Journal of Experimental Agriculture International

Aims: To evaluate the potential of artificial bird perch for recovering areas on the Brazilian semiarid through seed dispersion and the establishment of regeneration.

Study Design: We tested the treatments: PC= perches in area with preserved surroundings; CC = absence o perches in area with preserved surroundings (Control 1); PP= disturbed area with perches and CP= disturbed area without perches (Control 2). The experiment has a complete randomized design with four replications.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was performed in the municipalities of Ibaretama and Quixaba, State of Ceará, Brazil. We used one perturbed (Area 1) and one conserved area (Area 2) in each municipality. The experiment was conducted from April 2014 to May 2016, a total of 24 months.

Methodology: 24 perches were used in each area. Seed rain and natural regeneration were evaluated. Collectors were installed at the perch bases and the seeds sampled monthly, quantified and identified. Every twelve months, the natural regeneration was verified under the perches, quantifying and identifying the regenerates.

Results: We found 1031 seeds of shrub-tree species dispersed. The treatment with perches in environment with conserved surroundings had the higher number of seeds. The main dispersed species were Commiphora leptophloeos (28.3 sem.m^-2), Lantana camara (7.3 sem.m^-2) and Cynophalla flexuosa (2.6 sem.m^-2). We observed the higher value of regeneration in the treatments with artificial perches with conserved surroundings, 2.7 individuals.m^-2. The dispersal syndrome of natural regeneration consisted of 50% of zoochoric species.

Conclusion: Artificial perches exert a recuperative function on Brazilian semiarid areas, increasing the rain of zoochoric seeds and the recruitment of the species. We recommend artifitial perches for the attraction of dispersers in different disturbed areas.