1
|
Guo S, Yi X, Sui M. Substrate scent-induced disproportionate seed dispersal by rodents. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e70075. [PMID: 39041019 PMCID: PMC11260879 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Conspecific adults impose strong negative density-dependent effects on seed survival nearby parent trees, however, the underlying mechanisms are diversified and remain unclear. In this study, we presented consistent evidence that parent-scented forest floor masked seed odor, reduced cache recovery rate by scatter-hoarding animals, and then increased seed dispersal far away from mother trees. Our results showed that seed odors of Korean pine Pinus koraiensis match well with the volatile profile of their forest floor. Moreover, scatter-hoarding animals selectively transported P. koraiensis seeds toward the areas where seed odor was more contrasting against the background substrate, possibly due to the fact that accumulation of conspecific volatile compounds in caches hindered seed detection by scatter-hoarding animals. Our study provides insight into the role of leaf litter in directing seed dispersal process, representing a novel mechanism by which P. koraiensis increases selection for seed dispersal far away from the parent tree.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuhua Guo
- College of Biology and OceanographyWeifang UniversityWeifangChina
| | - Xianfeng Yi
- School of Life SciencesQufu Normal UniversityQufuChina
| | - Meixia Sui
- College of Biology and OceanographyWeifang UniversityWeifangChina
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Li Y, Yang X, Feng E, Zhao K, Zhang Z. Plant hormones mediate the interaction between oak acorn germination and rodent hoarding behaviour. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023. [PMID: 38037212 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
The interaction between animals and plants for seed dispersal and predation has received much attention; however, the underlying physiological mechanisms driving the responses of both seeds and animals remain unclear. We conducted a series of behaviour and physiology experiments to examine the role of plant hormones in regulating seed germination and rodent hoarding behaviour in the Quercus variabilis and Leopoldamys edwardsi systems. We found that acorns that were partially consumed by rodents had increased gibberellin (GA) levels and shortened germination time. Rodents preferred scatter-hoarded abscisic acid (ABA)-treated and intact acorns but consumed germinated and GA-treated acorns; such treatment differences disappeared for inactivated acorns by boiling water. Moreover, we found that seven potential compounds may be linked to seed germination and rodent hoarding behaviour. Our results indicate that acorns of oak showed rapid germination when facing predation risk, while rodents could identify the germination status of seeds for hoarding; GA and ABA may play an important role in regulating seed germination of oak and hoarding behaviour of rodents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management on Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management on Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Enping Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management on Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Life Science, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei Province, 071002, China
| | - Kunming Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management on Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China
| | - Zhibin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management on Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Feng E, Yang X, Zhao K, Li Y, Zhu H, Wang Z, Zhang Z. Gut microbiota is associated with spatial memory and seed-hoarding behavior of South China field mice ( Apodemus draco). Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1236359. [PMID: 37771706 PMCID: PMC10525317 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1236359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Scatter-hoarding animals store food in multiple locations within their home range and rely on spatial memory for subsequent localization and retrieval. The relationship between memory and scatter-hoarding behavior has been widely demonstrated, but the association of gut microbiota with spatial memory and seed-hoarding behavior of animals remains unclear. Methods In this study, by using enclosure behavior tests, memory tests including an object location test (OLT) and a novel object recognition test (NORT), and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiment, we evaluated the role of gut microbiota in affecting the memory and seed-hoarding behavior of rodents. According to their scatter-hoarding intensity, South China field mice (Apodemus draco) were divided into scatter-hoarding group (SG) and non-scatter-hoarding group (NG). Results We found that the SG performed better than the NG in the NORT. FMT from SG donor mice altered the NG recipient mice's gut microbiota structure. Further tests demonstrated FMT from SG donor mice increased memory of NG recipient mice in laboratory tests and seed larder hoarding intensity of NG recipient mice in enclosures. Conclusion Our results suggest gut microbiota could modulate the memory and seed-hoarding behavior of animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Enping Feng
- College of Life Science, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei Province, China
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management on Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management on Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kunming Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management on Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, China
| | - Ying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management on Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hanyi Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management on Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenshan Wang
- College of Life Science, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei Province, China
| | - Zhibin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management on Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Down a Rabbit Hole: Burrowing Behaviour and Larger Home Ranges are Related to Larger Brains in Leporids. J MAMM EVOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-022-09624-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
AbstractStudies on the evolution of brain size variation usually focus on large clades encompassing broad phylogenetic groups. This risks introducing ‘noise’ in the results, often obscuring effects that might be detected in less inclusive clades. Here, we focus on a sample of endocranial volumes (endocasts) of 18 species of rabbits and hares (Lagomorpha: Leporidae), which are a discrete radiation of mammals with a suitably large range of body sizes. Using 60 individuals, we test five popular hypotheses on brain size and olfactory bulb evolution in mammals. We also address the pervasive issue of missing data, using multiple phylogenetic imputations as to conserve the full sample size for all analyses. Our analyses show that home range and burrowing behaviour are the only predictors of leporid brain size variation. Litter size, which is one of the most widely reported constraints on brain size, was unexpectedly not associated with brain size. However, a constraining effect may be masked by a strong association of litter size with temperature seasonality, warranting further study. Lastly, we show that unreasonable estimations of phylogenetic signal (Pagel’s lamba) warrant additional caution when using small sample sizes, such as ours, in comparative studies.
Collapse
|
5
|
Melin AD, Veilleux CC, Janiak MC, Hiramatsu C, Sánchez-Solano KG, Lundeen IK, Webb SE, Williamson RE, Mah MA, Murillo-Chacon E, Schaffner CM, Hernández-Salazar L, Aureli F, Kawamura S. Anatomy and dietary specialization influence sensory behaviour among sympatric primates. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220847. [PMID: 35975434 PMCID: PMC9382214 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Senses form the interface between animals and environments, and provide a window into the ecology of past and present species. However, research on sensory behaviours by wild frugivores is sparse. Here, we examine fruit assessment by three sympatric primates (Alouatta palliata, Ateles geoffroyi and Cebus imitator) to test the hypothesis that dietary and sensory specialization shape foraging behaviours. Ateles and Cebus groups are comprised of dichromats and trichromats, while all Alouatta are trichomats. We use anatomical proxies to examine smell, taste and manual touch, and opsin genotyping to assess colour vision. We find that the frugivorous spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) sniff fruits most often, omnivorous capuchins (Cebus imitator), the species with the highest manual dexterity, use manual touch most often, and that main olfactory bulb volume is a better predictor of sniffing behaviour than nasal turbinate surface area. We also identify an interaction between colour vision phenotype and use of other senses. Controlling for species, dichromats sniff and bite fruits more often than trichromats, and trichromats use manual touch to evaluate cryptic fruits more often than dichromats. Our findings reveal new relationships among dietary specialization, anatomical variation and foraging behaviour, and promote understanding of sensory system evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda D Melin
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,German Primate Research Center, Gottingen, Germany
| | - Carrie C Veilleux
- Department of Anatomy, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Mareike C Janiak
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,School of Science, Engineering & Environment, University of Salford, Manchester, UK
| | - Chihiro Hiramatsu
- Department of Human Science, Faculty of Design, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 815-8540, Japan
| | | | - Ingrid K Lundeen
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Shasta E Webb
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Rachel E Williamson
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Megan A Mah
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Filippo Aureli
- Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, México.,Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Shoji Kawamura
- Department of Integrative Biosciences, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Nondormant Acorns Show Higher Seed Dispersal Effectiveness Than Dormant Ones. FORESTS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/f13060881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Seed dormancy has been thought to be an important survival strategy to tune the seed dispersal timing. Although a theoretical trade-off between seed dormancy and dispersal is often proposed, empirical field evidence of the trade-off between seed dormancy, spatial dispersal, and seedling recruitment is still lacking. Here, we tracked seed dispersal of several Fagaceae species exhibiting different levels of dormancy both in artificial enclosures and in the field. We presented evidence that oak species with nondormant acorns rather than those bearing dormant species exhibit reduced spatial dispersal. Despite the empirical evidence that seed germination is negatively correlated with spatial dispersal, nondormancy rather than dormancy showed higher seed dispersal effectiveness, demonstrating a negative correlation between seed dormancy and dispersal fitness. Our study, using the oak-rodent system, may provide solid evidence of a dispersal–germination trade-off between spatial and temporal correlation, highlighting the ecological role of seed germination schedule in seed dispersal and life-history evolution.
Collapse
|