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Mahoney SM, Pasch B. Evolutionary lability of food caching behaviour in mammals. J Anim Ecol 2024; 93:862-875. [PMID: 38831563 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14093] [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: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Food hoarding provides animals access to resources during periods of scarcity. Studies on mammalian caching indicate associations with brain size, seasonality and diet but are biased to a subset of rodents. Whether the behaviour is generalizable at other taxonomic scales and/or is influenced by other ecological factors is less understood. Population density may influence food caching due to food competition or pilferage, but this remains untested in a comparative framework. Using phylogenetic analyses, we assessed the role of morphology (body and brain size), climate, diet breadth and population density on food caching behaviour evolution at multiple taxonomic scales. We also used a long-term dataset on caching behaviour of red squirrels (Tamiasciurus fremonti) to test key factors (climate and population density) on hoarding intensity. Consistent with previous smaller scale studies, we found the mammalian ancestral state for food caching was larderhoarding, and scatterhoarding was derived. Caching strategy was strongly associated with brain size, population density and climate. Mammals with larger brains and hippocampal volumes were more likely to scatterhoard, and species living at higher population densities and in colder climates were more likely to larderhoard. Finer-scale analyses within families, sub-families and tribes indicated that the behaviour is evolutionary labile. Brain size in family Sciuridae and tribe Marmotini was larger in scatterhoarders, but not in other tribes. Scatterhoarding in tribe Marmotini was more likely in species with lower population densities while scatterhoarding in tribe Sciurini was associated with warmer climates. Red squirrel larderhoarding intensity was positively related to population density but not climate, implicating food competition or pilferage as an important mechanism mediating caching behaviour. Our results are consistent with previous smaller-scale studies on food caching and indicate the evolutionary patterns of mammalian food caching are broadly generalizable. Given the lability of caching behaviour as evidenced by the variability of our results at finer phylogenetic scales, comparative analyses must consider taxonomic scale. Applying our results to conservation could prove useful as changes in population density or climate may select for different food caching strategies and thus can inform management of threatened and endangered species and their habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean M Mahoney
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Bret Pasch
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
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2
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Steele M, Bogdziewicz M. The effects of plant hormones on dispersal and predation of seeds by Leopoldamys edwardsi: the co-evolutionary knot between acorns and rodents grows tighter. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024. [PMID: 38429860 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Steele
- Department of Biology and Earth and Environmental Science, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, 18766, PA, USA
| | - Michal Bogdziewicz
- Forest Biology Center, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznan, Poland
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3
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Zwolak R, Clement D, Sih A, Schreiber SJ. Granivore abundance shapes mutualism quality in plant-scatterhoarder interactions. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 241:1840-1850. [PMID: 38044708 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Conditional mutualisms involve costs and benefits that vary with environmental factors, but mechanisms driving these dynamics remain poorly understood. Scatterhoarder-plant interactions are a prime example of this phenomenon, as scatterhoarders can either increase or reduce plant recruitment depending on the balance between seed dispersal and predation. We explored factors that drive the magnitude of net benefits for plants in this interaction using a mathematical model, with parameter values based on European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and yellow-necked mice (Apodemus flavicollis). We measured benefits as the percentage of germinating seeds, and examined how varying rodent survival (reflecting, e.g. changes in predation pressure), the rate of seed loss to other granivores, the abundance of alternative food resources, and changes in masting patterns affect the quality of mutualism. We found that increasing granivore abundance can degrade the quality of plant-scatterhoarder mutualism due to increased cache pilferage. Scatterhoarders are predicted to respond by increasing immediate consumption of gathered seeds, leading to higher costs and reduced benefits for plants. Thus, biotic changes that are detrimental to rodent populations can be beneficial for tree recruitment due to adaptive behavior of rodents. When scatterhoarder populations decline too drastically (< 5 individuals ha-1 ); however, tree recruitment may also suffer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafał Zwolak
- Department of Systematic Zoology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, Poznań, 61-614, Poland
| | - Dale Clement
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA
| | - Andrew Sih
- Center of Population Biology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Sebastian J Schreiber
- Center of Population Biology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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Okawa R, Saitoh T, Noda T. Interactive effects of two rodent species on the seed dispersal of Japanese walnut. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18098. [PMID: 37872180 PMCID: PMC10593932 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44513-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The effects of seed dispersers on plant fitness (seed dispersal effectiveness, SDE) have been evaluated based on the number (quantity) and recruitment probability (quality) of dispersed seeds. Although seeds of most zoochorous species are dispersed by two or more animal species, which may interact with each other, SDE has often been studied assuming a one-plant and one-animal species system. We compared the SDE of Japanese walnut (Juglans ailanthifolia) between squirrel-only and squirrel-mouse sites in natural forests of Hokkaido, Japan, and found that the SDE from the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), considered a primary seed disperser, was altered by an alternative seed disperser species, the Japanese wood mouse (Apodemus speciosus). Seed removal rates at the squirrel-mouse site were significantly higher than those at the squirrel-only site, and both dispersed seeds and seedlings were less aggregated, with a strongly repulsive relationship with adult conspecific trees at the squirrel-mouse site. Seedlings established themselves at a location with fewer medium-sized trees (< 10 cm DBH) at the squirrel-mouse site. These results suggest that the interactive effect of the rodent species affects the SDE of Japanese walnut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryunosuke Okawa
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, N10 W5, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0810, Japan.
| | - Takashi Saitoh
- Field Science Center, Hokkaido University, N11W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0811, Japan
| | - Takashi Noda
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, N10 W5, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0810, Japan
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5
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Gálvez D. Ecology of fear: predator avoidance reduces seed dispersal in an ant. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230530. [PMID: 37476511 PMCID: PMC10354471 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
The ecology of fear refers to the non-fatal cost that predators and parasites impose on prey populations. These non-consumptive effects (NCEs) can influence animal-plant interactions, but evidence thereof comes mainly from vertebrate systems with less focus on invertebrates. Here, I investigated whether the foraging behaviour of the ant Ectatomma ruidum was influenced by its primary predator, the forest toad Rhinella alata. In field tests, the probability of seed removal by the ants was 25% for seeds placed with the forest toad compared to 32% for control seeds, suggesting that toads reduce ant foraging rates. A further experiment revealed that ants which had previously encountered the predator and its faeces were more likely (59%) than inexperienced ants (50%) to avoid the exit with the predator faeces. This outcome suggests that ants are capable of learning cues associated with predation risk, possibly leading to NCEs. This indicates that predators can exert NCEs on invertebrate prey with potential cascading effects on seed dispersal, extending results previously seen only in vertebrate seed dispersal systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dumas Gálvez
- Coiba Scientific Station, City of Knowledge, Calle Gustavo Lara, Boulevard 145B, Clayton 0843-01853, Panama
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá PO Box 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
- Programa Centroamericano de Maestría en Entomología, Universidad de Panamá, Estafeta universitaria, Avenida Simón Bolívar, 0824 Panama City, Panama
- Sistema Nacional de Investigación, Panama City, Panama
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Zhang M, Yang X, Dong Z, Liu S, Chen H, Yi X. Behavioral adaptation of sympatric rodents to early germination of oak acorns: radicle pruning and embryo excision. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1135312. [PMID: 37229139 PMCID: PMC10203563 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1135312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The seed germination schedule is a key factor affecting the food-hoarding behavior of animals and the seedling regeneration of plants. However, little is known about the behavioral adaptation of rodents to the rapid germination of acorns. In this study, we provided Quercus variabilis acorns to several rodent species to investigate how food-hoarding animals respond to seed germination. We found that only Apodemus peninsulae adopted embryo excision behavior to counteract seed germination, which is the first report of embryo excision in nonsquirrel rodents. We speculated that this species may be at an early stage of the evolutionary response to seed perishability in rodents, given the low rate of embryo excision in this species. On the contrary, all rodent species preferred to prune the radicles of germinating acorns before caching, suggesting that radicle pruning is a stable and more general foraging behavior strategy for food-hoarding rodents. Furthermore, scatter-hoarding rodents preferred to scatter-hoard and prune more germinating acorns, whereas they consumed more nongerminating acorns. Acorns with embryos excised rather than radicles pruned were much less likely to germinate than intact acorns, suggesting a behavioral adaptation strategy by rodents to the rapid germination of recalcitrant seeds. This study provides insight into the impact of early seed germination on plant-animal interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingming Zhang
- College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Xifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhong Dong
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Shuyuan Liu
- College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Huanhuan Chen
- College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Xianfeng Yi
- College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China
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Liu H, Zhang J, Wang B. Contrasting seed traits of co-existing seeds lead to a complex neighbor effect in a seed-rodent interaction. Oecologia 2023; 201:1017-1024. [PMID: 36971820 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05365-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Scatter-hoarding rodents play important roles in seed dispersal and predation in many forest ecosystems. Existing studies have shown that the seed foraging preference of rodents is directly affected by seed traits and indirectly affected by the traits of other co-existing seeds nearby (i.e., neighbor effect). Plant seeds exhibit a combination of diverse seed traits, including seed size, chemical defense, and nutrient content. Therefore, it is difficult to evaluate the influence of each single seed trait on such neighbor effects. Here, by using artificial seeds, we investigated the impacts of contrasts in seed size, tannin content, and nutrient content on neighbor effects. We tracked 9000 tagged artificial seeds from 30 seed-seed paired treatments in a subtropical forest in southwest China. The contrast in seed size between paired seeds created obvious neighbor effects measured through three seed dispersal related indicators: the proportion of seeds being removed, the proportion of seeds cached, and the distance transported by rodents. However, the magnitudes and the signs of the neighbor effects differed among pairs, including both apparent mutualism and apparent competition, depending on the contrast in seed size between paired seeds. The contrasts of tannin and nutrient content between paired seeds showed relatively few neighbor effects. Our results suggest that the contrast in seed traits between the target seed and its neighboring seeds should be considered when studying rodent-seed interactions. Furthermore, we expect that similar complex neighbor effects may also exist in other plant-animal interactions, such as pollination and herbivory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Liu
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Jinyu Zhang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Bo Wang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China.
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecosystem Protection and Restoration (Anhui University), Hefei, 230601, China.
- Anhui Shengjin Lake Wetland Ecology National Long-Term Scientific Research Base, Dongzhi, Chizhou, 247230, China.
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Crowe RE, Parker VT. The morphological and ecological variation of Arctostaphylos (Ericaceae) fruit: A link between plant ecology and animal foraging behavior. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9801. [PMID: 36937065 PMCID: PMC10017329 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9801] [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: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Persistent soil seed banks are characteristic of Arctostaphylos (Ericaceae) species in the Mediterranean-climate California Floristic Province. While most species are obligate seeders, regeneration of stands of all Arctostaphylos species ultimately depends on post-fire seedling recruitment. Arctostaphylos seed banks are created, in large part, by scatter-hoarding rodents. Variation in fruit morphology, therefore, is expected to impact the Arctostaphylos-rodent interaction. Seeds produce sufficient rewards (nutritious mature embryo) to entice rodents to disperse and ultimately bury seeds in the soil. Hard seed coats increase the time required to extract the embryo, encouraging rodents to choose storage over immediate predation, and nutlets are frequently empty. We assessed the variation of fruit nutlet fusion and seed viability among 38 Arctostaphylos taxa. Factors such as latitude, elevation, life history, ploidy, and phylogenetic position were also analyzed. Generalized mixed-effects models were used to determine the factors contributing to variation in fruit nutlet fusion and seed viability. Our results indicate that fruit volume and shape are the most important variables affecting nutlet fusion and seed viability. Additionally, other potential influences only show a weak correlation and are not predicted to significantly impact nutlet fusion or seed viability. These findings provide insights into evolved strategies used by plants to increase reproductive success via scatter-hoarding rodents. Our study benefits the conservation and restoration of Arctostaphylos stands by emphasizing the importance of animal-mediated dispersal and providing estimates of seed viability for different species. With the anticipated effects of climate change, such as departures from historic fire regimes, the preservation of the relationship between plants and animal foragers is crucial for the continued survival of Arctostaphylos and California's evergreen chaparral.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E. Crowe
- San Francisco State UniversitySan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- UCI HerbariumUniversity of California, IrvineIrvineCaliforniaUSA
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9
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Li D, Liu J, Zhang C, Cao Y, Gao M, Jin Z, Shan H, Ni H. Effects of habitat differences on the scatter-hoarding behaviour of rodents (Mammalia, Rodentia) in temperate forests. Zookeys 2023; 1141:169-183. [DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1141.96883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
To discover the differences in hoarding strategies of rodents for different seeds in different habitats, we labelled and released three different types of seeds, including Pinus koraiensis, Corylus mandshurica, and Quercus mongolica, in temperate forests of northeastern China and investigated the fate of seeds in four different habitats that included a broad-leaved forest, mixed-forest edge, mixed forest, and artificial larch forest. Our research showed that the hoarding strategy of rodents was found to vary substantially in different habitats. The survival curves of seeds from different habitats showed the same trend, but the rates of consumption in different habitats varied. More than 50% of the seeds in the four habitats were consumed by the tenth day. It took 20 days to consume more than 70% of the seeds. The rate of consumption of P. koraiensis seeds reached 96.70%; 99.09% of the C. mandshurica seeds were consumed, and 93.07% of the Q. mongolica seeds were consumed. The seeds were consumed most quickly in the artificial larch forest. In general, most of the early seeds were quickly devoured. After day 20, the consumption gradually decreased. Rodents found the seeds in the artificial larch forest in a shorter average time than those in the other types of forests. The average earliest discovery time was 1.4 ± 0.9 d (1–3 d). The average earliest discovery time in all the other three habitats exceeded 7 d. The median removal times (MRT) was distributed around the seeds at 14.24 ± 10.53 d (1–60 d). There were significant differences in the MRT among different habitats. It was shortest in the artificial larch forest at 7.67 ± 6.80 d (1–28 d). In contrast, the MRT in the broad-leaved forest was the longest at 17.52 ± 12.91 d (4–60 d). There were significant differences in the MRT between the artificial larch forest and the other habitats. There was less predation of the three types of seeds at the mixed-forest edge, and the most seeds were dispersed. The rates of predation of the P. koraiensis, C. mandshurica, and Q. mongolica seeds were 28.33%, 15.83%, and 44.0%, and 59.17%, 84.17%, and 48.0% of the seeds were dispersed, respectively. The average dispersal distances of all the seeds were less than 6 m, and the longest distance recorded was 18.66 m. The dispersal distances and burial depths differed significantly among the four types of habitats. The distance of seed dispersal was primarily distributed in 1–6 m.
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10
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Merz MR, Boone SR, Mortelliti A. Predation risk and personality influence seed predation and dispersal by a scatter‐hoarding small mammal. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Margaret R. Merz
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology University of Maine Orono Maine USA
| | - Sara R. Boone
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology University of Maine Orono Maine USA
| | - Alessio Mortelliti
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology University of Maine Orono Maine USA
- Department of Life Sciences University of Trieste Trieste Italy
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11
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Ferreira CM, Dammhahn M, Eccard JA. Forager‐mediated cascading effects on food resource species diversity. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9523. [DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Clara Mendes Ferreira
- Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology University of Potsdam Potsdam Germany
| | - Melanie Dammhahn
- Behavioural Biology, Institute for Neurobiology and Behavioural Biology University of Münster Münster Germany
| | - Jana A. Eccard
- Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology University of Potsdam Potsdam Germany
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12
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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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13
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WANG M, YI X. The effects of seed detectability and seed traits on hoarding preference of two rodent species. Integr Zool 2022; 17:944-952. [PMID: 34951115 PMCID: PMC9786256 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Seed traits play an important role in affecting seed preference and hoarding behaviors of small rodents. Despite greatly affected by seed traits, seed detectability of competitors represents pilfering risks and may also modify seed hoarding preference of animals. However, whether seed traits and seed detectability show consistent effects on seed hoarding preference of animals remain largely unknown. Here, we explored how seed traits and seed detectability correlate with seed hoarding preference of Leopoldamys edwardsi and Apodemus chevrieri in a subtropical forest. Despite the effects of seed coat thickness and caloric value on hoarding preference of L. edwardsi, we detected no significant effects of other seed traits on hording preference of the 2 rodent species. There was no correlation between larder-hoarding preference and inter- or intra-specific seed detectability of L. edwardsi; however, seed detectability of L. edwardsi was negatively correlated with its own scatter-hoarding preference. Although scatter-hoarding preference of A. chevrieri was not correlated with inter- and intra-specific seed detectability, larder-hoarding preference of A. chevrieri was positively correlated with intra-specific seed detectability. Our study may provide evidence that intra-specific seed detectability rather than seed traits and inter-specific pilfering risks play an important role in modifying seed hoarding preference of rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghui WANG
- College of Life SciencesQufu Normal UniversityQufuChina
| | - Xianfeng YI
- College of Life SciencesQufu Normal UniversityQufuChina
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14
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Ungulate presence and predation risks reduce acorn predation by mice in dehesas. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0260419. [PMID: 35969588 PMCID: PMC9377575 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Foraging decisions by rodents are key for the long-term maintenance of oak populations in which avian seed dispersers are absent or inefficient. Decisions are determined by the environmental setting in which acorn-rodent encounters occur. In particular, seed value, competition and predation risks have been found to modify rodent foraging decisions in forest and human-modified habitats. Nonetheless, there is little information about their joint effects on rodent behavior, and hence, local acorn dispersal (or predation). In this work, we manipulate and model the mouse-oak interaction in a Spanish dehesa, an anthropogenic savanna system in which nearby areas can show contrasting levels of ungulate densities and antipredatory cover. First, we conducted a large-scale cafeteria field experiment, where we modified ungulate presence and predation risk, and followed mouse foraging decisions under contrasting levels of moonlight and acorn availability. Then, we estimated the net effects of competition and risk by means of a transition probability model that simulated mouse foraging decisions. Our results show that mice are able to adapt their foraging decisions to the environmental context, affecting initial fates of handled acorns. Under high predation risks mice foraged opportunistically carrying away large and small seeds, whereas under safe conditions large acorns tended to be predated in situ. In addition, in the presence of ungulates lack of antipredatory cover around trees reduced mice activity outside tree canopies, and hence, large acorns had a higher probability of survival. Overall, our results point out that inter-specific interactions preventing efficient foraging by scatter-hoarders can reduce acorn predation. This suggests that the maintenance of the full set of seed consumers as well as top predators in dehesas may be key for promoting local dispersal.
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15
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The socioeconomics of food hoarding in wild squirrels. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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16
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Zhang Y, Yu F, Yi X, Zhou W, Liu R, Holyoak M, Cao L, Zhang M, Chen J, Zhang Z, Yan C. Evolutionary and ecological patterns of scatter- and larder-hoarding behaviours in rodents. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:1202-1214. [PMID: 35230727 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Scatter- and larder hoarding are the primary strategies of food-hoarding animals and have important implications for plant-animal interactions and plant recruitment. However, their origins and influencing factors have not been fully investigated across a wide range of taxa. Our systematic literature search amassed data for 183 seed-hoarding rodent species worldwide and tested relationships of seed-hoarding behaviours with phylogenetic signal, functional traits and environmental factors. We found that the evolution of hoarding strategies was not random in phylogeny, and scatter hoarding originated independently multiple times from larder hoarding. Rodents with higher encephalisation quotient (relative brain size), omnivorous diet (related to dependence on seeds) and inhabiting lower latitudes were disproportionately likely to scatter hoard. Despite body mass's potential relationship with competition through food defence, it was associated with food-hoarding strategy only in a few families. Our results show the need to study the community and ecological context of food-hoarding behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology & School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Fei Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Xianfeng Yi
- College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China
| | - Weiwei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology & School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Rui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology & School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Marcel Holyoak
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Lin Cao
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Mingming Zhang
- College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Jiani Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology & School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhibin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chuan Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology & School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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Small mammal personalities generate context dependence in the seed dispersal mutualism. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2113870119. [PMID: 35377818 PMCID: PMC9169644 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2113870119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutualisms are foundational components of ecosystems with the capacity to generate biodiversity through adaptation and coevolution and give rise to essential services such as pollination and seed dispersal. To understand how mutualistic interactions shape communities and ecosystems, we must identify the mechanisms that underlie their functioning. One mechanism that may drive mutualisms to vary in space and time is the unique behavioral types, or personalities, of the individuals involved. Here, our goal was to examine interindividual variation in the seed dispersal mutualism and identify the role that different personalities play. In a field experiment, we observed individual deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) with known personality traits predating and dispersing seeds in a natural environment and classified all observed interactions made by individuals as either positive or negative. We then scored mice on a continuum from antagonistic to mutualistic and found that within a population of scatter hoarders, some individuals are more mutualistic than others and that one factor driving this distinction is animal personality. Through this empirical work, we provide a conceptual advancement to the study of mutualism by integrating it with the study of intraspecific behavioral variation. These findings indicate that animal personality is a previously overlooked mechanism generating context dependence in plant–animal interactions and suggest that behavioral diversity may have important consequences for the functioning of mutualisms.
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18
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Moore NB, Stephens RB, Rowe RJ. Nutritional and environmental factors influence small mammal seed selection in a northern temperate forest. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas B. Moore
- Natural Resources and the Environment University of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire USA
| | - Ryan B. Stephens
- Natural Resources and the Environment University of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire USA
| | - Rebecca J. Rowe
- Natural Resources and the Environment University of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire USA
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19
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Schuett GW, Reiserer RS, Salywon AM, Blackwell S, Hodgson WC, Foster CD, Hall J, Zach R, Davis MA, Greene HW. Secondary Seed Ingestion in Snakes: Germination Frequency and Rate, Seedling Viability, and Implications for Dispersal in Nature. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.761293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The importance of vertebrate animals as seed dispersers (zoochory) has received increasing attention from researchers over the past 20 years, yet one category in particular, diploendozoochory, remains understudied. As the term implies, this is a two-phase seed dispersal system whereby a secondary seed predator (carnivorous vertebrate) consumes a primary seed predator or granivore (rodent and bird) with undamaged seeds in their digestive tract (mouth, cheek pouch, crop, stomach, or other organ), which are subsequently eliminated with feces. Surprisingly, although snakes are among the most abundant predators of granivorous vertebrates, they are the least studied group insofar as our knowledge of seed rescue and secondary dispersal in a diploendozoochorous system. Here, using live snake subjects of the Sonoran Desert (one viperid and two colubrid species) and seeds of the Foothill Palo Verde (Parkinsonia microphylla), a dominant tree of the same region, we experimentally tested germination frequency and rate, and seedling viability. Specifically, to mimic rodents with seed-laden cheek pouches, we tested whether wild-collected P. microphylla seeds placed in the abdomen of thawed laboratory mice and ingested by the snakes would retain their germination viability. Second, we examined whether seeds exposed to gut transit germinated at a greater frequency and rate than the controls. While we found strong statistical support for our first hypothesis, both aspects of the second one were not significant. Accordingly, we provide an explanation for these results based on specific life-history traits (dormant and non-dormant seeds) of P. microphylla. Our study provides support for the role of snakes as important agents of seed rescue and dispersal in nature, their potential as ecosystem engineers, and crucial evidence for the investment of field-based studies on diploendozoochorous systems in deserts and other ecosystems.
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20
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Godó L, Valkó O, Borza S, Deák B. A global review on the role of small rodents and lagomorphs (clade Glires) in seed dispersal and plant establishment. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
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21
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22
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Chen S, Feng L, Wang B. Seed size affects rodent-seed interaction consistently across plant species but not within species: evidence from a seed tracking experiment of 41 tree species. Integr Zool 2021; 17:930-943. [PMID: 34936198 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Scatter-hoarding rodents play a crucial role in seed survival and seed dispersal. As one of the most important seed traits, seed size and its effect on rodent-seed interaction attract lots of attention. Current studies usually target one or a few species and show inconsistent patterns; however, few experiments include a large number of species although many plant species usually coexist in natural forest and overlap in fruiting time. Here, we tracked the dispersal and predation of 26,100 seeds belonging to 41 tree species in a subtropical forest for two years. Most species showed no relationships between seed size and rodent foraging preference, while the remaining species displayed diverse of patterns: monotonic decrease and increase trends, and hump-shaped and U-shaped patterns, indicating that a one-off study with a few species might give misleading information. However, the seed size effect across species was consistent in both years, indicating that including a large number of species that hold a sufficient range of seed size may avoid the aforementioned bias. Interestingly, seed size effect differed among rodent foraging processes: a negative effect on seed harvest, a hump-shaped effect on seed removal and removal distance, while a positive effect on overwinter survival of cached seeds, indicating that rodents may make trade-offs between large and small seeds both among foraging processes and within a single process, thus lead to a parabolic relationship between seed size and seed dispersal success, i.e., medium-sized seeds were more likely to be removed and cached, and transported with a further distance. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Chen
- Ailaoshan Station of Subtropical Forest Ecosystem Studies, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jingdong, China.,School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, China
| | - Li Feng
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, China
| | - Bo Wang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, China
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23
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Cordero S, Gálvez F, Fontúrbel FE. Multiple Anthropogenic Pressures Lead to Seed Dispersal Collapse of the Southernmost Palm Jubaea chilensis. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.719566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Seed dispersal is a critical process for plant reproduction and regeneration. Successful recruitment depends on pre- and post-dispersal processes that complete a seed’s journey until becoming a new plant. However, anthropogenic stressors may disrupt the seed dispersal process at some stages, collapsing plant regeneration and hampering its long-term persistence. The Chilean palm tree Jubaea chilensis is the southernmost and the only non-tropical palm species, which currently relies on the scatter-hoarding rodent Octodon degus for seed dispersal. We assessed seed fate by measuring predation and dispersal rates through experimental fieldwork in the Palmar de Ocoa site (located within La Campana National Park) and the Palmar El Salto. We also used previous reports on seed harvest and seedling herbivory to depict the whole J. chilensis seed dispersal process and assess the relative importance of different anthropogenic pressures. We asked the following questions: (1) What is the effect of human harvesting on J. chilensis recruitment? (2) Do native and exotic rodents predate J. chilensis seeds in the same way? and (3) Does post-dispersal herbivory matter? We found that J. chilensis fruits are harvested for human consumption, reducing pre-dispersal available seeds by removing about 23 tons per season. Then, post-dispersal seeds at the Ocoa palm grove are heavily predated by exotic (Rattus rattus) and native (Octodon spp.) rodents; only 8.7% of the seeds are effectively dispersed by Octodon degus. At Palmar El Salto, 100% of the seeds were predated by Rattus rattus, precluding further analysis. Finally, 70% of the seedlings were consumed by exotic herbivores (mainly rabbits), resulting in a success rate of 1.81%. Only 7.9% of the surviving seedlings become infantile plants (4 year-old). Our assessment suggests that J. chilensis has aging populations with very few young individuals in disturbed sites to replace the old ones. For those reasons, we suggest increasing its conservation category to critically endangered as land-use change is rapidly fragmenting and shrinking the extant J. chilensis populations. We urge to take urgent actions to protect this relict palm, which otherwise may go extinct in the next decades.
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24
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Zwolak R, Clement D, Sih A, Schreiber SJ. Mast seeding promotes evolution of scatter-hoarding. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200375. [PMID: 34657470 PMCID: PMC8520775 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Many plant species worldwide are dispersed by scatter-hoarding granivores: animals that hide seeds in numerous, small caches for future consumption. Yet, the evolution of scatter-hoarding is difficult to explain because undefended caches are at high risk of pilferage. Previous models have attempted to solve this problem by giving cache owners large advantages in cache recovery, by kin selection, or by introducing reciprocal pilferage of 'shared' seed resources. However, the role of environmental variability has been so far overlooked in this context. One important form of such variability is masting, which is displayed by many plant species dispersed by scatterhoarders. We use a mathematical model to investigate the influence of masting on the evolution of scatter-hoarding. The model accounts for periodically varying annual seed fall, caching and pilfering behaviour, and the demography of scatterhoarders. The parameter values are based mostly on research on European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and yellow-necked mice (Apodemus flavicollis). Starvation of scatterhoarders between mast years decreases the population density that enters masting events, which leads to reduced seed pilferage. Satiation of scatterhoarders during mast events lowers the reproductive cost of caching (i.e. the cost of caching for the future rather than using seeds for current reproduction). These reductions promote the evolution of scatter-hoarding behaviour especially when interannual variation in seed fall and the period between masting events are large. This article is part of the theme issue 'The ecology and evolution of synchronized seed production in plants'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafał Zwolak
- Department of Systematic Zoology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Dale Clement
- Department of Evolution and Ecology and Center of Population Biology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Andrew Sih
- Department of Evolution and Ecology and Center of Population Biology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Sebastian J. Schreiber
- Department of Evolution and Ecology and Center of Population Biology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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25
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Marques Dracxler C, Kissling WD. The mutualism-antagonism continuum in Neotropical palm-frugivore interactions: from interaction outcomes to ecosystem dynamics. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 97:527-553. [PMID: 34725900 PMCID: PMC9297963 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Frugivory, that is feeding on fruits, pulp or seeds by animals, is usually considered a mutualism when interactions involve seed dispersal, and an antagonism when it results in the predation and destruction of seeds. Nevertheless, most frugivory interactions involve both benefits and disadvantages for plants, and the net interaction outcomes thus tend to vary along a continuum from mutualism to antagonism. Quantifying outcome variation is challenging and the ecological contribution of frugivorous animals to plant demography thus remains little explored. This is particularly true for interactions in which animals do not ingest entire fruits, that is in seed‐eating and pulp‐eating. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of Neotropical palm–frugivore interactions, with a focus on how frugivore consumption behaviour (i.e. digestive processing, fruit‐handling ability and caching behaviour) and feeding types (fruit‐eating, pulp‐eating and seed‐eating) influence interaction outcomes at different demographic stages of palms. We compiled a total of 1043 species‐level palm–frugivore interaction records that explicitly captured information on which parts of palm fruits are eaten by animals. These records showed consumption of fruits of 106 Neotropical palm species by 273 vertebrate species, especially birds (50%) and mammals (45%), but also fish (3%) and reptiles (2%). Fruit‐eating involved all four taxonomic vertebrate classes whereas seed‐eating and pulp‐eating were only recorded among birds and mammals. Most fruit‐eating interactions (77%) resulted in positive interaction outcomes for plants (e.g. gut‐passed seeds are viable or seeds are successfully dispersed), regardless of the digestive processing type of vertebrate consumers (seed defecation versus regurgitation). The majority of pulp‐eating interactions (91%) also resulted in positive interaction outcomes, for instance via pulp removal that promoted seed germination or via dispersal of intact palm seeds by external transport, especially if animals have a good fruit‐handling ability (e.g. primates, and some parrots). By contrast, seed‐eating interactions mostly resulted in dual outcomes (60%), where interactions had both negative effects on seed survival and positive outcomes through seed caching and external (non‐digestive) seed dispersal. A detailed synthesis of available field studies with qualitative and quantitative information provided evidence that 12 families and 27 species of mammals and birds are predominantly on the mutualistic side of the continuum whereas five mammalian families, six mammal and one reptile species are on the antagonistic side. The synthesis also revealed that most species can act as partial mutualists, even if they are typically considered antagonists. Our review demonstrates how different consumption behaviours and feeding types of vertebrate fruit consumers can influence seed dispersal and regeneration of palms, and thus ultimately affect the structure and functioning of tropical ecosystems. Variation in feeding types of animal consumers will influence ecosystem dynamics via effects on plant population dynamics and differences in long‐distance seed dispersal, and may subsequently affect ecosystem functions such as carbon storage. The quantification of intra‐ and inter‐specific variation in outcomes of plant–frugivore interactions – and their positive and negative effects on the seed‐to‐seedling transition of animal‐dispersed plants – should be a key research focus to understand better the mutualism–antagonism continuum and its importance for ecosystem dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Marques Dracxler
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94240, Amsterdam, 1090 GE, The Netherlands
| | - W Daniel Kissling
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94240, Amsterdam, 1090 GE, The Netherlands
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26
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Regnier EE, Hovick SM, Liu J, Harrison SK, Diekmann F. A non‐native earthworm shifts seed predation dynamics of a native weed. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emilie E. Regnier
- Department of Horticulture & Crop Science Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA
| | - Stephen M. Hovick
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA
| | - Jianyang Liu
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences Virginia TechAHS Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center Winchester Virginia USA
| | - Steven Kent Harrison
- Department of Horticulture & Crop Science Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA
| | - Florian Diekmann
- Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Library Columbus Ohio USA
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27
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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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28
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Wang Z, Cao L, Yan C, Niu Y, Chong K, Zhang Z. Cloning capacity helps seeds of Garcinia xanthochymus counter animal predation. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:12639-12650. [PMID: 34594527 PMCID: PMC8462166 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8008] [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] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Seed predators have the potential to act as agents of natural selection that influence seed traits and seed fates, which in turn affect the whole plant population dynamic. Accordingly, plants deploy a variety of mechanisms (e.g., resistance and tolerance strategies) to lessen the impact of predation on seed crop or on an individual seed. In this study, we described a novel mechanism, seed cloning strategy, in a tropical plant species in countering animal predation. By conducting field- and laboratory-based germination experiments, we found that both rodent damaged and artificially damaged seed fragments of a large-seeded tree Garcinia xanthochymus (Clusiaceae) could successfully germinate and establish as seedlings. Tissue culture experiments revealed that G. xanthochymus has no endosperm in seeds, and its seed fragments own strong capacity of differentiation and cloning. Seed damage negatively affected seedling growth and germination, but the seed germination rate was remarkably high. Our study suggests that, seed cloning capacity, adopted by the large-seeded tree G. xanthochymus may act as a novel strategy counteract for seed predation and would play a significant role in stabilizing the mutualism between plant and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen‐yu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in AgricultureInstitute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Wetland and Watershed Research (Ministry of Education)College of Life SciencesJiangxi Normal UniversityNanchangChina
| | - Lin Cao
- College of Ecology and Environmental ScienceInstitute of Ecology and GeobotanyYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Chuan Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in AgricultureInstitute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yu‐da Niu
- Institute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Kang Chong
- Institute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Zhi‐bin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in AgricultureInstitute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
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29
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Mittelman P, Dracxler CM, Santos-Coutinho PRO, Pires AS. Sowing forests: a synthesis of seed dispersal and predation by agoutis and their influence on plant communities. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:2425-2445. [PMID: 34156131 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Granivorous rodents have been traditionally regarded as antagonistic seed predators. Agoutis (Dasyprocta spp.), however, have also been recognized as mutualistic dispersers of plants because of their role as scatter-hoarders of seeds, especially for large-seeded species. A closer look shows that such definitions are too simplistic for these Neotropical animals because agoutis can influence plant communities not only through seed dispersal of large seeds but also through predation of small seeds and seedlings, evidencing their dual role. Herein, we summarize the literature on plant-agouti interactions, decompose agouti seed dispersal into its quantitative and qualitative components, and discuss how environmental factors and plant traits determine whether these interactions result in mutualisms or antagonisms. We also look at the role of agoutis in a community context, assessing their effectiveness as substitutes for extinct megafaunal frugivores and comparing their ecological functions to those of other extant dispersers of large seeds. We also discuss how our conclusions can be extended to the single other genus in the Dasyproctidae family (Myoprocta). Finally, we examine agoutis' contribution to carbon stocks and summarize current conservation threats and efforts. We recorded 164 interactions between agoutis and plants, which were widespread across the plant phylogeny, confirming that agoutis are generalist frugivores. Seed mass was a main factor determining seed hoarding probability of plant species and agoutis were found to disperse larger seeds than other large-bodied frugivores. Agoutis positively contributed to carbon storage by preying upon seeds of plants with lower carbon biomass and by dispersing species with higher biomass. This synthesis of plant-agouti interactions shows that ecological services provided by agoutis to plant populations and communities go beyond seed dispersal and predation, and we identify still unanswered questions. We hope to emphasise the importance of agoutis in Neotropical forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Mittelman
- Wildlife Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Buesgenweg 3, 37077, Germany.,Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-590, Brazil
| | - Caroline Marques Dracxler
- Department of Theoretical and Computational Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, 94240, Amsterdam, 1090 GE, The Netherlands
| | - Pollyanna R O Santos-Coutinho
- Departamento de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, 23890-000, Brazil
| | - Alexandra S Pires
- Departamento de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, 23890-000, Brazil
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30
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Boone SR, Brehm AM, Mortelliti A. Seed predation and dispersal by small mammals in a landscape of fear: effects of personality, predation risk and land‐use change. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sara R. Boone
- Dept of Wildlife, Fisheries and Conservation Biology, Univ. of Maine Orono ME USA
| | - Allison M. Brehm
- Dept of Wildlife, Fisheries and Conservation Biology, Univ. of Maine Orono ME USA
| | - Alessio Mortelliti
- Dept of Wildlife, Fisheries and Conservation Biology, Univ. of Maine Orono ME USA
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31
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Gopal A, Mudappa D, Raman TRS, Naniwadekar R. Seed fates of four rainforest tree species in the fragmented forests of Anamalais in the southern Western Ghats, India. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2020.103698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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32
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Li D, Liu Y, Shan H, Li N, Hao J, Yang B, Peng T, Jin Z. Effects of season and food on the scatter-hoarding behavior of rodents in temperate forests of Northeast China. Zookeys 2021; 1025:73-89. [PMID: 33814946 PMCID: PMC7997858 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1025.60972] [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] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
To explore the differences in hoarding strategies of rodents for different seeds in various seasons, we labeled and released the seeds of Pinuskoraiensis, Corylusmandshurica, Quercusmongolica and Prunussibirica in temperate forests of Northeast China and investigated the fate of the seeds in spring and autumn. The analysis showed that the hoarding strategies of the rodents varied substantially between seasons. The seeds were consumed faster in the spring than in the autumn. More than 50% of the seeds in the two seasons were consumed by the 16th day. It took 36 days to consume 75% of the seeds in the spring and 44 days in the autumn. The rate of consumption of the seeds in the spring was greater than in the autumn, and the rate of spread of the seeds was greater in the autumn. The distances of removal for the consumption and dispersal of seeds in the spring (3.26 ± 3.21 m and 4.15 ± 3.52 m, respectively) were both shorter than those in the autumn (3.74 ± 3.41 m and 4.87 ± 3.94 m, respectively). In addition, the fate of different seeds varied significantly owing to differences in hoarding strategies. The seeds of the three preferred species, P.koraiensis, C.mandshurica, and Q.mongolica, were quickly consumed. More than 90% of the seeds of these species were consumed. Only 21% of Pr.sibirica seeds were slowly consumed, and the two seasons had the same seed consumption rate patterns: the consumption rate of P.koraiensis seeds was the highest, followed by C.mandshurica, then Q.mongolica, and finally Pr.sibirica. The median removal times of the two seasons were different, but the rules were the same: P.koraiensis was the shortest, followed by C.mandshurica, and the third was Q.mongolica. In both seasons, the most predated in situ seeds were those of P.koraiensis; the most hoarded seeds were those of C.mandshurica, and the most unconsumed seeds were those of Pr.sibirica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dianwei Li
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, No. 191 Wenhua Road, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157011, China Mudanjiang Normal University Mudanjiang China.,College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, No. 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China Northeast Forestry University Harbin China.,Heilongjiang Academy of Forestry, No. 134 Haping Road, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China Heilongjiang Academy of Forestry Harbin China
| | - Yang Liu
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, No. 191 Wenhua Road, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157011, China Mudanjiang Normal University Mudanjiang China
| | - Hongjia Shan
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, No. 191 Wenhua Road, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157011, China Mudanjiang Normal University Mudanjiang China
| | - Na Li
- Mudanjiang Medical School No. 5 Fangzhier Road, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157009, China Mudanjiang Medical School Mudanjiang China
| | - Jingwei Hao
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, No. 191 Wenhua Road, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157011, China Mudanjiang Normal University Mudanjiang China
| | - Binbin Yang
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, No. 191 Wenhua Road, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157011, China Mudanjiang Normal University Mudanjiang China
| | - Ting Peng
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, No. 191 Wenhua Road, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157011, China Mudanjiang Normal University Mudanjiang China
| | - Zhimin Jin
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, No. 191 Wenhua Road, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157011, China Mudanjiang Normal University Mudanjiang China
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33
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Dimitri LA, Longland WS. Pilfering of western juniper seed caches by scatter-hoarding rodents varies by microsite and canopy type. Integr Zool 2021; 17:192-205. [PMID: 33433951 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Scatter-hoarding rodents store seeds throughout their home ranges in superficially buried caches which, unlike seeds larder-hoarded in burrows, are difficult to defend. Cached seeds are often pilfered by other scatter-hoarders and either re-cached, eaten or larder-hoarded. Such seed movements can influence seedling recruitment, because only seeds remaining in caches are likely to germinate. Although the importance of scatter-hoarding rodents in the dispersal of western juniper seeds has recently been revealed, the level of pilfering that occurs after initial burial is unknown. Seed traits, soil moisture, and substrate can influence pilfering processes, but less is known about how pilfering varies among caches placed in open versus canopy microsites, or how cache discovery and removal varies among different canopy-types, tree versus shrub. We compared the removal of artificial caches between open and canopy microsites and between tree and shrub canopies at two sites in northeastern California during late spring and fall. We also used trail cameras at one site to monitor artificial cache removal, identify potential pilferers, and illuminate microsite use by scatter-hoarders. Removal of artificial caches was faster in open microsites at both sites during both seasons, and more caches were removed from shrub than tree canopies. California kangaroo rats were the species observed most on cameras, foraging most often in open microsites, which could explain the observed pilfering patterns. This is the first study to document pilfering of western juniper seeds, providing further evidence of the importance of scatter-hoarding rodent foraging behavior in understanding seedling recruitment processes in juniper woodlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay A Dimitri
- Agricultural Research Service, Great Basin Rangeland Research, USDA, USA
| | - William S Longland
- Agricultural Research Service, Great Basin Rangeland Research, USDA, USA
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Wang G, Pan Y, Qin G, Tan W, Lu C. Effects of microhabitat on rodent-mediated seed removal of endangered Kmeria septentrionalis in the karst habitat. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10378. [PMID: 33240673 PMCID: PMC7676351 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Seed removal behaviors of rodents are largely influenced by microhabitat. Although the karst ecosystem is composed of a broad variety of microhabitats, we have no information on how they affect such behaviors. We investigated rodents’ seed removal behaviors in four karst microhabitats (stone cavern, stone groove, stone surface, and soil surface) using three types of Kmeria septentrionalis seeds: fresh, black (intact seeds with black aril that dehydrates and darkens), and exposed (clean seeds without the aril). We show that Rattus norvegicus, Leopoldamys edwardsi and Rattus flavipectus were the predominant seed predators. Even though all seed types experienced a high removal rate in all four microhabitats, but rodents preferentially removed seeds from the three stone microhabitats (stone caves: 69.71 ± 2.74%; stone surface: 60.53 ± 2.90%; stone groove: 56.94 ± 2.91%) compared to the soil surface (53.90 ± 2.92%). Seeds that had been altered by being exposed to the environment were more attractive to rodents than fresh seeds (76.25 ± 2.20% versus 36.18 ± 2.29%). The seed removal behavior of rodents was significantly affected by the microhabitat and seed type. Finally, seeds that had fallen on the soil surface microhabitat incurred a lower predation risk than seeds fallen on other microhabitats, which increased their probability to germinate. Our results indicate that the lower predation rate of seeds from the endangered K. septentrionalis dropped on the soil surface increases trees’ likelihood of survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guohai Wang
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yang Pan
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guole Qin
- College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Hechi University, Yizhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Weining Tan
- Management Bureau of Mulun National Nature Reserve, Nature, Huanjiang, Guangxi, China
| | - Changhu Lu
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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35
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Li D, Hao J, Yao X, Liu Y, Peng T, Jin Z, Meng F. Observations of the foraging behavior and activity patterns of the Korean wood mouse, Apodemus peninsulae, in China, using infra-red cameras. Zookeys 2020; 992:139-155. [PMID: 33223908 PMCID: PMC7677297 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.992.57028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Apodemuspeninsulae, a dominant rodent species in temperature forests of northeastern China, is a model animal to explore the ecological functions of reciprocal coevolution of animals and plants. From August to October 2016, 24 infra-red cameras were installed to study the feeding behavior and activity patterns of A.peninsulae in its natural environment. By analyzing 5618 video records, we found that feeding behavior, followed by motor and sentinel behaviors, was their main activity. In the behavior spectra, motor behavior (creep, walk, and skip), feeding behavior (forage, feeding, transport, hoarding, and clean), and sentinel behavior (alert, flee, banishment, and coexistence) accounted for 57.96%, 40.36%, and 1.68% of their behavior, respectively. The peak of feeding behavior occurred between 18:00 and 23:00, and feeding behavior frequency, duration, and activity rhythms differ among August to October. Furthermore, activity was the greatest after sunset and before sunrise, indicating a nocturnal lifestyle; however, from August to October, the start time of the activity was earlier, and the end time was later than usual. On average, mice spent 21.6 ± 11.6 times/night feeding, with a duration of 63.58 ± 98.36 s; while they spent less time in foraging, 39.05 ± 51.63 s. We found a significant difference in feeding and foraging frequency, with mice spending on average 10.84 ± 9.85 times/night and 9.23 ± 11.17 times/night, respectively. Our results show that feeding and foraging behavior is also influenced by light intensity, suggesting a preference for crepuscular periods of the day. Infra-red cameras are very useful in detecting activity patterns of animals that are not easily observable; these cameras are able to capture a large amount of valuable information for research into ecological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dianwei Li
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, No. 191 Wenhua Road, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157011, China Mudanjiang Normal University Mudanjiang China.,Heilongjiang Academy of Forestry, No. 134 Haping Road, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China Heilongjiang Academy of Forestry Harbin China
| | - Jingwei Hao
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, No. 191 Wenhua Road, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157011, China Mudanjiang Normal University Mudanjiang China
| | - Xu Yao
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, No. 191 Wenhua Road, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157011, China Mudanjiang Normal University Mudanjiang China
| | - Yang Liu
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, No. 191 Wenhua Road, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157011, China Mudanjiang Normal University Mudanjiang China
| | - Ting Peng
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, No. 191 Wenhua Road, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157011, China Mudanjiang Normal University Mudanjiang China
| | - Zhimin Jin
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, No. 191 Wenhua Road, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157011, China Mudanjiang Normal University Mudanjiang China
| | - Fanxing Meng
- College of Life Sciences and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, No. 191 Wenhua Road, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang 157011, China Mudanjiang Normal University Mudanjiang China
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36
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Bartlow AW, Agosta SJ. Phoresy in animals: review and synthesis of a common but understudied mode of dispersal. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 96:223-246. [PMID: 32924275 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Phoresy is a type of interaction in which one species, the phoront, uses another species, the dispersal host, for transportation to new habitats or resources. Despite being a widespread behaviour, little is known about the ecology and evolution of phoresy. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive review of phoretic dispersal in animals and to bring renewed attention to this subject. We surveyed literature published between 1900 and 2020 to understand the extent of known higher-level taxonomic diversity (phyla, classes, and orders) and functional aspects of animals that use phoretic dispersal. Species dispersing phoretically have been observed in at least 13 animal phyla, 25 classes, and 60 orders. The majority of known phoronts are arthropods (Phylum Euarthropoda) in terrestrial habitats, but phoronts also occur in freshwater and marine environments. Marine phoronts may be severely under-represented in the literature due to the relative difficulty of studying these systems. Phoronts are generally small with low mobility and use habitats or resources that are ephemeral and/or widely dispersed. Many phoronts are also parasites. In general, animals that engage in phoresy use a wide variety of morphological and behavioural traits for locating, attaching to, and detaching from dispersal hosts, but the exact mechanisms behind these activities are largely unknown. In addition to diversity, we discuss the evolution of phoresy including the long-standing idea that it can be a precursor to parasitism and other forms of symbioses. Finally, we suggest several areas of future research to improve our understanding of phoresy and its ecological and evolutionary significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew W Bartlow
- Biosecurity and Public Health, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Mailstop M888, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, U.S.A
| | - Salvatore J Agosta
- Center for Environmental Studies, VCU Life Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1000 W. Cary St., Richmond, VA, 23284, U.S.A
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37
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Seed nutrient content rather than size influences seed dispersal by scatterhoarding rodents in a West African montane forest. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467420000127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
AbstractRodents can be important in seed dispersal through their scatterhoarding behaviour, yet, the seed traits that are most influential in seed removal by Afrotropical scatterhoarding rodents remains unclear. Here, we investigated the effect of seed size and nutrient content of four seed species on the scatterhoarding behaviour of rodents in an Afromontane forest, Ngel Nyaki forest, Nigeria. To do this we marked with thread-tags the seeds of Santiria trimera, Beilschmedia mannii, Carapa oreophila and Anthonotha noldeae and observed their fate. We predicted that (1) caching frequency would be higher for larger than smaller seed species; (2) caching frequency would be higher for nutrient-rich than nutrient-poor seeds; (3) larger seeds would be taken across farther distances; and (4) survival of cached seeds would be higher for nutrient-rich seeds. In contrast to studies elsewhere we found no difference in caching probabilities based on seed size, although nutrient-rich (high fat content) seeds had a higher probability of being predated than seeds with lower fat content. Larger and smaller seeds were dispersed over the same distances and nutrient-poor (high fibre content) seeds survived longer in seed caches. Overall, our findings suggest that large, nutrient-rich seed species are less likely to be dispersed by rodents.
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38
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Steele MA, Yi X. Squirrel-Seed Interactions: The Evolutionary Strategies and Impact of Squirrels as Both Seed Predators and Seed Dispersers. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Wang Z, Wang B, Yan C, Yuan S, Cao L. Neighborhood effects on the tannin-related foraging decisions of two rodent species under semi-natural conditions. Integr Zool 2020; 15:569-577. [PMID: 32645258 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Neighborhood effects on seed predation and dispersal processes are usually seed-characteristic-dependent; however, how seeds with certain characteristics affect the foraging behavior of rodents in relation to other seeds nearby is unclear. Because large differences in seed characteristics between neighboring seeds may lead to significant differences in rodent foraging preferences, we hypothesized that neighborhood effects were more likely to be detected when paired seeds differed in seed characteristics. We investigated the foraging decisions of two rodent species, the red spiny rat Maxomys surifer and the Chinese white-bellied rat Niviventer confucianus, in semi-natural enclosures by presenting them with artificial seeds containing different levels of tannin (0, 3%, and 6% tannin). Both rodents showed similar preferences and preferentially consumed high-tannin seeds (6% tannin) and scatter hoarded low-tannin seeds (0 tannin). The scatter hoarding of low-tannin (0 tannin) and high-tannin (6% tannin) seeds was significantly higher when these seeds were neighboring higher-tannin seeds than when they neighbored lower-tannin seeds, whereas the scatter hoarding of intermediate-tannin seeds (3% tannin) varied little when they had different neighbors. High-tannin-seed (6% tannin) scatter hoarding was lowest when they neighbored low-tannin seeds (0 tannin), while low-tannin-seed (0 tannin) scatter hoarding was highest when they neighbored high-tannin seeds (6% tannin). Therefore, the seeds that the rodents scatter hoarded were next to (neighbored) seeds that they preferred to eat immediately, and vice versa. Our findings suggest that seed neighborhood effects affect rodent foraging behavior and the relationship between plants and rodents, and may have a profound effect on the regeneration and spatial structure of plant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyu Wang
- Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China.,Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Wetland and Watershed Research (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Mengla, Yunnan, China
| | - Chuan Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, CAS, Beijing, China
| | - Shengdong Yuan
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Mengla, Yunnan, China
| | - Lin Cao
- Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China.,Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Mengla, Yunnan, China.,State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, CAS, Beijing, China
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40
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Gamboa A, Barragán F. Preferencias de los granívoros con respecto al tamaño y la calidad de las bellotas en un bosque de Quercus en la zona centroseptentrional de México. ANIMAL BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION 2020. [DOI: 10.32800/abc.2020.43.0197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Acorns of the species of the genus Quercus are highly appreciated by a diverse group of animals. It remains unclear whether the choice to move an acorn is related to the intrinsic characteristics of the fruit. In this work, we aimed to determine whether the size and quality of acorns (healthy or damaged) influenced their removal. We found that Q. affinis was the species with the largest acorns but the lowest removal rate, and Q. eduardii was the species with the smallest acorns but highest removal rates. Two groups of vertebrates carried out this removal, and this activity occurred at two clearly separate times. Jays Aphelocoma spp. carried out their activity during the day, and rodents Peromyscus spp. removed acorns at night. Size and quality only had a significant influence on the removal of Q. affinis. Our results suggest that absence of large animals could put the establishment of species with large acorns (such as Q. affinis) at risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Gamboa
- IPICYT/División de Ciencias Ambientales, SLP, Mexico
| | - F. Barragán
- IPICYT/División de Ciencias Ambientales, SLP, Mexico
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41
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafał Zwolak
- Department of Systematic Zoology Faculty of Biology Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań Poland
| | - Andrew Sih
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of California at Davis Davis CA USA
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42
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Bartel SL, Orrock JL. Past and present disturbances generate spatial variation in seed predation. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Savannah L. Bartel
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Wisconsin‐Madison 430 Lincoln Drive Madison Wisconsin 53706 USA
| | - John L. Orrock
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Wisconsin‐Madison 430 Lincoln Drive Madison Wisconsin 53706 USA
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43
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Mittelman P, Kreischer C, Pires AS, Fernandez FAS. Agouti reintroduction recovers seed dispersal of a large‐seeded tropical tree. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Mittelman
- Departamento de Ecologia Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Catharina Kreischer
- Departamento de Ecologia Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Alexandra S. Pires
- Departamento de Ciências Ambientais Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro Seropédica Brazil
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44
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Predators and dispersers: Context-dependent outcomes of the interactions between rodents and a megafaunal fruit plant. Sci Rep 2020; 10:6106. [PMID: 32269241 PMCID: PMC7142068 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62704-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Many plant species bear fruits that suggest adaptation to seed dispersal by extinct megafauna. Present-day seed dispersal of these megafaunal plants is carried out by rodents, which can act as predators or dispersers; whether this interaction is primarily positive or negative can depend on the context. Here, we parameterized a stochastic model using data from the field and experimental arenas to estimate the effect of rodents on the recruitment of Myrcianthes coquimbensis -an Atacama Desert shrub with megafaunal fruits- and examine whether environmental conditions can alter the sign and strength of these rodent-plant interactions. We show that the outcome of these interactions is context-dependent: in wet conditions seed removal by rodents negatively impacts the recruitment probability of M. coquimbensis; in contrast, in dry conditions, the interaction with rodents increases recruitment success. In all cases, the strength of the effect of rodents on the recruitment success was determined mainly by their role as dispersers, which could be positive or negative. This study demonstrates that by caching seeds, rodents can be effective dispersers of a megafaunal fruit plant, but that the sign and magnitude of their effect on recruitment changes as a function of the environmental context in which the interaction occurs.
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45
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Dylewski Ł, Ortega YK, Bogdziewicz M, Pearson DE. Seed size predicts global effects of small mammal seed predation on plant recruitment. Ecol Lett 2020; 23:1024-1033. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.13499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Dylewski
- Poznań University of Life Sciences Institute of Zoology Wojska Polskiego 71C Poznań 60‐625 Poland
- Institute of Dendrology Polish Academy of Sciences Parkowa 5 62‐035 Kórnik Poland
| | - Yvette K. Ortega
- Rocky Mountain Research Station USDA Forest Service 800 E. Beckwith Ave. Missoula Montana 59801 USA
| | - Michał Bogdziewicz
- Department of Systematic Zoology Faculty of Biology Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań Poland
| | - Dean E. Pearson
- Rocky Mountain Research Station USDA Forest Service 800 E. Beckwith Ave. Missoula Montana 59801 USA
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana 32 Campus Dr. Missoula Montana 59812 USA
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46
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Studd EK, Menzies AK, Siracusa ER, Dantzer B, Lane JE, McAdam AG, Boutin S, Humphries MM. Optimisation of energetic and reproductive gains explains behavioural responses to environmental variation across seasons and years. Ecol Lett 2020; 23:841-850. [PMID: 32189469 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Animals switch between inactive and active states, simultaneously impacting their energy intake, energy expenditure and predation risk, and collectively defining how they engage with environmental variation and trophic interactions. We assess daily activity responses to long-term variation in temperature, resources and mating opportunities to examine whether individuals choose to be active or inactive according to an optimisation of the relative energetic and reproductive gains each state offers. We show that this simplified behavioural decision approach predicts most activity variation (R2 = 0.83) expressed by free-ranging red squirrels over 4 years, as quantified through accelerometer recordings (489 deployments; 5066 squirrel-days). Recognising activity as a determinant of energetic status, the predictability of activity variation aggregated at a daily scale, and the clear signal that behaviour is environmentally forced through optimisation of gain, provides an integrated approach to examine behavioural variation as an intermediary between environmental variation and energetic, life-history and ecological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- E K Studd
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Bellevue, QC, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - A K Menzies
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Bellevue, QC, Canada
| | - E R Siracusa
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - B Dantzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - J E Lane
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - A G McAdam
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - S Boutin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - M M Humphries
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Bellevue, QC, Canada
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47
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XIAO Z, HUANG X. How seed defense and seed abundance predict dispersal and survival patterns in
Camellia. Integr Zool 2020; 15:103-114. [DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhishu XIAO
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of ZoologyChinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Xiaoqun HUANG
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of ZoologyChinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
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48
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Perea R, Fernandes GW, Dirzo R. Early plant development depends on embryo damage location: the role of seed size in partial seed predation. OIKOS 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.06912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ramón Perea
- Dept of Biology, Stanford Univ. 371 Serra Mall Stanford CA 94305 USA
- Depto de Sistemas y Recursos Naturales, Univ. Politécnica de Madrid Madrid Spain
| | - G. Wilson Fernandes
- Dept of Biology, Stanford Univ. 371 Serra Mall Stanford CA 94305 USA
- Depto de Biologia Geral, Univ. Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte MG Brazil
| | - Rodolfo Dirzo
- Dept of Biology, Stanford Univ. 371 Serra Mall Stanford CA 94305 USA
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49
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Mortelliti A, Grentzmann IP, Fraver S, Brehm AM, Calkins S, Fisichelli N. Small mammal controls on the climate‐driven range shift of woody plant species. OIKOS 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.06643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Mortelliti
- Dept of Wildlife, Fisheries and Conservation Biology, Univ. of Maine, 5755 Nutting Hall Orono ME 04469 USA
| | - Ilona P. Grentzmann
- Dept of Wildlife, Fisheries and Conservation Biology, Univ. of Maine, 5755 Nutting Hall Orono ME 04469 USA
| | - Shawn Fraver
- School of Forest Resources, Univ. of Maine Orono ME USA
| | - Allison M. Brehm
- Dept of Wildlife, Fisheries and Conservation Biology, Univ. of Maine, 5755 Nutting Hall Orono ME 04469 USA
| | - Samantha Calkins
- Dept of Wildlife, Fisheries and Conservation Biology, Univ. of Maine, 5755 Nutting Hall Orono ME 04469 USA
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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: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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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