Format: ORAL

Alisson Dennis Gonzlez-Cortes 1 , Natalia Rodrguez-Jimnez 1 , Yesid Alejandro Mario-Macana 2 , Mary Lee Berdugo-Lattke , 3,

1 Semillero Tygua, Programa de Biología, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Central, Fundación Natura Bogotá, Colombia 2 Programa de Biología, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Central, Bogotá, Colombia 3 Grupo de investigación de agua y desarrollo sostenible, Semillero Tygua, Programa de Biología, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Central, Bogotá, Colombia 4 Grupo de investigación de biodiversidad y conservación, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia

During process of propagation and management of key plant species for ecological restoration (ER), it is necessary monitoring the growth and functional response before planting, because the nursery management influence the survival and success of plants in restoration areas. In this research, the response of four species of inter-Andean tropical dry forest (TDF) in Colombia was analyzed under different conditions of soil water availability (WA): 100%, 79.6%, 65.9% and without irrigation (main environmental filter). The species were selected by their successional preference, 120 plants were included in the experimental design, divided into four treatments per species: Ochroma pyramidale (pioneer), Senna spectabilis (pioneer), Tabebuia rosea (intermediate-advanced) and Astronium graveolens (intermediate-advanced). The experimental phase was carried out for seven consecutive weeks, then total harvest was performed to measure six traits: leaf area (cm2), leaf thickness (mm), xylem vessel density (#/mm2), xylem vessel diameter (m) and the proportion of secondary roots (% dry biomass). In O. pyramidale WA -response traits are related to stem and roots with an affinity towards the acquisitive strategy and resists drought, in S. spectabilis the response were leaf thickness and stem, with an affinity towards the acquisitive strategy and avoids drought. For A. graveolens and T. rosea, the response traits were stem and root, related to the conservative strategy, however A. graveolens tolerates drought as it remained evergreen, while T. rosea resists as leaf abscission occurs with prolonged drought (deciduous). In all species the relationship between traits was different, however under prolonged drought the proportion of secondary roots increased, as a strategy to search water. We conclude that these species require differential irrigation management to improve their response in growth, transplanting and survival in the nursery, this management guarantee a better response in the areas will be restored.