Seed rain of woody species in mosaics of Araucaria forest and grasslands in Southern Brazil

(Seed rain of woody species in mosaics of Araucaria forest and grasslands in Southern Brazil). Mechanisms of seed dispersal and recruitment avoid intraspecific competition and allow plants to colonize new habitats. In transition areas between forest and grassland, these processes are not spatially random, but are often associated with isolated woody individuals in the grassland or with areas of continuous shrub cover. In southern Brazil, Araucaria forest forms a mosaic with grassland (Campos) and advance of forest over grassland is observed. This study aims to evaluate the pattern of diaspore dispersal of woody plants associated with ecotones between Araucaria forest and grassland and with isolated woody individuals in the grassland matrix. The study was carried out at the Centro de Pesquisas e Conservacao da Natureza Pro-Mata PUCRS, in Sao Francisco de Paula, in grassland vegetation excluded from fire and grazing for 16 years, and which is surrounded by forest. Diaspore dispersal was evaluated for eight months by using collectors positioned in forest-grassland ecotones with different physiognomies and under isolated woody individuals in the grassland matrix. The different types of environment were compared by univariate and multivariate analysis of variance to verify seed-rain patterns. The results indicated that seed dispersal occurs preferentially associated with isolated woody individuals of Araucaria angustifolia and with continuous patches of Baccharis uncinella. We suggest that these habitats would function as extensions of more similar forest conditions within the grassland matrix.