01996nab a2200265 i 4500003000900000005001700009008004100026040001800067072001400085072000900099100002800108100003600136100002800172100001800200100003700218245007900255500006000334520101000394650001901404650001201423650001201435650002101447773018101468856008101649BR-BrBNA20260406082413.0260406b2019    bl.qr|pooa||| 00| 0 eng |  aBR-BrBNAbeng  aF03b4020  b3575  aSilva, Bianca Ferreira   aAzevedo, Igor Henrique Freitas   aMayhé-Nunes, Antonio   aBreier, Tiago  aFreitas, Andre Felippe Nunes de   aAnts Promote Germination of the Tree Guarea guidonia by Cleaning its Seeds  aPublicação on-line; 38 ref.; 3 illus.; Summary (En)  a

ABSTRACT

Ants interact with seeds, and frequently remove their appendages. This work aimed to evaluate
the effect of ants on the germination of Guarea guidonia (Meliaceae) seeds through removing the
fleshy tissue of their integument (sarcotesta). The seeds were subjected to the following treatments:
control (no sarcotesta removal), manual removal, and removal by ants. The results show that
germination percentage and time varied among treatments, with removal by ants showing the
highest percentage within the shortest possible time. The positive effect of sarcotesta removal
by ants points to a possible action of anti-fungal substances. As germination is an essential step
for recruitment, ant activity may be important to the regeneration of a deforested area. Further
studies should consider germination experiments under natural conditions in order to increase
the understanding on plant development.

Keywords: ant-plant interaction, recruitment, seed germination, Solenopsis, Atlantic Forest.  aGERMINAÇÃO  aSEMENTE  aFORMIGA  aMATA ATLÂNTICA0 02929dRio de Janeiro-RJ Instituto de Florestas - UFRRJ 1994o2025-0451tFloresta e Ambiente (Brazil)x1415-0980  /  ISSN 2179-8087 0nlinegv. 26(3) p. 1-7; (2019)wBR2026000270  uhttps://www.scielo.br/j/floram/a/ccJrrcVSTX5wTFww74mdWwR/?format=pdf&lang=en