Abstract
In the Galapagos Islands, the Opuntia cactus is represented by a large number of endemic species and varieties dis. playing different vegetative and reproductive characteristics on each island. To determine the adaptive significance of this variation in relation to the conditions on each island, studies of Opuntia populations and individuals growing on three islands were carried out; relationships between the dimensions of tree height, trunk diameter, pad numbers and fruit numbers were determined, and seed-fruit energetics were measured for Opuntia trees on Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, and Pinzon Islands. Additional seed collections and analysis of variation in Opuntia from other islands are included. Interisland differences in height-diameter growth, pad production, and reproductive effort of Opuntia are related to the amount of competition for light with other woody plants and possibly to wind intensity. The prolonged and asynchronous dropping of fruit by Opuntia may act both to increase assurance of seed dispersal by iguanas and tortoises and to decrease chances of seed predation by finches. The interisland variation in seed-coat thickness may be affected by predation pressure as determined by the numbers of alternative plant food sources on an island. IN THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, the arid zone communities of most islands contain a large and bizarre
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Island differences in Opuntia height-diameter growth relate to competition for light and possibly wind intensity.
- Interactor
- other woody plantse0other
- Outcome
- height-diameter growthe0
- Qualifier
- possibly to wind intensitye0
- Setting
- Interislande0
OpuntiaNot reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Interisland differences in height-diameter growth, pad production, and reproductive effort of Opuntia are related to the amount of competition for light with other woody plants and possibly to wind intensity.”
Claim · model-written summary
Island differences in Opuntia pad production relate to competition for light and possibly wind intensity.
- Interactor
- other woody plantse0other
- Outcome
- pad productione0
- Qualifier
- possibly to wind intensitye0
- Setting
- Interislande0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Interisland differences in height-diameter growth, pad production, and reproductive effort of Opuntia are related to the amount of competition for light with other woody plants and possibly to wind intensity.”
Claim · model-written summary
Island differences in Opuntia reproductive effort relate to competition for light and possibly wind intensity.
- Interactor
- other woody plantse0other
- Outcome
- reproductive efforte0
- Qualifier
- possibly to wind intensitye0
- Setting
- Interislande0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Interisland differences in height-diameter growth, pad production, and reproductive effort of Opuntia are related to the amount of competition for light with other woody plants and possibly to wind intensity.”
Claim · model-written summary
Prolonged, asynchronous fruit drop may improve seed dispersal by iguanas and tortoises.
- Organ / stage
- fruite0
- Second interactor
- tortoisesTestudinidaee0other
- Outcome
- seed dispersale0
- Direction
- increasee0
IguanaOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The prolonged and asynchronous dropping of fruit by Opuntia may act both to increase assurance of seed dispersal by iguanas and tortoises”
Claim · model-written summary
Prolonged, asynchronous fruit drop may decrease seed predation by finches.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The prolonged and asynchronous dropping of fruit by Opuntia may act both to increase assurance of seed dispersal by iguanas and tortoises and to decrease chances of seed predation by finches.”
Claim · model-written summary
Island variation in seed-coat thickness may be affected by predation pressure and alternative plant food sources.
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The interisland variation in seed-coat thickness may be affected by predation pressure as determined by the numbers of alternative plant food sources on an island.”
t0“Opuntia”