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12 results for “endozoochory”
Endozoochory by black rhinoceroses enhances germination of a key arid savanna tree species
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Climate and microhabitat shape the prevalence of endozoochory in the seed rain of tropical montane forests
<p>Endozoochory, the dispersal of seeds by animal ingestion, is the most dominant mode of seed dispersal in tropical forests and is a key process shaping current and future forest dynamics. However, it remains largely unknown how endozoochory is associated with environmental conditions at regional and local scales. Here, we investigated the effects of elevation, climate and microhabitat conditions on the proportion of endozoochorous plant species in the seed rain of the tropical Andes of southern Ecuador. Over one year, we measured seed rain in 162 seed traps on nine 1-ha forest plots located at 1000 m, 2000 m, and 3000 m a.s.l. We recorded climatic conditions (mean annual temperature and rainfall) in each plot and microhabitat conditions (leaf area index and soil moisture) adjacent to each seed trap. In total, we recorded 331,838 seeds belonging to 323 morphospecies. Overall, the proportion of endozoochorous species in the seed rain decreased with elevation. Relative biomass of endozoochorous species decreased with increasing rainfall, whereas the relative seed richness of endozoochorous species increased with increasing temperature and leaf area index. These findings suggest an interplay between climate factors and microhabitat conditions in shaping the importance of endozoochorous plant species in the seed rain of tropical montane forests. We conclude that changing climatic and microhabitat conditions are likely to cause changes in the dominant dispersal modes of plant communities which may trigger changes in current and future dynamics of tropical forests.</p>
Effects of endozoochory and diploendozoochory by captive mammals on Juniperus deppeana seeds
<p><span>Carnivorous mammals disperse seeds through endozoochory and diploendozoochory. The former consists of ingestion of the fruit, passage through the digestive tract, and expulsion of the seeds, a process that allows scarification and dispersal of the seeds over long or short distances. The latter is typical of predators that expel seeds that were contained in the prey and the effects of which may differ from those of endozoochory with respect to the retention time of the seeds in the tracts, as well as their scarification and viability. The objective of this study was to conduct an experimental evaluation comparing the capacity of each mammal species in terms of the dispersal of<em> Juniperus deppeana</em> seeds and, at the same time, to compare this capacity through the two dispersal systems: endozoochory and diploendozoochory. We measured dispersal capacity using indices of recovery, viability, changes in testas, and retention time of seeds in the digestive tract. <em>Juniperus deppeana </em>fruits were collected in the Sierra Fría Protected Natural Area in Aguascalientes, Mexico, and were administered in the diet of captive mammals: gray fox (<em>Urocyon cinereoargenteus</em>), coati (<em>Nasua narica</em>) and domestic rabbits (<em>Oryctolagus cuniculus</em>). These three mammals represented the endozoochoric dispersers. For the diploendozoochoric treatment, seeds excreted by rabbits were incorporated into the diets of captive mammals: bobcat (<em>Lynx rufus</em>) and cougar (<em>Puma concolor</em>), in a local zoo. Seeds present in the scats were then collected, and recovery rates and retention times were estimated. Viability was estimated by X-ray optical densitometry and testa thicknesses were measured and surfaces checked using scanning electron microscopy. The results showed a recovery of seeds greater than 70% in all the animals. The retention time was < 24 h in the endozoochory, but longer at 24-96 h in the diploendozoochory (P < 0.05). Seed viability (</span><span> </span><span>± SD) was decreased in rabbits (74.0 ± 11.5 %), compared to fruits obtained directly from the canopy (89.7 ± 2.0 %), while gray fox, coati, bobcat, and cougar did not affect seed viability (P < 0.05). An increase in the thickness of the testas was also observed in seeds excreted from all mammals (P < 0.05). Through evaluation, our results suggest that mammalian endozoochory and diploendozoochory contribute to the dispersal of <em>J. deppeana</em> by maintaining viable seeds with adaptive characteristics in the testa to promote forest regeneration and restoration. In particular, feline predators can provide an ecosystem service through scarification and seed dispersal.</span></p>
Climate and microhabitat shape the prevalence of endozoochory in the seed rain of tropical montane forests
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Effects of endozoochory and diploendozoochory by captive mammals on Juniperus deppeana seeds
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Seed mass, hardness and phylogeny determine the potential for endozoochory by granivorous waterbirds
Field studies have shown that waterbirds, especially members of the Anatidae family, are major vectors of dispersal for a broad range of plants whose propagules can survive gut passage. Widely adopted dispersal syndromes ignore this dispersal mechanism, and we currently have little understanding of what traits determine the potential of angiosperms for endozoochory by waterbirds. Results from previous experimental studies have been inconsistent as to how seed traits affect seed survival and retention time in the gut, and have failed to control for the influence of plant phylogeny. Using 13 angiosperm species from aquatic and terrestrial habitats representing nine families, we examined the effects of seed size, shape and hardness on the proportion of seeds surviving gut passage through mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), and their retention time within the gut. We compiled a molecular phylogeny for these species and controlled for the non-independence of taxa due to common descent in our analyses. Intact seeds from all 13 species were egested, but seed survival was strongly determined by partial effects of seed mass and hardness (wet load): species with seeds harder than expected from their size, and smaller than expected from their loading, had higher survival. Once phylogeny was controlled for, a positive partial effect of seed roundness on seed survival was also revealed. Species with seeds harder than expected from their size had a longer mean retention time, but no phylogenetic signal was found for retention time. Our study is the first to demonstrate that seed shape and phylogeny are important predictors of seed survival in the avian gut. Our results demonstrate the importance of controlling simultaneously for multiple traits, and that relating single traits (e.g. seed size) alone to seed survival or retention time is not a reliable way to detect important patterns, especially when phylogenetic effects are ignored.
Data from: Endozoochory of aquatic ferns and angiosperms by mallards in Central Europe
1. Modern literature on plant dispersal by birds focuses mainly on the importance of frugivory and scatter-hoarding, yet recent studies show that endozoochory by migratory waterbirds is an important mechanism of long-distance dispersal for a broad range of plants. Nevertheless, there is a lack of empirical field studies that identify the plants dispersed by waterbirds, and relate them to expectations based on dispersal syndromes. To date, there are no detailed studies of the level of spatial variation in the plant taxa dispersed by a waterbird vector. 2. Five sets of faecal samples (total n = 215) were collected from mallards Anas platyrhynchos on autumn migration in the Tisza and Balaton regions in Hungary, central Europe. Intact diaspores were extracted, identified and their germinability assessed under standard conditions. The plant communities recorded at different sites were compared with PERMANOVA and other multivariate methods. 3. Macrospores of the floating watermoss Salvinia natans were recorded in 32 samples, and a total of 16 macrospores germinated, providing the first field demonstration of endozoochory of ferns by birds. Of 21 angiosperm taxa recorded (of which 8 germinated), 13 were terrestrial species, although the most abundant taxa were aquatic species such as the alkali bulrush Bolboschoenus maritimus and the sago pondweed Potamogeton pectinatus. Two naturalized alien species, the common fig (Ficus carica) and the hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) were also recorded. The plant taxa dispersed varied at two different spatial scales, with minor but significant differences between samples from sites separated by less than 1 km, and major differences between the two regions separated by approximately 220 km. 4. Synthesis. This is a unique study of the spatial variation in plants dispersed by endozoochory by a migratory waterfowl species, with the first demonstration of avian endozoochory of ferns. Most taxa dispersed are generally assumed to disperse by water, wind or self-dispersal, and waterfowl will provide much greater maximum dispersal distances. More such studies are essential before we can understand which plants are dispersed by migratory birds, because morphological dispersal syndromes do not allow us to make adequate a priori predictions.
Seed dispersal by the cosmopolitan house sparrow widen the spectrum of unexpected endozoochory by granivore birds
<p>Presence of seeds from different plant species found in the droppings of the house sparrow (<em>Passer domesticus</em>) and their viability determined by the tetrazolium test.</p>
Data from: Endozoochory of aquatic ferns and angiosperms by mallards in Central Europe
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Seed mass, hardness and phylogeny determine the potential for endozoochory by granivorous waterbirds
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Data from: Neglected seed dispersers: endozoochory by Javan lutungs (Trachypithecus auratus) in Indonesia
Leaf monkeys are known to be leaf eaters, and thus, their potential role as seed dispersers has been neglected. However, they do also feed on fruits. To examine the role of leaf monkeys as endozoochorous seed dispersers, we studied the Javan lutung (Trachypithecus auratus) in Indonesia. We compared multiple aspects of seed dispersal processes (amount and diversity of seeds ingested, dispersal distance, and germination rate) of lutungs with that of the sympatric long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis). Over the study period, 54 percent of the lutung feces contained intact seeds, which was equivalent to the macaque feces contained seeds (62%). Seeds of at least six plant species were detected in the lutung feces, which was less than those found in the macaque feces (>19 plant species). The main species of seeds defecated by both lutungs and macaques was Ficus spp. (seed size: 0.7 mm). Seed shadow, estimated from travel distance (range: 1–299 m) and gut passage rate (24–96 h), had a unimodal-distribution with a peak at 51–100 m, and was shorter than that reported in published accounts of macaques and other similar and smaller sized frugivores. Finally, germination rates of Ficus spp. seeds ingested by both lutungs and macaques were lower than that of the control seeds. These results imply that the dispersal effectiveness of lutungs would be lower than that of the sympatric primate frugivores. However, at a population level, lutungs could play a significant role as seed dispersers for the small-seeded species, and therefore, more research into their frugivorous habits is warranted.
Data from: Neglected seed dispersers: endozoochory by Javan lutungs (Trachypithecus auratus) in Indonesia
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