Significant gaps remain in understanding the response of plant reproduction to environmental change. This is partly because measuring reproduction in long‐lived plants requires direct observation over many years and such datasets have rarely been made publicly available. Here we introduce MASTREE+, a data set that collates reproductive time‐series data from across the globe and makes these data freely available to the community. MASTREE+ includes 73,828 georeferenced observations of annual reproduction (e.g. seed and fruit counts) in perennial plant populations worldwide. These observations consist of 5971 population‐level time‐series from 974 species in 66 countries. The mean and median time‐series length is 12.4 and 10 years respectively, and the data set includes 1122 series that extend over at least two decades (≥20 years of observations). For a subset of well‐studied species, MASTREE+ includes extensive replication of time‐series across geographical and climatic gradients. Here we describe the open‐access data set, available as a.csv file, and we introduce an associated web‐based app for data exploration. MASTREE+ will provide the basis for improved understanding of the response of long‐lived plant reproduction to environmental change. Additionally, MASTREE+ will enable investigation of the ecology and evolution of reproductive strategies in perennial plants, and the role of plant reproduction as a driver of ecosystem dynamics.

Copaifera species produce an oleoresin of commercial importance that is widely extracted in Amazon communities.

This work augments research on masting for the economically important tropical tree Carapa guianensis Aublet, specifically on whether determinants of mast years vary regionally, spatially, and due to longer term ENSO climate patterns. Longer term measurements (an 11-year period in Acre and Roraima; 4 years and 8 months in Amapá) from three regions of the Brazilian Amazon allowed for the analysis of whether climate cues were regionally consistent for this species. We used generalized linear mixed models, to determine which factors were significant in predicting whether trees would produce in a given year and to model the seed production quantity. We found a positive effect of increasing the diameter at breast height (dbh) on the quantity and likelihood of seed production. Our results also suggested that ecosystems and climate cues may jointly affect seed production. In flooded forests, increases in dry season rainfall had a negative impact on the likelihood of seed production whilst none of the precipitation variables investigated influenced the quantity of seeds produced. In drier terra firme forests in Acre with extended dry seasons, increases in dry season precipitation had significant and positive impacts on both the likelihood and the quantity of seed production. Our results illustrate the importance of considering plant habitat and climate to better understand individual and regional differences in seed production and their responses to inter-annual climate variation.

Seasonal fluctuations in soil chemical properties play a central role in regulating biogeochemical processes and fertility in Amazonian forests. This study evaluated how rainy and dry seasons influence soil organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), and pH under native Bertholletia excelsa groves in the Tapajós National Forest, Pará, Brazil. Thirty soil samples (0–20 cm) were collected during each season and analyzed individually using standardized laboratory procedures and appropriate statistical tests. Significant seasonal differences were detected for C (p = 0.0001) and N (p = 0.013), whereas pH remained stable across periods (p > 0.05). Organic carbon increased markedly during the dry season, reflecting the accumulation of partially decomposed litter and humic substances under reduced moisture and slower decomposition. In contrast, total nitrogen decreased slightly but significantly, suggesting enhanced microbial immobilization during drought. Together, these patterns indicate that hydrological seasonality modulates the balance between nutrient release in the wet season and organic matter preservation in the dry season. From a management perspective, maintaining litter cover and minimizing soil disturbance during the dry season are essential to sustaining nutrient retention, soil structure, and ecosystem resilience. By integrating seasonal contrasts in C, N, and pH, this study provides empirical evidence of the mechanisms governing nutrient dynamics in soils beneath native Brazil-nut trees, advancing the understanding of biogeochemical functioning and offering a basis for sustainable management of Amazonian extractive systems.

Este estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar o perfil socioeconômico de famílias extratoras de castanha-da-amazônia (Bertholletia excelsa), quantificar a produção das últimas três safras e identificar as práticas de manejo utilizadas em comunidades locais na Floresta Nacional do Tapajós (FLONA) do Tapajós, em Belterra, Pará. Foram realizadas entrevistas estruturadas com 24 famílias das comunidades Boa Esperança, Branco e São Jorge. Os resultados revelaram que o perfil dos entrevistados é de baixa escolaridade, com a atividade extrativista sendo parte de uma estratégia de pluriatividade, complementada por programas de transferência de renda como o Bolsa Família. A produção média familiar variou significativamente entre as safras de 2013/2014 a 2015/2016, com uma queda acentuada na última safra, atribuída pelos extrativistas à redução das chuvas e às queimadas frequentes na região. As práticas de coleta, transporte e beneficiamento são rudimentares e realizadas majoritariamente sem a licença obrigatória do ICMBio, o que favorece a contaminação por aflatoxinas. A comercialização é dominada por atravessadores, que impõem baixos preços. Concluiu-se que a cadeia produtiva carece de organização, assistência técnica e políticas públicas que promovam boas práticas, valorizem o produto e garantam a legalidade da atividade, essenciais para a conservação do recurso e a melhoria da qualidade de vida nas comunidades.

Understanding the spatial organization of soil fertility is essential for explaining resource availability and ecosystem functioning in Amazonian Brazil nut forests (Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl.). However, despite the ecological and socioeconomic importance of this species, it remains unclear whether the heterogeneous soil fertility patterns observed across the Amazon Basin converge into recurrent regional spatial domains. This study investigated the regional organization of soil fertility by integrating geostatistical information from 12 Brazil nut forest areas distributed across six states of the Brazilian Amazon (Acre, Amazonas, Pará, Amapá, Roraima and Mato Grosso), comprising 728 sampling points. Regional geostatistical indicators describing spatial range and degree of spatial dependence were synthesized and analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Spatial ranges varied by more than two orders of magnitude, from approximately 110 m in Mato Grosso to 29.8 km in Acre, revealing marked differences in the scale of soil resource organization. The regional synthesis identified three recurrent spatial domains. The Macro-scale Pedogenetic Domain, represented by Acre, was characterized by kilometer-scale spatial continuity associated with broad pedogenetic gradients. The Intermediate Edaphic Domain, encompassing Amazonas, Pará, Amapá and Roraima, exhibited structured fertility mosaics with characteristic spatial ranges between 300 and 400 m. The Micro-Heterogeneity Domain, represented by Mato Grosso, showed short-range variability associated with weak spatial dependence and localized soil-forming processes. These recurrent domains emerge from hierarchical interactions among geological inheritance, geomorphology and pedogenesis rather than from isolated local soil properties. Our findings establish the first regional framework describing the spatial organization of soil fertility in Amazonian Brazil nut forests and demonstrate that soil fertility should be interpreted as a spatially organized ecological resource regulating ecosystem functioning, forest resilience and the persistence of Bertholletia excelsa populations across the Amazon Basin.