DOI: 10.5061/dryad.stqjq2c8d
title: Demography of the understory herb Heliconia acuminata (Heliconiaceae) in an experimentally fragmented tropical landscape

description: Habitat fragmentation remains a major focus of research by ecologists
 decades after being put forward as a threat to the integrity of
 ecosystems. While studies have documented myriad biotic changes in
 fragmented landscapes, including the local extinction of species from
 fragments, the demographic mechanisms underlying these extinctions are
 rarely known. However, many of them – especially in lowland tropical
 forests – are thought to be driven by one of two mechanisms: (1) reduced
 recruitment in fragments resulting from changes in the diversity or
 abundance of pollinators and seed dispersers or (2) increased rates of
 individual mortality in fragments due to dramatically altered abiotic
 conditions, especially near fragment edges. Unfortunately, there have been
 few tests of these potential mechanisms due to the paucity of long-term
 and comprehensive demographic data collected in both forest fragments and
 continuous forest sites. Here we report 11 years (1998-2009) of
 demographic data from populations of the Amazonian understory herb
 Heliconia acuminata (LC Rich.) found at Brazil’s Biological Dynamics of
 Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP). The resulting data set comprises
 &gt;66000 plant×year records of 8586 plants, including 3464 seedlings
 that became established after the initial census. Seven populations were
 in experimentally isolated fragments (one in each of four 1-ha fragments
 and one in each of three 10-ha fragments), with the remaining six
 populations in continuous forest. Each population was in a 50×100m
 permanent plot, with the distance between plots ranging from 500 m-60 km.
 The plants in each plot were censused annually, at which time we recorded,
 identified, marked, and measured new seedlings, identified any previously
 marked plants that died, and recorded the size of surviving individuals.
 Each plot was also surveyed 4-5 times during the flowering season to
 identify reproductive plants and record the number of inflorescences each
 produced. These data have been used to investigate topics ranging from the
 way fragmentation-related reductions in germination influence population
 dynamics to statistical methods for analyzing reproductive rates. This
 breadth of prior use reflects the value of these data to future
 researchers. In addition to analyses of plant responses to habitat
 fragmentation, these data can be used to address fundamental questions in
 plant demography, the evolutionary ecology of tropical plants, and for
 developing and testing demographic models and tools. Though we welcome
 opportunities to collaborate with interested users, there are no
 restrictions on the use this data set. However, we do request that those
 using the data for teaching or research inform us of how they are doing so
 and cite this paper and the data archive when appropriate. Any publication
 using the data must also include a BDFFP Technical Series Number in the
 Acknowledgments. Authors can request this series number upon the
 acceptance of their article by contacting the BDFFP’s Scientific
 Coordinator or E. M. Bruna.
description: The plants in each plot were censused annually, at which time we
 recorded, identified, marked, and measured new seedlings, identified any
 previously marked plants that died, and recorded the size of surviving
 individuals. Each plot was also surveyed 4-5 times during the flowering
 season to identify reproductive plants and record the number of
 inflorescences each produced.
description: The files are in .csv files and no special programs or software
 are required to open them. 
description: # HDP\_survey.csv and HDP\_plots.csv *** ## Associated Data Paper The
 complete metadata for these data sets, including detailed descriptions of
 why and how the data were collected and validated, are in the following
 Data Paper: Bruna,E.M., M.Uriarte, M.Rosa Darrigo, P.Rubim, C.F.Jurinitz,
 E.R.Scott, O.Ferreira da Silva, & W.John Kress. 2023. Demography
 of the understory herb *Heliconia acuminata* (Heliconiaceae) in an
 experimentally fragmented tropical landscape. *Ecology*. ## Overview This
 file comprises 11 years (1998-2009) of demographic data from populations
 of the Amazonian understory herb *Heliconia acuminata* (LC Rich.) found at
 Brazil's Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP). The
 dataset comprises &gt;66,000 plant x year records of 8586 plants,
 including 3464 seedlings established after the first census. Seven
 populations were in experimentally isolated fragments (one in each of four
 1-ha fragments and one in each of three 10-ha fragments), with the
 remaining six populations in continuous forest. Each population was in a
 50xx 100 m permanent plot, with the distance between plots ranging from
 500 m-60 km. The plants in each plot were censused annually, at which time
 we recorded, identified, marked, and measured new seedlings, identified
 any previously marked plants that died, and recorded the size of surviving
 individuals. Each plot was also surveyed 4-5 times during the flowering
 season to identify reproductive plants and record the number of
 inflorescences each produced. This data set describes the demographic
 plots in which surveys were conducted (HDP\_plots.csv) and the demographic
 survey data (HDP\_survey.csv). ## Description of the data and file
 structure: HDP\_survey.csv * Format and storage mode: ASCII text, comma
 delimited. No compression scheme used. * Header information: The first row
 of the file contains the variable names. * Variables: \-\- plot\_id: Plot
 in which plant is located \(values: FF1\-FF7\, CF1\-CF6\) \-\- subplot:
 Subplot in which plant is located \(values: A1\-E10 except in CF3\, where
 F6\-J101\) \-\- plant\_id: Unique ID no\. assigned to plant \(values:
 range = 1\-8660\, units: number\, precision: 1\) \-\- tag\_number: Number
 on tag attached to plant \(values: range = 1\-3751\, units: number\,
 precision: 1\) \-\- year: Calendar year of survey \(values: range =
 1998\-2009\, units: year\, precision: 1\)\) \-\- shts: No\. of shoots when
 surveyed \(values: range = 0\-24\, units: shoots\, precision: 1\, NA: data
 missing\) \-\- ht: Plant height when surveyed \(values: range = 0\-226\,
 units: cm\, precision: 1\, NA: data missing\) \-\- infl: No\. of
 inflorescences \(if flowering\) \(values: range = 1\-7\, units: shoots\,
 precision: 1\, NA: data missing\) \-\- recorded\_sdlg: New seedling
 \(values: TRUE\, FALSE\) \-\- adult\_no\_tag: Established \(i\.e\.\,
 post\-seedling\) individual without tag \(values: TRUE\, FALSE\) \-\-
 treefall\_status: Plant found under fallen tree crown\, branches\, or leaf
 litter at time of survey \(values: branch = under fallen tree limbs tree =
 under tree crown or fallen trees litter = under accumulated leaf\-litter
 NA = not relevant or no observation recorded\) \-\- census\_status: Plant
 status in a census \(values: measured = alive\, measured dead = died prior
 to census missing = not found during census\) ## Description of the data
 and file structure: HDP\_plots.csv * Format and storage mode: ASCII text,
 comma delimited. No compression scheme used. * Header information: The
 first row of the file contains the variable names. * Variables: \-\-
 plot\_id: Code used to identify a plot \(Values: FF1\-FF7 = plots in
 fragments\, CF1\-CF6 = plots in continuous forest\) \-\- habitat: Habitat
 in which a plot is located \(Values: one = 1\-ha fragment\, ten = 10\-ha
 fragment\, forest = continuous forest\) \-\- ranch: Ranch in which a plot
 is located \(Values: porto alegre\, esteio\, dimona\) \-\- bdffp\_no:
 BDFFPs Reserve ID Number \(Values: 1104\, 1202\, 1301\, 1501\, 2107\,
 2108\, 2206\, 3209\, 3402\, NA\) \-\- yr\_isolated: for fragments\, the
 year they were initially isolated by felling \(and in some cases burning\)
 the trees surrounding them ## Describe relationships between data files,
 missing data codes, other abbreviations used. Be as descriptive as
 possible. * Missing values are represented with NA. ## Sharing/Access
 information * Though we welcome opportunities to collaborate with
 interested users, there are no restrictions on the use this data set.
 However, we do request that those using the data for teaching or research
 inform us of how they are doing so and cite the Bruna et al. Data Paper in
 Ecology and this Dryad archive. * Any publication using the data must
 include a BDFFP Technical Series Number in the Acknowledgments. Authors
 can request this series number upon the acceptance of their article by
 contacting the BDFFP's Scientific Coordinator or E. M. Bruna. ##
 Complementary Data, questions regarding the data sets, and PI Contact
 Information: Project-related information, including contact information
 for the PIs, can be found at the HDP Github Repository
 ([https://github.com/BrunaLab/HeliconiaSurveys](https://github.com/BrunaLab/HeliconiaSurveys)). Questions regarding the data sets should be posted as `Issues` on the HDP Repository (https://github.com/BrunaLab/HeliconiaSurveys/issues) or referred to E. M. Bruna (embruna@ufl.edu), who will investigate and update the database as needed. Summaries of any post-publication updates will be posted to the `NEWS.md` file of the HDP Github Repository (https://github.com/BrunaLab/HeliconiaSurveys) ## Code/Software Used to clean and validate data sets The code that was used to clean and organize these data sets is found in the HDP Github Repository ([https://github.com/BrunaLab/HeliconiaSurveys](https://github.com/BrunaLab/HeliconiaSurveys)). Questions regarding the code should be posted as `Issues` on the HDP Repository (https://github.com/BrunaLab/HeliconiaSurveys/issues) or referred to E. M. Bruna, who will investigate and update the code as needed. Summaries of any post-publication updates will be posted to the `NEWS.md` file of the HDP Github Repository (https://github.com/BrunaLab/HeliconiaSurveys)