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Zhang H, Niu H, Steele MA, Peng L, He H, Li A, Yi X, Li H, Zhang Z. Masting promotes transformation from predation to mutualism in an oak-weevil-rodent system. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024; 67:1514-1524. [PMID: 38558376 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2517-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The significance of ecological non-monotonicity (a function whose first derivative changes signs) in shaping the structure and functions of the ecosystem has recently been recognized, but such studies involving high-order interactions are rare. Here, we have proposed a three-trophic conceptual diagram on interactions among trees, rodents, and insects in mast and non-mast years and tested the hypothesis that oak (Quercus wutaishanica) masting could result in increased mutualism and less predation in an oak-weevil-rodent system in a warm temperate forest of China. Our 14-year dataset revealed that mast years coincided with a relatively low rodent abundance but a high weevil abundance. Masting not only benefited seedling recruitment of oaks through increased dispersal by rodents but also a decrease in predation by rodents and weevils, as well as an increase in the overwintering survival of rodents. Masting appeared to have increased weevil survival by reducing predation of infested acorns by rodents. These results suggest that masting benefits all participants in the plant-insect-rodent system by increasing mutualism and reducing predation behavior (i.e., a non-monotonic function). Our study highlights the significance of masting in maintaining the diversity and function of the forest ecosystem by facilitating the transformation from predation to mutualism among trophic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongmao Zhang
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
| | - Hongyu Niu
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Michael A Steele
- Department of Biology, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, 18766, USA
| | - Liqing Peng
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Huimin He
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Aoqiang Li
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Xianfeng Yi
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, China
| | - Hongjun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Zhibin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
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Chestnut caching behavior of Chinese white-bellied rats (Niviventer confucianus) and South China field mice (Apodemus draco): effects of seed size and insect infestation. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03247-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Wang J, Hou X, Zhang B, Han N, Feng T, An X, Chen X, Zhao J, Chang G. Long-Term Effects of Climate Variability on Seed Rain Dynamics of Four Fagaceae Sympatric Species in Qinling Mountains, China. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11040533. [PMID: 35453732 PMCID: PMC9024876 DOI: 10.3390/biology11040533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Seed rain, as the beginning of species dispersal, is a key process for forest structure and regeneration. In this study, the seed rain of four Fagaceae sympatric plant species (Castaneamollissima, Quercus aliena, Quercus variabilis, and Quercus serrata) in the Qinling Mountains were monitored for ten consecutive years, and the responses of seed rain dynamics of the four species to major climatic factors (temperature and precipitation) were analyzed. We found there were significant differences in the seed rain dynamics between C. mollissima of Castanea and the other three species of Quercus in the initial period and end period and the duration of the whole seed rain process among the 10 years. This could indicate to some extent that there was no concentrated flowering and fruiting among different plants of different genera, and they could well avoid fierce competition for similar resources and coexist in the same region. This may also be a reproductive strategy for plants. Seed rain dynamics of different plant species had different sensitivities to climate factors (temperature and precipitation), which indicated that mainly because of their different responses to climate factors, they could well avoid fierce competition for similar climate resources. In addition, the differences in seed rain dropping dynamics could reduce consumption in large numbers by seed predators, thereby promoting their own dispersal and regeneration. All of the above contribute to their better coexistence in the same domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi’an 710032, China; (J.W.); (X.H.); (N.H.); (T.F.); (X.A.); (X.C.); (J.Z.)
| | - Xiang Hou
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi’an 710032, China; (J.W.); (X.H.); (N.H.); (T.F.); (X.A.); (X.C.); (J.Z.)
| | - Bo Zhang
- College of Biology Pharmacy and Food Engineering, Shangluo University, Shangluo 726000, China;
| | - Ning Han
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi’an 710032, China; (J.W.); (X.H.); (N.H.); (T.F.); (X.A.); (X.C.); (J.Z.)
| | - Tuo Feng
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi’an 710032, China; (J.W.); (X.H.); (N.H.); (T.F.); (X.A.); (X.C.); (J.Z.)
| | - Xiaolei An
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi’an 710032, China; (J.W.); (X.H.); (N.H.); (T.F.); (X.A.); (X.C.); (J.Z.)
| | - Xiaoning Chen
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi’an 710032, China; (J.W.); (X.H.); (N.H.); (T.F.); (X.A.); (X.C.); (J.Z.)
| | - Jidong Zhao
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi’an 710032, China; (J.W.); (X.H.); (N.H.); (T.F.); (X.A.); (X.C.); (J.Z.)
| | - Gang Chang
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi’an 710032, China; (J.W.); (X.H.); (N.H.); (T.F.); (X.A.); (X.C.); (J.Z.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-029-83216571
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Yu F, Li G, Wei S, Yi X, Ma J, Ma K, Chen G. Rodent-mediated plant seed dispersal: What happens to the seeds after entering the gaps with different sizes? Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8286. [PMID: 35136541 PMCID: PMC8809425 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In general, it is accepted that gap formation significantly affects the placement of scatter-hoarded seeds by small rodents, but the effects of different forest gap sizes on the seed-eating and scatter-hoarding behaviors of small rodents remain unclear. Thus, we examined the effects of a closed-canopy forest, forest edge, and gaps with different sizes on the spatial dispersal of Quercus variabilis acorns and cache placement by small rodents using coded plastic tags in the Taihang Mountains, China. The seeds were removed rapidly, and there were significant differences in the seed-eating and caching strategies between the stand types. We found that Q. variabilis acorns were usually eaten after being removed from the closed-canopy forest and forest edges. By contrast, the Q. variabilis acorns in the forest gap stands were more likely to be scatter-hoarded. The dispersal distances of Q. variabilis acorns were significantly longer in the forest gap plots compared with the closed canopy and forest edge plots. However, the proportion of scatter-hoarded seeds did not increase significantly as the gap size increased. In small-scale oak reforestation projects or research, creating small gaps to promote rodent-mediated seed dispersal may effectively accelerate forest recovery and successional processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Yu
- College of Life SciencesHenan Normal UniversityXinxiangChina
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional EcologyResearch Center for Eco‐Environmental SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Guangjie Li
- College of Life SciencesHenan Normal UniversityXinxiangChina
| | - Shanshan Wei
- College of Life SciencesHenan Normal UniversityXinxiangChina
| | - Xianfeng Yi
- College of Life SciencesQufu Normal UniversityQufuChina
| | - Jianmin Ma
- College of Life SciencesHenan Normal UniversityXinxiangChina
| | - Keming Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional EcologyResearch Center for Eco‐Environmental SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Guangwen Chen
- College of Life SciencesHenan Normal UniversityXinxiangChina
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Hou X, Zhang B, Steele MA, Han N, Feng T, Wang J, Chen X, An X, Chang G. Seed traits and rodent community interact to determine seed fate: evidence from both enclosure and field experiments. Integr Zool 2021; 16:939-954. [PMID: 34599548 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Animal-mediated seed dispersal is an important ecological process in which a strong mutualism between animals and plants can arise. However, few studies have examined how a community of potential seed dispersers interacts with sympatric seed trees. We employed a series of experiments in the Qinling Mountains in both semi-natural enclosure and the field to assess the interactions among 3 sympatric rodent species and 3 Fagaceae tree seeds. Seed traits all showed similar tannin levels but markedly different physical traits and nutritional contents. We found that seeds with heavy weight, thick coat, and high nutritional contents were less likely to be eaten in situ but more often to be eaten after dispersal or hoarded by rodents. These results support both the handling time hypothesis and the high nutrition hypothesis. Surprisingly, we also found that rodents, maybe, preferred to consume seeds with low levels of crude fiber in situ, and to harvest and hoard those with high levels of crude fiber for later consumption. The sympatric rodent species, Cansumys canus, the largest rodent in our study, harvested and hoarded more Quercus variabilis seeds with high physical and nutritional traits, while Apodemus draco, the smallest rodent, harvested more Q. serrata seeds with low physical and nutritional traits, and Niviventer confucianus harvested and hoarded more Q. aliena seeds with medium physical and nutritional traits. Our study demonstrates that different seed traits play different roles in influencing the seed fate and the shaping of mutualism and predation interactions within a community of rodent species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Hou
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- School of Biomedicine and Food Engineering, Shangluo University, Shangluo, China
| | - Michael A Steele
- Department of Biology, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ning Han
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, China
| | - Tuo Feng
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaoning Chen
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaolei An
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, China
| | - Gang Chang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, China
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