Caatinga diaspores: Descriptive overview of dispersal units of seasonally dry tropical forests and woodlands

Abstract

Dispersal unit characteristics provide crucial insights into species ecology and are essential for the conservation and restoration of ecosystems. The Caatinga, the largest ecosystem of seasonally dry tropical forests and woodlands in South America, remains underrepresented in terms of dispersal unit data, which are often scattered across the scientific literature or remain unpublished. To address this gap, we compiled a dataset of morphophysiological data for 100 native taxa, including key information such as germination, seed water content, 1000 seed mass, fruit shape, and the geographic coordinates of 1981 seed lots. Over nine years, more than 60 t of dispersal units were harvested, representing 91% of the most dominant woody species in this ecosystem. These records stem from environmental licensing actions associated with the São Francisco River Integration Project (PISF), the Re-Habitar Ararinha Azul Project, and verified literature. This dataset, the first of its kind for the Caatinga, offers valuable potential for research on forest dynamics, dispersal, germination, conservation, and ecological restoration in the Brazilian semiarid region. We hope this data paper provides reliable information on local flora distribution, dispersal syndromes, and morphological descriptions, while also suggesting methods for overcoming seed dormancy in the Caatinga. No copyright restrictions apply to this dataset, but please cite this data paper in publications. We also encourage researchers and educators to inform us of how they are using the data.