If, as expected, peccaries remove a greater fraction of the available seeds in groves than under isolated trees, recruitment might be depressed in groves versus around isolated trees.
In our experiment, more seeds remained in exclosures after 55 d, whether in groves or under solitary palms, suggesting the impact of peccaries.
The four experiment conditions were solitary palms versus palms in groves factorially combined with exclosures or not.
Seeds set out in groves and in exclosures survived better than seeds under solitary and open palms.
However, the effect of exclosures was relatively greater in groves than under solitary palms, supporting the prediction that groves should be more attractive to peccaries.
Peccaries preferred to forage in groves, and small rodents preferred to forage under solitary palms.
Leaf-cutting ants and forest groves in tropical savanna: facilitated succession?
There are some groves of pine and spruce trees on the sea side of the road here.
