DOI: 10.5061/dryad.q0470c6
title: Data from: Effect of distance to edge and edge interaction on seedling regeneration and biotic damage in tropical rainforest fragments: a long‐term experiment

description: In forest fragments, edge effects can influence forest regeneration, but
 little is known about how edge effects influence seedling performance and
 the interaction between seedlings and their natural enemies over time. In
 central Amazonia, we recorded survival and growth (in height and leaf
 number) and damage by insect herbivores and leaf‐fungal pathogens of
 Chrysophyllum pomiferum (Sapotaceae) seedlings that were exposed to
 different numbers of edges and to different distances from the forest
 edge. Grown seedlings were transplanted into one‐square‐metre plots within
 1‐ha blocks located in the centre (no edge), the edge (one edge), and the
 corner (two edges), and at different distances from the edge towards the
 interior (i.e., 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 m) of two rectangular fragments
 (10‐ and 100‐ha in size). Plots were visited once every 2 months for 1
 year (1992–1993) and thereafter every 2 years for almost 8 years
 (1993–2001). Overall, results showed that seedling survival, height, leaf
 number, and biotic damage varied over time with the presence of nearby
 edges and with the distance from the edge. Survival was lower in fragment
 edges and corners than in centres. Increase in height was similar for all
 positions within the 100‐ha fragment, whereas in the 10‐ha fragment
 seedling height had a greater increase at the edge and corner than in the
 centre. Furthermore, survival increased with distance from the edge as did
 leaf number, whereas height showed a lower increase closer to the edge
 than farther away. Regarding biotic damage, for both fragments herbivory
 was greater at the centres and decreased with edge proximity over time,
 whereas leaf‐fungal damage was greater at the corners than in the edges
 and increased significantly over time. Biotic damage was correlated with
 seedling size. Small seedlings were more susceptible to fungal attack,
 whereas larger seedlings were so to herbivores. Synthesis. This study
 demonstrated that despite stochastic environmental factors seedling
 survival, growth, and biotic damage by herbivores and fungal pathogens
 varied with the level of edge exposure and proximity, which may threaten
 forest regeneration in the long term.
description: JBM-DRYAD-DataAccesSampling size (N= number of surviving seedlings), mean, standard error (SE), minimum (Min.) and maximum (Max.) values for each variable related to Chrysophyllum pomiferum (Sapotaceae), seedling survival and growth (in height and leaf numbers) and biotic damage at different positions (centre, corner, edge) and at different distances from the edge (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 m), within 100 ha and 10 ha fragments, one year (12 months) after the experiment started and at the last time step (115 months). Herbivory: % Leaf area damaged by herbivory; while Fungal damage: indicates the proportion of leaves damaged by fungi. Initial number of seedlings per position in each fragment were N = 60, whereas the initial number of seedlings per distance from the edge in each fragment was N= 12.