Journal of Tropical Ecology (2012) 28:317–320. © Cambridge University Press 2012 doi:10.1017/S0266467412000120 SHORT COMMUNICATION Reproductive success of Cardiopetalum calophyllum (Annonaceae) treelets in fragments of Brazilian savanna Marcos Ant ˆ onio da Silva Elias ∗ , Edivani Villaron Franceschinelli ∗,1 , Leandro Juen†, F´ abio Julio Alves Borges‡, Glalko Machado Ferreira§ and F ´ abio Martins Vilar de Carvalho# ∗ Departamento de Biologia Geral, ICB, Universidade Federal de Goi ´ as, Goi ˆ ania 74.001-970, Goi ´ as, Brazil † Instituto de Ci ˆ encias Biol ´ ogicas, Universidade Federal do Par ´ a, Rua Augusto Correia, No. 1 Bairro Guama, 66.075-110, Bel ´ em, Par ´ a, Brazil ‡ Licenciatura em Biologia a Dist ˆ ancia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Goi ´ as, Goi ˆ ania 74.001–970, Goi ´ as, Brazil § Cadastro Territorial Multifinalit ´ ario, Prefeitura Municipal de Hidrol ˆ andia, Goi ´ as, Brazil # Universidade Federal de Goi ´ as, Campus Jata´ ı, BR-364 km 192, Jata´ ı 75801–615, Goi ´ as, Brazil (Accepted 5 February 2012) Key Words: beetle pollination, cerrado, habitat fragmentation, Lobiopa insularis, pollinator abundance, reproductive output Habitat fragmentation may affect essential ecosystem processes, such as pollination, causing negative effects on plants and pollinators (Aizen & Feinsinger 1994, Jennersten 1988, Lennartsson 2002, Liow et al. 2001, Murcia 1996). Effects of fragmentation on plant– pollinator interaction were evaluated in several studies (Aguirre & Dirzo 2008, Dauber et al. 2010, Dick 2001, Donaldson et al. 2002, Dunley et al. 2009, Fuchs et al. 2003, Ghazoul & McLeish 2001, Lopes & Buzato 2007). The Brazilian savanna, called cerrado, has been fragmented due in large part to extensive agricultural activity (Carvalho et al. 2009). Studies with the main objective of evaluating the influence of fragment size on ecosystem processes and on plant reproductive output has not been determined in cerrado. The plants of this type of vegetation seem to produce generally low number of fruits per flower (Gribel & Hay 1993, Munin et al. 2008, Ortiz et al. 2003). This may be due to the low soil fertility (Franco 2002, Haridasan 2000). But the recent fragmentation of this biome may reduce even more their plant reproductive success because it can increase the effect of pollination limitation and inbreeding caused by the habitat isolation and degradation. Cardiopetalum calophyllum Schltdl. (Annonaceae) is an allogamous species. It has a system of dichogamy 1 Corresponding author. Email: edivanif@gmail.com that promotes cross-breeding, making its reproductive output pollinator-dependent (Gottsberger & Silberbauer- Gottsberger 2006). This species is pollinated by a single species of beetle, Lobiopa insularis (Castelnau 1840), that belongs to the family Nitidulidae. It is small (5–7 mm in length), flattened, and is attracted to C. calophyllum flowers by their smell. During anthesis, it penetrates into the flower chamber to feed on pollen and tissues and to reproduce, accomplishing pollination during this process (Gottsberger & Silberbauer-Gottsberger 2006). Given this intrinsic relationship with its pollinator agents, it is expected that C. calophyllum be susceptible to the effects of fragmentation. Therefore, the aim of this study is to test if smaller fragments exhibit lower reproductive output and pollinator abundance of C. calophyllum than larger fragments. Also, assuming beetles fly short distances among plants and have small foraging areas, we collected data on plant density surrounding the study plant to test if pollinator abundance is related to the mean number of reproductive plants of C. calophyllum within fragments. This study was carried out in populations of C. calophyllum during one reproductive season, between July 2009 and January 2010, in the municipality of Hidrolˆ andia (16 ◦ 55 ′ 44 ′′ S, 49 ◦ 16 ′ 35 ′′ W) in the State of Goi´ as, Brazil. Of the 30 fragments previously selected, ten were chosen for this study because they present the same types of vegetation and occurrence of C. calophyllum. The study fragments vary between 2 and 928 ha (Table 1)