Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Endangered globose cactus Melocactus lanssensianus P. J. Braun depends on lizards for effective seed dispersal in the Brazilian Caatinga

  • Published:
Plant Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Effective seed dispersal is essential to plant reproductive success. In this study, we evaluated the fruiting phenology, fruit traits, and seed dispersal of the endangered globose cactus Melocactus lanssensianus in the Brazilian Caatinga over 1-year period. We carried out monthly phenological monitoring, focal observations, and germination experiments, to identify the effective seed dispersers of this cactus. M. lanssensianus exhibited a continuous, non-seasonal fruiting pattern, with peaks during both the dry and rainy seasons. We observed seed dispersal by Tropidurus semitaeniatus and T. hispidus lizards. In 116 h of focal observations, lizards made 76 visits during different times of day, with a mean dispersal distance of 5 m. Both lizard species showed more frugivory interactions in the dry season, with peak visits in water-stressed months. We collected 132 intact and viable seeds from 29 fecal samples, specifically from T. semitaeniatus (N = 20 scats; 122 seeds) and from T. hispidus (N = 9 scats; 10 seeds). Germination experiments with seeds consumed by T. semitaeniatus, washed seeds and control seeds revealed that 85% of seeds found in T. semitaeniatus feces germinated compared to 41% of the control seeds. Frequency, pattern of visits and germination rates indicate T. semitaeniatus is an effective seed disperser of M. lanssensianus. Continuous production of fleshy fruits and environmental conditions of the Caatinga ecosystem favor the close dependent mutualistic interaction reported here.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The collected data are not deposited in any database.

Code availability

Not applicable.

References

  • Albuquerque RL, Protázio AS, Cavalcanti LBQ, Lopez LCS, Mesquita DO (2018) Geographical ecology of Tropidurus hispidus (Squamata: Tropiduridae) and Cnemidophorus ocellifer (Squamata: Teiidae) in a Neotropical region: a comparison among Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, and coastal populations. J Herpetol 52:145–155. https://doi.org/10.1670/16-018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alvares CA, Stape JL, Sentelhas PC, Gonçalves JLM, Sparovek G (2013) Koppen’s climate classification map for Brazil. Meteorol Z 22:711–728. https://doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2013/0507

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andresen E, Arroyo-Rodríguez V, Escobar F (2018) Tropical biodiversity: the importance of biotic interactions for its origin, maintenance, function, and conservation. In: Dáttilo W, Rico-Gray V (eds) Ecological Networks in the Tropics. Springer, Switzerland, pp 1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • AOAC (2000) Official methods of analysis. association of official analytical chemists, Gaithersburg

  • Braun PJ (1986) Melocactus lanssensianus P.J. Braun - een nieuwe soort uit Pernambuco Brazilië. Succulenta 65(2):25–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Braun PJ, Taylor NP (2013) Melocactus lanssensianus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013:3984. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T40922A2943984.en

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caitano HA, Dutra VF, Valadares RT, Calazans LSB (2020) Reintroduction of illegally extracted Melocactus violaceus (Cactaceae) in Brazil. Oryx. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605320000344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cardoso WC, Calvente A, Dutra VF, Sakuragui CM (2018) Anthropic pressure on the diversity of Cactaceae in a region of Atlantic Forest in Eastern Brazil. Haseltonia 24:28–35. https://doi.org/10.2985/026.024.0105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carneiro, AM, Farias-Singer R, Ramos RA, Nilson AD (2006) Cactos do Rio Grande do Sul. Fundação Zoobotânica, Porto Alegre

  • Carvalho ALG (2013) On the distribution and conservation of the South American lizard genus Tropidurus Wied-Neuwied, 1825 (Squamata: Tropiduridae). Zootaxa 3640:42–56. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3640.1.3

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Casado R, Soriano PJ (2010) Fructificación, frugivoría y dispersión en el cactus globular Melocactus schatzlii en el enclave semiárido de Lagunilllas, Mérida, Venezuela. Ecotrópicos 23:18–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Colaço MAS, Fonseca RBS, Lambert SM, Costa CBN, Machado CG, Borba EL (2006) Biologia reprodutiva de Melocactus glaucescens Buining & Brederoo e M. paucispinus G. Heimen & R. Paul (Cactaceae), na Chapada Diamantina. Nordeste Do Brasil Braz J Bot 29:239–249. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-84042006000200005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leal IR, Lopes AV, Machado ICS, Tabarelli M (2017) Plant-animal interactions in the Caatinga: overview and perspectives. In: Silva JMC, Leal IR, Tabarelli M (eds) Caatinga: The Largest Tropical Dry Forest Region in South America. Springer, Switzerland, pp 255–257

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper Jr WE, Vitt LJ (2002) Distribution, extent, and evolution of plant consumption by lizards. J Zool 257:487–517. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0952836902001085

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Culley TM, Klooster MR (2007) The cleistogamous breeding system: A review of its frequency, evolution, and ecology in angiosperms. Bot Rev 73:1–30. https://doi.org/10.1663/0006-8101(2007)73[1:TCBSAR]2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fagua JC, Ackerman JD (2011) Consequences of floral visits by ants and invasive honeybees to the hummingbird-pollinated, Caribbean cactus Melocactus intortus. Plant Species Biol 26:193–204. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-1984.2011.00319.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fenner M, Thompson K (2005) The Ecology of Seeds. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Fialho RF, Rocha CFD, Vrcibradic D (2000) Feeding ecology of Tropidurus torquatus: ontogenetic shift in plant consumption and seasonal trends in diet. S AM J Herpetol 34:325–330. https://doi.org/10.2307/1565437

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Figueira JEC, Vasconcellos-Neto J, Garcia MA, Souza ALT (1994) Saurocory in Melocactus violaceus (Cactaceae). Biotropica 26:295–301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fleming TH, Valiente-Banuet A (2002) Columnar cacti and their mutualists. University of Arizona Press, Arizona

    Google Scholar 

  • Fonseca RBS, Funch LS, Borba EL (2012) Dispersão de sementes de Melocactus glaucescens e M. paucispinus (Cactaceae), no Município de Morro do Chapéu. Chapada Diamantina-BA Acta Bot Bras 26:481–492. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-33062012000200024

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goettsch B, Hilton-Taylor C, Cruz-Piñón G, Duffy JP, Frances A et al (2015) High proportion of cactus species threatened with extinction. Nature Plants. https://doi.org/10.1038/nplants.2015.142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gomes VGN, Quirino ZGM, Araujo HF (2014a) Frugivory and seed dispersal by birds in Cereus jamacaru DC. ssp. jamacaru (Cactaceae) in the Caatinga of Northeastern Brazil. Braz J Biol 74:32–40. https://doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.15312

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gomes VGN, Quirino ZGM, Machado ICS (2014b) Pollination and seed dispersal of Melocactus ernestii Vaupel subsp. ernestii (Cactaceae) by lizards: an example of double mutualism. Plant Biol 16:315–322. https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.12063

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gomes VGN, Araujo AC (2015) Cacti species from the Brazilian Chaco: floral and fruit traits. Gaia Scientia 9:1–8

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gomes VGN, Meiado MV, Quirino ZGM, Machado ICS (2016) Seed removal by lizards and effect of gut passage on germination in a columnar cactus of the Caatinga, a tropical dry forest in Brazil. J Arid Environ 135:85–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2016.08.013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gomes VGN, Meiado MV, Quirino ZGM, Araujo HFP, Machado ICS (2017) Synchronous fruiting and common seed dispersers of two endemic columnar cacti in the Caatinga, a dry forest in Brazil. Plant Ecol 218:1325–1338. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-017-0771-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gomes VGN, Cassimiro CAL, Freitas JG, Felix CM, Batista FRC (2020) Ex situ conservation in the Brazilian Semiarid cactaceae housed in the collection of the Guimarães Duque Cactarium. Braz J Develop 6:62608–62625. https://doi.org/10.34117/bjdv6n8-626

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gomes VGN, Braun PJ, Batista FRC (in press) Melocactus lanssensianus in Paraíba: Verbreitung, Ökologie, Bedrohungen und Naturschutz. Kakt. and. Sukk. x:x-x

  • González-Castro A, Calviño-Cancela M, Nogales M (2015) Comparing seed dispersal effectiveness at the community level. Ecology 96:808–818. https://doi.org/10.1890/14-0655.1

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guerrero PC, Carvallo G, Nassar J, Rojas-Sandoval J, Sanz D’Angelo V, Medel R (2012) Ecology and evolution of negative and positive interactions in Cactaceae: lessons and pending tasks. Plant Ecol Divers 5:205–215. https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2011.630426

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guerrero PC, Majure LC, Cornejo-Romero A, Hernández-Hernández T (2019) Phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary trends in the Cactus Family. J Hered 110:4–21. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esy064

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kolodiuk MF, Ribeiro LB, Freire EMX (2010) Diet and foraging behavior of two species of Tropidurus (Squamata, Tropiduridae) in the Caatinga of Northeastern Brazil. S Am J Herpetol 5:35–44. https://doi.org/10.2994/057.005.0104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lima JT (2018) Festa da Pedra, Cem Anos de Fé, Tradição e Turismo. Futura, Tacima

  • Machado M, Menezes MOT, Santos MR, Prieto PV, Hering RLO, Barros FSM, Borges RAX, Kutschenko DC, Valente ASM (2013) CACTACEAE. In: Martinelli G, Moraes MA (eds) Livro Vermelho da Flora do Brasil. Andrea Jakobsson - Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, pp 402–431

    Google Scholar 

  • Mandujano MDC, Carrillo-Angeles I, Martínez-Peralta C, Globulov J (2010) Reproductive biology of Cactaceae. In: Ramawat KG (ed) Desert plants. Springer, Berlim, pp 197–230

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Martinelli G, Valente ASM, Kutschenko DC, Judice DM, Silva DS, Fernandez EP, Martins EM et al (2013) Avaliações de risco de extinção de espécies da flora brasileira. In: Martinelli G, Moraes MA (eds) Livro Vermelho da Flora do Brasil. Andrea Jakobsson - Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, pp 60–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Meiado MV, Albuquerque LSC, Rocha EAR, Rojas-Aréchiga M, Leal IR (2010) Seed germination responses of Cereus jamacaru DC. ssp. jamacaru (Cactaceae) to environmental factors. Plant Species Biol 25:120–128. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-1984.2010.00274.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meiado MV, Silva FFS, Barbosa DCA, Siqueira-Filho JA (2012) Diásporos da Caatinga: Uma revisão. In: Siqueira-Filho JA (ed) A Flora das Caatingas do Rio São Francisco e História Natural e Conservação. Andrea Jakobsson Estúdio, Rio de Janeiro, pp 306–365

    Google Scholar 

  • Meiado MV, Rojas-Aréchiga M, Siqueira-Filho JA, Leal IR (2016) Effects of light and temperature on seed germination of cacti of Brazilian ecosystems. Plant Species Biol 31:87–97. https://doi.org/10.1111/1442-1984.12087

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mesquita DO, Costa GC, Garda AA, Delfin RR (2017) Conservation of the Caatinga lizards. In: Silva JMC, Leal IR, Tabarelli M (eds) Caatinga: The Largest Tropical Dry Forest Region in South America. Springer, Switzerland, pp 151–180

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Morellato LPC, Alberti LF, Hudson IL (2010) Applications of circular statistics in plant phenology: a case studies approach. In: Hudson IL, Keatley M (eds) Phenological Research: Methods for Environmental and Climate Change Analysis. Springer, Berlin, pp 357–371

    Google Scholar 

  • Nassar JM, Ramírez N (2004) Reproductive biology of the melon cactus, Melocactus curvispinus (Cactaceae). Plant Syst Evol 248:31–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-004-0193-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nassar JM, Ramírez N, Lampo M, Gonzalez JA, Casado R, Nava F (2007) Reproductive biology and mating system estimates of two Andean Melocacti, Melocactus schatzlii and M. andinus (Cactaceae). Ann Bot 99:29–38. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcl229

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Newstrom LE, Frankie GW, Baker HG (1994) A new classification for plant phenology based on flowering patterns in Lowland Tropical Rain forest trees at La Selva, Costa Rica. Biotropica 26:141–159. https://doi.org/10.2307/2388804

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oksanen AJ, Blanchet FG, Friendly M et al (2018) Vegan: Community Ecology Package. R Package version 2.5–1. https://CRAN.R-project. org/package=vegan

  • Olesen JM, Valido A (2003) Lizards as pollinators and seed dispersers: an island phenomenon. Trends Ecol Evol 18:177–181. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-5347(03)00004-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paixão VHF, Venticinque EM (2020) Fruit consumption by Salvator merianae (Squamata: Teiidae) in the Brazilian Caatinga. Phyllomedusa 19:283–286. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2316-9079.v19i2p283-286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paixão VHF, Gomes VGN, Venticinque E (2021) Florivory by lizards on Tacinga inamoena (K. Schum) N.P.Taylor & Stuppy (Cactaceae) in the Brazilian Caatinga. Biota Neotrop. https://doi.org/10.1590/1676-0611-BN-2020-1109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Passos DC, Lima DC, Borges-Nojosa DM (2011) A new species of Tropidurus (Squamata, Tropiduridae) of the semitaeniatus group from a semiarid area in northeastern Brazil. Zootaxa 2930:60–68. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2930.1.5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pijl L (1982) Principles of Dispersal in Higher Plants. Springer, Berlin

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Quirino ZGM (2006) Fenologia, síndromes de polinização e dispersão e recursos florais de uma comunidade de Caatinga no cariri paraibano. Dissertation, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

  • Ranal MA, Santana DG (2006) How and why to measure the germination process? Braz J Bot 29:1–11. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-84042006000100002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R Development Core Team (2017). R: A language and environment for statistical computing. Vienna, R Foundation for Statistical Computing. https://www.r-project.org

  • Ribeiro LB, Freire EMX (2011) Trophic ecology and foraging behavior of Tropidurus hispidus and Tropidurus semitaeniatus (Squamata, Tropiduridae) in a Caatinga area of northeastern Brazil. Iheringia Ser Zool 101:225–232. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0073-47212011000200010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ribeiro LB, Gogliath M, Freire EMX (2008) Tropidurus semitaeniatus (Squamata, Tropiduridae) as a seed disperser of the plant Commiphora leptophloeos (Burseraceae) in the Caatinga of northeastern Brazil. Cuad Herpetol 22:91–94

    Google Scholar 

  • Rocha EA, Domingos-Melo A, Zappi DC, Machado ICS (2019) Reproductive biology of columnar cacti: are bats the only protagonists in the pollination of Pilosocereus, a typical chiropterophilous genus? Folia Geobot 54:239–256. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12224-019-09357-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rowley G (1980) Pollination syndromes and cactus taxonomy. Brit Cact Succ J 42:95–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Santos LDN, Pereira IMS, Ribeiro JR, Las-Casas FMG (2019) Frugivoria por aves em quatro de espécies de Cactaceae na Caatinga, uma floresta seca no Brasil. Iheringia Ser Zool 109:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4766e2019034

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schlindwein C (1995) Mellitophilous plants, their pollen and flower visiting bees in Southern Brazil 2 Cactaceae. Biociências 3:35–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Schlumpberger BO (2010) A survey on pollination modes in cacti and a potential key innovation. In: Patiny S (ed) Evolution of plant–pollinator relationships. Cambridge University Press, London, pp 301–319

    Google Scholar 

  • Schupp EW, Jordano P, Gómez JM (2010) Seed dispersal effectiveness revisited: a conceptual review. New Phytol 188:333–353. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03402.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silva JMC, Barbosa LCF, Leal IR, Tabarelli M (2017) Caatinga: the largest tropical dry forest region in South America. Springer, Switzerland

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Silva TL, Andrade H, Dantas WM, Dias EJR (2021a) Lygodactylus klugei (Smith et al., 1977) as a fruit eater on the cactus Cereus jamacaru DC. subsp. jamacaru in the Caatinga of northeastern Brazil (Squamata: Gekkonidae). Herpetol Notes 14:67–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Silva TL, Carvalho GDS, Xavier MA, Lima JO, Dias EJR (2021b) First record of Tropidurus semitaeniatus (Squamata: Tropiduridae) ingesting a fruit of the cactus Pilosocereus catingicola in northeastern Brazil. Herpetol Notes 14:345–348

    Google Scholar 

  • Sousa Neto IN, Gomes VGN, Quirino ZGM (2021) Frugivory by Tropidurus hispidus (Squamata: Tropiduridae) on the cactus Pilosocereus pachycladus in the Brazilian Caatinga. Phyllomedusa 20:105–108. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2316-9079.v20i1p105-108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Souza JTA, Ramos JPF, Macedo AJS, Viana JA, Cartaxo FQ, Oresca D, Oliveira FG (2018) Crescimento e produtividade de genótipos de palma forrageira no semiárido paraibano. Tecnol & Ciên Agropec 12:37–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor NP (1991) The genus Melocactus (Cactaceae) in Central and South America. Bradleya 9:1–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor NP, Zappi DC (2004) Cacti of Eastern Brazil. Royal Botanic Gardens, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Valido A, Olesen JM (2007) The importance of lizards as frugivores and seed dispersers. In: Dennis AJ, Schupp EW, Green RJ, Westcott DA (eds) Seed dispersal: Theory and its application in a changing world. CAB International, Oxford, pp 124–147

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Valido A, Olesen JM (2019) Frugivory and seed dispersal by lizards: a global review. Front Ecol Evol 7:49. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2019.00049

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Sluys M, Rocha CFD, Vrcibradic D, Galdino CAB, Fontes AF (2004) Diet, activity and microhabitat use of two syntopic Tropidurus species (Lacertilia: Tropiduridae) in Minas Gerais, Brazil. J Herpetol 38:606–611. https://doi.org/10.1670/218-03N

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vasconcellos-Neto J, Souza A, Guimarães MM, Faria DM (2000) Effects of color, shape and location on detection of cactus fruits by a lizard. J Herpetol 34:306–309. https://doi.org/10.2307/1565432

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vitt LJ (1995) The ecology of tropical lizards in the Caatinga of northeast Brazil. Occup Pap Okla Mus Nat Hist 1:1-29

    Google Scholar 

  • Xavier MA, Dias EJR (2015a) First record of the Brazilian restinga lizard Tropidurus hygomi ingesting a fruit of Melocactus violaceus (Cactaceae). Herpetol Notes 8:437–438

    Google Scholar 

  • Xavier MA, Dias EJR (2015b) Natural history notes. Ameivula Abaetensis Saurochory Herpetol Rev 46:430–431

    Google Scholar 

  • Xavier MA, Dias EJR (2017) Natural history notes. Tropidurus Pinima Saurochory Herpetol Review 48:202–203

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang Q, Shao S, Su Y, Hu X, Shen Y, Zhao D (2019) A novel case of autogamy and cleistogamy in Dendrobium wangliangii: A rare orchid distributed in the dry-hot valley. Ecol Evol 9:12906–12914. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5772

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zappi DC, Taylor NP (2020) Cactaceae in Flora do Brasil 2020. Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. http://floradobrasil.jbrj.gov.br/reflora/floradobrasil/FB70. Accessed 01 March 2021

  • Zar JH (2010) Biostatistical analysis. Pearson Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River

Download references

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Daniela Zappi and Nigel Taylor for identification of the cactus. Zaia’s family, Tarcizinho and Manoel for permission to work at Pão de Açúcar Ranch. Jocelino T. Lima for his support and opportunity to speak on the local radio program. Pollyana K. Silva to in vitro seed germination of M. lanssensianus. We also acknowledge the Associação Plantas do Nordeste (APNE) for logistic support, Rufford Foundation (RSGF nº 29813-2) for the grant to VGNG and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (Cnpq) for the scholarship to VGNG [300761/2021-0] and CALC [300750/2021-8].

Funding

VGNG was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) [300761/2021–0]. CALC was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) [300750/2021–8]. This work was financed in part by Rufford Foundation for the Grant to VGNG (RSGF No 29813–2).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Núcleo de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional Do Semiárido, Av. Francisco Lopes de Almeida, s/n, Serrotão, Campina Grande, Paraíba, 58434-700, Brazil

    Vanessa Gabrielle Nóbrega Gomes, Carlos Alberto Lins Cassimiro & Fabiane Rabelo da Costa Batista

  2. Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil

    Ricardo Koroiva

Authors
  1. Vanessa Gabrielle Nóbrega Gomes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ricardo Koroiva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Carlos Alberto Lins Cassimiro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Fabiane Rabelo da Costa Batista
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

VGNG Substantial contribution in the concept and design of the study. VGNG, RK, and CALC Contribution to data collection, data analysis and interpretation. VGNG, RK, CALC, and FRCB Contribution to manuscript preparation. VGNG, RK, and FRCB Contribution to critical revision, adding intellectual content.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vanessa Gabrielle Nóbrega Gomes.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest related to the publication of this manuscript.

Additional information

Communicated by Simon Pierce.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (MP4 10598 kb)

Supplementary file2 (MP4 52936 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gomes, V.G.N., Koroiva, R., Cassimiro, C.A.L. et al. Endangered globose cactus Melocactus lanssensianus P. J. Braun depends on lizards for effective seed dispersal in the Brazilian Caatinga. Plant Ecol 222, 1375–1387 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-021-01185-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-021-01185-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation