title: A comparative study of resource allocation in Pteridium in different Brazilian ecosystems and its relationship with European studies.
abstract: Pteridium is a cosmopolitan genus that acts as an invasive species in many parts of the world. Most research on this genus has occurred in Europe, and there is a lack of data on it from South America, in spite of causing considerable conservation problems. We compared the biomass allocation of P. esculentum subsp. arachnoideum in two ecosystems in Brazil - Atlantic forest and Brazilian savanna. We measured the biomass of fronds, rhizomes and above-ground litter. We also compared the density, length and biomass of fronds from this Brazilian study with similar data of P. esculentum subsp. arachnoideum derived from Venezuela and P. aquilinum from Europe. P. esculentum subsp. arachnoideum showed a wide response range. We found a negative relationship between frond and necromass, indicating a negative feedback effect, while a positive relationship was observed between frond and rhizome biomass. The continental comparison of relationships showed that Pteridium responds in a different way in both Brazil and Europe, and that in Brazil fronds tend to be longer and heavier, presumably as a result of the continuous growing season in South America while is shortened in Europe by frost. The paper shows the ability of Pteridium to adapt to different ecosystems.
authors: Departamento de Hidrobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors: D M
authors: DM
authors: Silva Matos
authors: Departamento de Hidrobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors: R O
authors: RO
authors: Xavier
authors: Departamento de Hidrobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors: F C S
authors: FC
authors: Tiberio
authors: School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GP, UK.
authors: R H
authors: RH
authors: Marrs
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D001938:Brazil; D017753:Ecosystem; D005060:Europe; D032498:Pteridium / Q000502:physiology*; D012621:Seasons