1
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Wang Z, Tai W, Zhang X, Liu S, Niu Y, Chen W, Li N. Importance of plant and fruit traits on the structure of bird seed dispersal networks in different disturbed habitats. Integr Zool 2024; 19:753-762. [PMID: 38488176 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Species functional traits can influence seed dispersal processes and consequently affect species' role in the mutualistic network. Although the effect of animal traits on the structure of the seed dispersal network is well explored, it remains poorly understood how plant and fruit traits contribute to the structure. We here studied the effects of plant and fruit traits on the structure of bird seed dispersal networks across different disturbed habitats in the Meihua Mountain National Nature Reserve, Southeastern China. During the study period, 16, 20, 13, and 15 bird species were recorded foraging on 10, 11, 12, and 8 plant species, resulting in 511, 312, 265, and 201 foraging events in the protected forest, natural forest, village, and bamboo forest, respectively. The composition of these seed dispersal networks is not primarily influenced by a specific group of bulbul species, but rather by the presence of an endangered plant species, Taxus chinensis. As we expected, the structure of the four networks was different among the four disturbed habitats. Furthermore, our results also showed tree height and canopy density were the most important plant traits for structuring the seed dispersal network, while sugar, amylase, dry matter, and alkaloids were identified as significant fruit traits. Overall, our findings highlight the value of integrating trait-based ecology into the framework of the seed dispersal network and provide new insights for mutualistic network conservation in disturbed habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Wang
- College of Life Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Tai
- College of Life Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shouguo Liu
- College of Life Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yixing Niu
- College of Life Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenwen Chen
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, China
| | - Ning Li
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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2
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Cantwell-Jones A, Tylianakis JM, Larson K, Gill RJ. Using individual-based trait frequency distributions to forecast plant-pollinator network responses to environmental change. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14368. [PMID: 38247047 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Determining how and why organisms interact is fundamental to understanding ecosystem responses to future environmental change. To assess the impact on plant-pollinator interactions, recent studies have examined how the effects of environmental change on individual interactions accumulate to generate species-level responses. Here, we review recent developments in using plant-pollinator networks of interacting individuals along with their functional traits, where individuals are nested within species nodes. We highlight how these individual-level, trait-based networks connect intraspecific trait variation (as frequency distributions of multiple traits) with dynamic responses within plant-pollinator communities. This approach can better explain interaction plasticity, and changes to interaction probabilities and network structure over spatiotemporal or other environmental gradients. We argue that only through appreciating such trait-based interaction plasticity can we accurately forecast the potential vulnerability of interactions to future environmental change. We follow this with general guidance on how future studies can collect and analyse high-resolution interaction and trait data, with the hope of improving predictions of future plant-pollinator network responses for targeted and effective conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aoife Cantwell-Jones
- Georgina Mace Centre for The Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - Jason M Tylianakis
- Georgina Mace Centre for The Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, School of Biological Sciences, Private Bag 4800, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Keith Larson
- Climate Impacts Research Centre, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Richard J Gill
- Georgina Mace Centre for The Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
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3
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Leal LC, Koski MH. Linking pollen limitation and seed dispersal effectiveness. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14347. [PMID: 38073068 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Seed production and dispersal are crucial ecological processes impacting plant demography, species distributions and community assembly. Plant-animal interactions commonly mediate both seed production and seed dispersal, but current research often examines pollination and seed dispersal separately, which hinders our understanding of how pollination services affect downstream dispersal services. To fill this gap, we propose a conceptual framework exploring how pollen limitation can impact the effectiveness of seed dispersal for endozoochorous and myrmecochorous plant species. We summarize the quantitative and qualitative effects of pollen limitation on plant reproduction and use Optimal Foraging Theory to predict its impact on the foraging behaviour of seed dispersers. In doing so, we offer a new framework that poses numerous hypotheses and empirical tests to investigate links between pollen limitation and seed dispersal effectiveness and, consequently, post-dispersal ecological processes occurring at different levels of biological organization. Finally, considering the importance of pollination and seed dispersal outcomes to plant eco-evolutionary dynamics, we discussed the implications of our framework for future studies exploring the demographic and evolutionary impacts of pollen limitation for animal-dispersed plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Leal
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Matthew H Koski
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
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4
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Isla J, Jácome-Flores M, Arroyo JM, Jordano P. The turnover of plant-frugivore interactions along plant range expansion: consequences for natural colonization processes. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20222547. [PMID: 37221844 PMCID: PMC10206477 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.2547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant-animal mutualisms such as seed dispersal are key interactions for sustaining plant range shifts. It remains elusive whether the organization of interactions with seed dispersers is reconfigured along the expansion landscape template and, if so, whether its effects accelerate or slow colonization. Here we analyse plant-frugivore interactions in a scenario of rapid population expansion of a Mediterranean juniper. We combined network analyses with field surveys, sampling interactions between individual plants and frugivores by DNA-barcoding and phototrapping over two seasons. We assess the role of intrinsic and extrinsic intraspecific variability in shaping interactions and we estimate the individual plant contributions to the seed rain. The whole interaction network was highly structured, with a distinct set of modules including individual plants and frugivore species arranged concordantly along the expansion gradient. The modular configuration was partially shaped by individual neighbourhood context (density and fecundity) and phenotypic traits (cone size). Interaction reconfiguration resulted in a higher and more uneven propagule contribution, with most effective dispersers having a prominent role at the colonization front stand, where a distinct subset of early arriving plants dominated the seed rain. Our study offers new insights into the key role of mutualistic interactions in colonization scenarios by promoting fast plant expansion processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Isla
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Av. Americo Vespucio 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Miguel Jácome-Flores
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Av. Americo Vespucio 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
- CONACYT-Centro del Cambio Global y la Sustentabilidad, 86080 Villahermosa, Tabasco, México
| | - Juan M. Arroyo
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Av. Americo Vespucio 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Pedro Jordano
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Av. Americo Vespucio 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
- Dept. Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Sevilla, Spain
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5
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Quintero E, Rodríguez-Sánchez F, Jordano P. Reciprocity and interaction effectiveness in generalised mutualisms among free-living species. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:132-146. [PMID: 36450595 PMCID: PMC10099531 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Mutualistic interactions among free-living species generally involve low-frequency interactions and highly asymmetric dependence among partners, yet our understanding of factors behind their emergence is still limited. Using individual-based interactions of a super-generalist fleshy-fruited plant with its frugivore assemblage, we estimated the Resource Provisioning Effectiveness (RPE) and Seed Dispersal Effectiveness (SDE) to assess the balance in the exchange of resources. Plants were highly dependent on a few frugivore species, while frugivores interacted with most individual plants, resulting in strong asymmetries of mutual dependence. Interaction effectiveness was mainly driven by interaction frequency. Despite highly asymmetric dependences, the strong reliance on quantity of fruit consumed determined high reciprocity in rewards between partners (i.e. higher energy provided by the plant, more seedlings recruited), which was not obscured by minor variations in the quality of animal or plant service. We anticipate reciprocity will emerge in low-intimacy mutualisms where the mutualistic outcome largely relies upon interaction frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Quintero
- Integrative Ecology Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Francisco Rodríguez-Sánchez
- Integrative Ecology Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Sevilla, Spain.,Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Pedro Jordano
- Integrative Ecology Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Sevilla, Spain.,Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
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6
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Li N, Yang X, Ren Y, Wang Z. Importance of species traits on individual-based seed dispersal networks and dispersal distance for endangered trees in a fragmented forest. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1010352. [PMID: 36212316 PMCID: PMC9534520 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1010352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Although mutualistic network analyses have sparked a renewed interest in the patterns and drivers of network structures within communities, few studies have explored structural patterns within populations. In an endangered tree species population, plant individuals share their bird seed dispersers; however, the factors affecting individual interaction patterns are poorly understood. In this study, four individual-based networks were built for the endangered Chinese yew, Taxus chinensis, in a fragmented forest based on bird foraging type (swallowing and pecking networks) and habitat type (networks in a bamboo patch and an evergreen broad-leaved forest patch). Species-level network metrics (species degree and specialization, d') were used to evaluate the effects of species traits (bird and plant traits) on species-level networks and dispersal distance for T. chinensis. It was revealed that the interaction networks between T. chinensis individuals and their bird partners were influenced by foraging type and the habitat of plant distribution. Compared to the other two networks, bird swallowing and bird-fruit networks in the evergreen broad-leaved patch habitat had higher nestedness and connectance but lower modules and specialization. Bird (body weight and wing and bill lengths) and plant traits (height, crop size, and cover) significantly affected species-level network metrics such as degree and specialization. Furthermore, seed dispersal distance was influenced by species traits and the species-level metrics of fruit-bird interaction networks. These results provide new insights into individual-based seed dispersal mutualistic networks of endangered plant species under habitat fragmentation. Moreover, these findings have relevant implications for conserving and managing individual endangered trees in increasingly disturbed ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Li
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanhao Ren
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zheng Wang
- College of Biology and Environmental Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
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7
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Vissoto M, Vizentin-Bugoni J, Sendoya SF, Gomes GC, Dias RA. Plant height and spatial context influence individual connectivity and specialization on seed dispersers in a tree population. Oecologia 2022; 198:721-731. [PMID: 35292859 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05142-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
While network analyses have stimulated a renewed interest in understanding patterns and drivers of specialization within communities, few studies have explored specialization within populations. Thus, in plant populations, causes and consequences of individual variation in their interactions with mutualistic animals remain poorly understood. Studying a Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolia) population, we measured the extent of individual variation in interactions with seed dispersers and tested whether connectivity (number of seed dispersers) and specialization (exclusiveness of partners) are associated with phenotypic and phenological traits of individuals and their spatial context. We found that: (i) individuals varied broadly in their connectivity and specialization on seed dispersers; (ii) phenotypic traits and spatial context matter more than fruiting duration in determining how many and how exclusive are seed dispersers of an individual; (iii) the individual-based network was nested and indicated that the less connected individuals were shorter, occurred in neighborhoods with fewer fruits, and tended to interact with a subset of the partners of more generalist individuals which, in turn, were taller and inserted in higher fruit density neighborhoods; (iv) modularity indicated the existence of subsets of individuals that interacted disproportionately with distinct groups of partners, which may occur due to differences in bird habitat use across the landscape. Our study underlines a remarkable interindividual variation that is overlooked when interactions are compiled to describe species-level interactions. Traits and spatial contexts that define variation among individuals may have important implications not only for fitness but also for sampling and description of interactions at species level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maiara Vissoto
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Departamento de Ecologia, Zoologia e Genética, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. .,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Jeferson Vizentin-Bugoni
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Departamento de Ecologia, Zoologia e Genética, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Sebastian F Sendoya
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Departamento de Ecologia, Zoologia e Genética, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Gustavo C Gomes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Desenvolvimento Territorial e Sistemas Agroindustriais, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Rafael A Dias
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Departamento de Ecologia, Zoologia e Genética, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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8
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Fuzessy L, Sobral G, Carreira D, Rother DC, Barbosa G, Landis M, Galetti M, Dallas T, Cardoso Cláudio V, Culot L, Jordano P. Functional roles of frugivores and plants shape hyper‐diverse mutualistic interactions under two antagonistic conservation scenarios. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisieux Fuzessy
- São Paulo State University UNESP Rio Claro SP Brazil
- Estación Biológica de Doñana EBD‐CSIC Sevilla Spain
| | | | - Daiane Carreira
- University of São Paulo Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" Esalq USP Piracicaba SP Brazil
| | - Débora Cristina Rother
- University of São Paulo USP São Paulo SP Brazil
- University of São Paulo Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" Esalq USP Piracicaba SP Brazil
| | | | | | - Mauro Galetti
- São Paulo State University UNESP Rio Claro SP Brazil
- Department of Biology University of Miami Coral Gables Florida USA
| | - Tad Dallas
- Louisiana State University Baton Rouge Louisiana USA
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9
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Friedemann P, Côrtes MC, de Castro ER, Galetti M, Jordano P, Guimarães Jr PR. The individual‐based network structure of palm‐seed dispersers is explained by a rainforest gradient. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pâmela Friedemann
- Depto de Ecologia, Inst. de Biociências, Univ. de São Paulo São Paulo Brazil
| | - Marina Corrêa Côrtes
- Depto de Biodiversidade, Inst. de Biociências, Univ. Estadual Paulista (UNESP) São Paulo Brazil
| | | | - Mauro Galetti
- Depto de Biodiversidade, Inst. de Biociências, Univ. Estadual Paulista (UNESP) São Paulo Brazil
- Dept of Biology, Univ. of Miami Coral Gables FL USA
| | - Pedro Jordano
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (EBD‐CSIC) Seville Spain
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10
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Tonos J, Razafindratsima OH, Fenosoa ZSE, Dunham AE. Individual‐based networks reveal the highly skewed interactions of a frugivore mutualist with individual plants in a diverse community. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jadelys Tonos
- Rice Univ., Biosciences Dept Houston TX USA
- Centre ValBio, Ranomafana National Park Ifanadiana Madagascar
| | - Onja H. Razafindratsima
- Centre ValBio, Ranomafana National Park Ifanadiana Madagascar
- Dept of Integrative Biology, Univ. of California Berkeley CA USA
| | - Zo Samuel Ella Fenosoa
- Centre ValBio, Ranomafana National Park Ifanadiana Madagascar
- Ecole Doctorale Sciences de la Vie et de l'Environnement, Univ. d'Antananarivo Antananarivo Madagascar
| | - Amy E. Dunham
- Rice Univ., Biosciences Dept Houston TX USA
- Centre ValBio, Ranomafana National Park Ifanadiana Madagascar
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11
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Lamperty T, Karubian J, Dunham AE. Ecological drivers of intraspecific variation in seed dispersal services of a common neotropical palm. Biotropica 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Therese Lamperty
- Department of Biosciences Rice University Houston TX USA
- Department of Biology University of Washington Seattle WA USA
| | - Jordan Karubian
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Tulane University New Orleans LA USA
- Fundación para la Conservación de los Andes Tropicales Quito Ecuador
| | - Amy E. Dunham
- Department of Biosciences Rice University Houston TX USA
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12
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Schlautmann J, Rehling F, Albrecht J, Jaroszewicz B, Schabo DG, Farwig N. Observing frugivores or collecting scats: a method comparison to construct quantitative seed dispersal networks. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Schlautmann
- Conservation Ecology, Dept of Biology, Univ. of Marburg Germany
| | - Finn Rehling
- Conservation Ecology, Dept of Biology, Univ. of Marburg Germany
| | - Jörg Albrecht
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK‐F) Frankfurt/Main Germany
| | - Bogdan Jaroszewicz
- Białowieża Geobotanical Station, Faculty of Biology, Univ. of Warsaw Białowieża Poland
| | - Dana G. Schabo
- Conservation Ecology, Dept of Biology, Univ. of Marburg Germany
| | - Nina Farwig
- Conservation Ecology, Dept of Biology, Univ. of Marburg Germany
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13
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Messeder JVS, Silveira FAO, Cornelissen TG, Fuzessy LF, Guerra TJ. Frugivory and seed dispersal in a hyperdiverse plant clade and its role as a keystone resource for the Neotropical fauna. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2021; 127:577-595. [PMID: 33151331 PMCID: PMC8052926 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcaa189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Much of our understanding of the ecology and evolution of seed dispersal in the Neotropics is founded on studies involving the animal-dispersed, hyperdiverse plant clade Miconia (Melastomataceae). Nonetheless, no formal attempt has been made to establish its relevance as a model system or indeed provide evidence of the role of frugivores as Miconia seed dispersers. METHODS We built three Miconia databases (fruit phenology/diaspore traits, fruit-frugivore interactions and effects on seed germination after gut passage) to determine how Miconia fruiting phenology and fruit traits for >350 species interact with and shape patterns of frugivore selection. In addition, we conducted a meta-analysis evaluating the effects of animal gut passage/seed handling on Miconia germination. KEY RESULTS Miconia produce numerous small berries that enclose numerous tiny seeds within water- and sugar-rich pulps. In addition, coexisting species provide sequential, year long availability of fruits within communities, with many species producing fruits in periods of resource scarcity. From 2396 pairwise interactions, we identified 646 animal frugivore species in five classes, 22 orders and 60 families, including birds, mammals, reptiles, fish and ants that consume Miconia fruits. Endozoochory is the main dispersal mechanism, but gut passage effects on germination were specific to animal clades; birds, monkeys and ants reduced seed germination percentages, while opossums increased it. CONCLUSIONS The sequential fruiting phenologies and wide taxonomic and functional diversity of animal vectors associated with Miconia fruits underscore the likely keystone role that this plant clade plays in the Neotropics. By producing fruits morphologically and chemically accessible to a variety of animals, Miconia species ensure short- and long-distance seed dispersal and constitute reliable resources that sustain entire frugivore assemblages.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Vitor S Messeder
- Biology Department & Ecology Program, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Centre for Ecological Synthesis and Conservation, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Fernando A O Silveira
- Centre for Ecological Synthesis and Conservation, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Tatiana G Cornelissen
- Centre for Ecological Synthesis and Conservation, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Lisieux F Fuzessy
- Departamento de Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biociências de Rio Claro, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Tadeu J Guerra
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- For correspondence. E-mail
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14
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Araki N, Hirayama K. Differences in the fruit removal patterns of
Cleyera japonica
by frugivorous birds in two forest stands at different developmental stages in a warm‐temperate region. Ecol Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nana Araki
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences Kyoto Prefectural University Kyoto Japan
| | - Kimiko Hirayama
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences Kyoto Prefectural University Kyoto Japan
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15
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Hopson RM, Wilcox RC, Tarwater CE. Frugivores vary in their response to neighborhood effects in a novel ecosystem. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2020.103641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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16
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Palacio FX, Siepielski AM, Lacoretz MV, Ordano M. Selection on fruit traits is mediated by the interplay between frugivorous birds, fruit flies, parasitoid wasps and seed‐dispersing ants. J Evol Biol 2020; 33:874-886. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Facundo X. Palacio
- Fundación Miguel Lillo and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas Tucumán Argentina
| | - Adam M. Siepielski
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville AR USA
| | - Mariela V. Lacoretz
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales Universidad de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - Mariano Ordano
- Fundación Miguel Lillo and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas Tucumán Argentina
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17
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Messeder JVS, Guerra TJ, Dáttilo W, Silveira FAO. Searching for keystone plant resources in fruit‐frugivore interaction networks across the Neotropics. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- João Vitor S. Messeder
- Departamento de Botânica Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Minas Gerais Brazil
- Center for Ecological Synthesis and Conservation Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Tadeu J. Guerra
- Departamento de Botânica Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Wesley Dáttilo
- Red de Ecoetología Instituto de Ecología A.C. Veracruz Mexico
| | - Fernando A. O. Silveira
- Center for Ecological Synthesis and Conservation Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Minas Gerais Brazil
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18
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Schupp EW, Zwolak R, Jones LR, Snell RS, Beckman NG, Aslan C, Cavazos BR, Effiom E, Fricke EC, Montaño-Centellas F, Poulsen J, Razafindratsima OH, Sandor ME, Shea K. Intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of intraspecific variation in seed dispersal are diverse and pervasive. AOB PLANTS 2019; 11:plz067. [PMID: 31857875 PMCID: PMC6914678 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plz067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
There is growing realization that intraspecific variation in seed dispersal can have important ecological and evolutionary consequences. However, we do not have a good understanding of the drivers or causes of intraspecific variation in dispersal, how strong an effect these drivers have, and how widespread they are across dispersal modes. As a first step to developing a better understanding, we present a broad, but not exhaustive, review of what is known about the drivers of intraspecific variation in seed dispersal, and what remains uncertain. We start by decomposing 'drivers of intraspecific variation in seed dispersal' into intrinsic drivers (i.e. variation in traits of individual plants) and extrinsic drivers (i.e. variation in ecological context). For intrinsic traits, we further decompose intraspecific variation into variation among individuals and variation of trait values within individuals. We then review our understanding of the major intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of intraspecific variation in seed dispersal, with an emphasis on variation among individuals. Crop size is the best-supported and best-understood intrinsic driver of variation across dispersal modes; overall, more seeds are dispersed as more seeds are produced, even in cases where per seed dispersal rates decline. Fruit/seed size is the second most widely studied intrinsic driver, and is also relevant to a broad range of seed dispersal modes. Remaining intrinsic drivers are poorly understood, and range from effects that are probably widespread, such as plant height, to drivers that are most likely sporadic, such as fruit or seed colour polymorphism. Primary extrinsic drivers of variation in seed dispersal include local environmental conditions and habitat structure. Finally, we present a selection of outstanding questions as a starting point to advance our understanding of individual variation in seed dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene W Schupp
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
| | - Rafal Zwolak
- Department of Systematic Zoology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Landon R Jones
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Rebecca S Snell
- Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Noelle G Beckman
- Department of Biology and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
| | - Clare Aslan
- Landscape Conservation Initiative, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Brittany R Cavazos
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Edu Effiom
- REDD & Biodiversity Unit, Cross River State Forestry Commission, Calabar, Nigeria
| | - Evan C Fricke
- National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, University of Maryland, Annapolis, MD, USA
| | | | - John Poulsen
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Onja H Razafindratsima
- Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA
| | - Manette E Sandor
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
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19
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Saatkamp A, Cochrane A, Commander L, Guja LK, Jimenez-Alfaro B, Larson J, Nicotra A, Poschlod P, Silveira FAO, Cross AT, Dalziell EL, Dickie J, Erickson TE, Fidelis A, Fuchs A, Golos PJ, Hope M, Lewandrowski W, Merritt DJ, Miller BP, Miller RG, Offord CA, Ooi MKJ, Satyanti A, Sommerville KD, Tangney R, Tomlinson S, Turner S, Walck JL. A research agenda for seed-trait functional ecology. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 221:1764-1775. [PMID: 30269352 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Trait-based approaches have improved our understanding of plant evolution, community assembly and ecosystem functioning. A major challenge for the upcoming decades is to understand the functions and evolution of early life-history traits, across levels of organization and ecological strategies. Although a variety of seed traits are critical for dispersal, persistence, germination timing and seedling establishment, only seed mass has been considered systematically. Here we suggest broadening the range of morphological, physiological and biochemical seed traits to add new understanding on plant niches, population dynamics and community assembly. The diversity of seed traits and functions provides an important challenge that will require international collaboration in three areas of research. First, we present a conceptual framework for a seed ecological spectrum that builds upon current understanding of plant niches. We then lay the foundation for a seed-trait functional network, the establishment of which will underpin and facilitate trait-based inferences. Finally, we anticipate novel insights and challenges associated with incorporating diverse seed traits into predictive evolutionary ecology, community ecology and applied ecology. If the community invests in standardized seed-trait collection and the implementation of rigorous databases, major strides can be made at this exciting frontier of functional ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Saatkamp
- Aix Marseille Université, Université d'Avignon, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Facultés St Jérôme, case 421, 13397, Marseille, France
| | - Anne Cochrane
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Science and Conservation, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, Bentley, WA, 6983, Australia
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, The Australian National University, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Lucy Commander
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kings Park Science, 1 Kattidj Close, Kings Park, WA, 6005, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Lydia K Guja
- Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, CSIRO National Research Collections Australia, Clunies Ross St, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia
- Biodiversity Science Section, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Clunies Ross St, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Borja Jimenez-Alfaro
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (CSIC/UO/PA), Universidad de Oviedo, Edificio de Investigación, 33600, Mieres, Spain
| | - Julie Larson
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Adrienne Nicotra
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, The Australian National University, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Peter Poschlod
- Ecology & Conservation Biology, Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Regensburg, D-93040, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Fernando A O Silveira
- Department of Botany, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Adam T Cross
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Emma L Dalziell
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kings Park Science, 1 Kattidj Close, Kings Park, WA, 6005, Australia
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - John Dickie
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, RH17 6TN, UK
| | - Todd E Erickson
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kings Park Science, 1 Kattidj Close, Kings Park, WA, 6005, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Alessandra Fidelis
- Lab of Vegetation Ecology, Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Avenida 24-A 1515, 13506-900, Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Anne Fuchs
- Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, CSIRO National Research Collections Australia, Clunies Ross St, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia
- Biodiversity Science Section, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Clunies Ross St, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Peter J Golos
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kings Park Science, 1 Kattidj Close, Kings Park, WA, 6005, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Michael Hope
- Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, CSIRO National Research Collections Australia, Clunies Ross St, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia
- Atlas of Living Australia, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Wolfgang Lewandrowski
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kings Park Science, 1 Kattidj Close, Kings Park, WA, 6005, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - David J Merritt
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kings Park Science, 1 Kattidj Close, Kings Park, WA, 6005, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Ben P Miller
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kings Park Science, 1 Kattidj Close, Kings Park, WA, 6005, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Russell G Miller
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kings Park Science, 1 Kattidj Close, Kings Park, WA, 6005, Australia
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Catherine A Offord
- The Australian Plant Bank, Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Mount Annan, NSW, 2567, Australia
| | - Mark K J Ooi
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Annisa Satyanti
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, The Australian National University, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia
- Biodiversity Science Section, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Clunies Ross St, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
- Center for Plant Conservation, Bogor Botanic Gardens, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Jalan Ir. H. Juanda, Bogor, West Java, 16001, Indonesia
| | - Karen D Sommerville
- The Australian Plant Bank, Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Mount Annan, NSW, 2567, Australia
| | - Ryan Tangney
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kings Park Science, 1 Kattidj Close, Kings Park, WA, 6005, Australia
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Sean Tomlinson
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kings Park Science, 1 Kattidj Close, Kings Park, WA, 6005, Australia
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Shane Turner
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kings Park Science, 1 Kattidj Close, Kings Park, WA, 6005, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Jeffrey L Walck
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37130, USA
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20
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Crestani A, Mello M, Cazetta E. Interindividual variations in plant and fruit traits affect the structure of a plant-frugivore network. ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2018.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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21
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Guerra TJ, Messeder JVS, Arruda AJ, Fuzessy LF, Dayrell RLC, Neves FS, Silveira FAO. Handling by avian frugivores affects diaspore secondary removal. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202435. [PMID: 30157261 PMCID: PMC6114891 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The balance between the costs and benefits of fleshy fruit production depends on the feeding behavior of their seed dispersers, which might effectively disperse seeds to farther areas or drop beneath parent plants some diaspores they handle during frugivory bouts. Nevertheless, the consequences of variation in fruit handling by primary seed dispersers on the secondary removal of diaspores remains poorly understood. We conducted a field study to determine how variation in fruit handling by avian frugivores affects short-term secondary removal of Miconia irwinii (Melastomataceae) diaspores by the ground-dwelling fauna in campo rupestre vegetation, southeastern Brazil. We conducted factorial experiments manipulating: (1) different outcomes of primary fruit/seed removal by birds, (2) distances of diaspore deposition from conspecifics, and (3) the access of ants and vertebrates to diaspores. We showed that secondary removal of diaspores was highly variable at the population scale, with an overall low removal rate by the ground-dwelling fauna (13% seeds, 19% fruits). However, we found that gut-passed seeds embedded in bird feces were less removed than seeds expelled from fruits. Gut-passed seeds were more likely to be removed by ant species acting as secondary dispersers, whereas pulp-free seeds dropped by birds were likely to interact with potential seed predators, including ants and rodents. We found no clear effect of dispersal from parent plant vicinity on seed removal, but fruit removal was significantly higher near parent plants. Partially defleshed fruits were more removed than intact fruits. The removal of fruits by ant and vertebrate rescuers, including lizards and birds, might reduce the costs of interactions with less effective dispersers that drop partially defleshed fruits under parent plants. Our study highlights that variation in fruit handling by primary avian seed dispersers mediate subsequent interactions among discarded diaspores and ground-dwelling animals, potentially affecting final seed fates. Moreover, we argue that escape-related benefits of dispersal can be contingent on how primary dispersers handle and discard seeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadeu J. Guerra
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais—Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - João V. S. Messeder
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais—Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - André J. Arruda
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais—Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Lisieux F. Fuzessy
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais—Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Roberta L. C. Dayrell
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais—Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Frederico S. Neves
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais—Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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