The effect of agricultural management on seed rain and seed banks during regeneration in Brazil’s Cerrado-Caatinga ecotone

Seed rain and seed banks are mechanisms for the entry of propagules that assist in the regeneration of agricultural areas. We hypothesized that the seed rain and seed banks of managed areas (10 and 25 years old) - when compared to non-managed areas - have lower species richness and greater numbers of seeds/seedling emergences, in addition to greater richness and number of seeds/seedling emergences for autochoric dispersal syndrome, herbaceous growth patterns and differing species compositions. We collected in three plots of 50 m × 50 m. For each plot, 20 collectors were installed for seed rain sampling. For the seed bank, 15 soil samples were collected and cultivated for the germination of seeds. Seed rain from managed areas showed higher values for species richness, herbaceous and tree autochory, as well as differing species compositions between areas. The seed bank showed lower values for species richness and higher values for herbaceous autochory, with differing compositions between areas. The abundance of seed rain and seed banks did not differ between areas, whereas the composition of dispersal mechanisms did. In creating areas dependent on autochthonous species (anemochorous and autochorous), agricultural management compromises the regeneration of dry forests.