and stacked fruit near the base of Euterpe edulis individuals in their time of fructification to capture images of terrestrial vertebrates that disperse the fruit, totaling 3.312 hours of footage. For avifauna data collect was used the observation-focal method with a total of 27 hours of observation. The trap cameras resulted in a survey of eleven species of mammals in PELA and three species of birds where only Dasyprocta azarae (agouti), was observed feeding on fruits allocated. In the observation-focal method birds were sighted three species interacting with Euterpe edulis, which are: Pyrrhura frontalis (maroonbellied parakeet), Ramphastos dicolorus (green-billed toucan) and Turdus albicollis (Rufous-collar). The species Dasyprocta azarae, Ramphastos dicolorus and Turdus albicollis are considered good dispersers of Euterpe edulis fruits in other studies, besides that, this research found other species of fruit-eating vertebrates with great potential dispersers of fruits of Euterpe edulis. It is evident the importance of protected areas for ecological interactions, and that this fact occurs it is necessary a correct and proper management of these units for the benefit of native fauna and flora, because invasive species causes directly influence in these ecosystem relationships.