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Semchenko M, Barry KE, de Vries FT, Mommer L, Moora M, Maciá-Vicente JG. Deciphering the role of specialist and generalist plant-microbial interactions as drivers of plant-soil feedback. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 234:1929-1944. [PMID: 35338649 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Feedback between plants and soil microbial communities can be a powerful driver of vegetation dynamics. Plants elicit changes in the soil microbiome that either promote or suppress conspecifics at the same location, thereby regulating population density-dependence and species co-existence. Such effects are often attributed to the accumulation of host-specific antagonistic or beneficial microbiota in the rhizosphere. However, the identity and host-specificity of the microbial taxa involved are rarely empirically assessed. Here we review the evidence for host-specificity in plant-associated microbes and propose that specific plant-soil feedbacks can also be driven by generalists. We outline the potential mechanisms by which generalist microbial pathogens, mutualists and decomposers can generate differential effects on plant hosts and synthesize existing evidence to predict these effects as a function of plant investments into defence, microbial mutualists and dispersal. Importantly, the capacity of generalist microbiota to drive plant-soil feedbacks depends not only on the traits of individual plants but also on the phylogenetic and functional diversity of plant communities. Identifying factors that promote specialization or generalism in plant-microbial interactions and thereby modulate the impact of microbiota on plant performance will advance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying plant-soil feedback and the ways it contributes to plant co-existence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Semchenko
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Liivi 2, 50409, Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Kathryn E Barry
- Ecology and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Institute of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Franciska T de Vries
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 94240, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Liesje Mommer
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Mari Moora
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Liivi 2, 50409, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jose G Maciá-Vicente
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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Fonseca-Cortés A, Sanabria-Baquero E. FIRST RECORD OF Crematogaster carinata (FORMICIDAE) NESTING IN THE FRUITS OF Macropsychanthus (LEGUMINOSAE: PAPILIONOIDEAE). ACTA BIOLÓGICA COLOMBIANA 2021. [DOI: 10.15446/abc.v27n2.90924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Most of the ants that are associated with plants usually nests in vegetative organs such as stems, leaves o petioles. Aiming to contribute to the plant-insect interactions, we report the first record of Crematogaster carinata nesting inside the fruits of Macropsychanthus comosus. We did fieldwork in two localities of department of Antioquia and one of the Bolivar department, we opened 32 pods and determined the insects inside them. We found Crematogaster carinata and a beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) inside. 15 of the 32 pods had ants (47 %), but only seven of them had queens (22 %). The ants left the falling pods. The beetle larvae drilled 15 seeds (14 %). This report points the importance of the research in legume-insect interactions, ant-behavior, trophic webs, and trade-off relationships research.
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Ali KA, Willenborg CJ. The biology of seed discrimination and its role in shaping the foraging ecology of carabids: A review. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:13702-13722. [PMID: 34707812 PMCID: PMC8525183 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7898] [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: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Species of carabid (ground) beetles are among the most important postdispersal weed seed predators in temperate arable lands. Field studies have shown that carabid beetles can remove upwards of 65%-90% of specific weed seeds shed in arable fields each year. Such data do not explain how and why carabid predators go after weed seeds, however. It remains to be proven that weed seed predation by carabids is a genuine ecological interaction driven by certain ecological factors or functional traits that determine interaction strength and power predation dynamics, bringing about therefore a natural regulation of weed populations. Along these lines, this review ties together the lines of evidence around weed seed predation by carabid predators. Chemoperception rather than vision seems to be the primary sensory mechanism guiding seed detection and seed selection decisions in carabid weed seed predators. Selection of weed seeds by carabid seed predators appears directed rather than random. Yet, the nature of the chemical cues mediating detection of different seed species and identification of the suitable seed type among them remains unknown. Selection of certain types of weed seeds cannot be predicted based on seed chemistry per se in all cases, however. Rather, seed selection decisions are ruled by sophisticated behavioral mechanisms comprising the assessment of both chemical and physical characteristics of the seed. The ultimate selection of certain weed seed types is determined by how the chemical and physical properties of the seed match with the functional traits of the predator in terms of seed handling ability. Seed density, in addition to chemical and physical seed traits, is also an important factor that is likely to shape seed selection decisions in carabid weed seed predators. Carabid responses to seed density are rather complex as they are influenced not only by seed numbers but also by trait-based suitability ranks of the different seed types available in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaldoun A. Ali
- Plant Sciences DepartmentCollege of Agriculture and BioresourcesUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSKCanada
| | - Christian J. Willenborg
- Plant Sciences DepartmentCollege of Agriculture and BioresourcesUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSKCanada
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Extended seed rain period of Adenostoma fasciculatum impacts diverse seed predators. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0250290. [PMID: 34129603 PMCID: PMC8205158 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims The principal chaparral species in California, Adenostoma fasciculatum, an evergreen, sclerophyllous shrub, is broadly distributed and provides habitat and food resources for a large and diverse animal community. The effects of climate change, including elevated temperatures, fire frequency and severity, along with increased urban encroachment, have placed pressure on chaparral habitats in California. Our goal is to investigate aspects of reproductive ecology as a measure of the potential resiliency of A. fasciculatum. We focus on seed rain (all seed falling into the seed traps regardless of origin) and seed banks in the context of plant-animal interactions and regeneration. Methods Stand recovery following disturbance is achieved through both resprouting and germination from established persistent soil seed banks. In this study we focus on seed ecology using a series of experiments to document the length and quantity of seed rain, seed predation, parsing the importance of the community of granivores, and evaluating the connection between stand age and germination rate from soil seed banks. Important findings Our research documented an 8-month seed rain duration with over 1 million seeds per m2, multiple seed predators including passerines (songbirds) and rodents, and points to the possibility of native ants playing a role in the seed dispersal process. This is important given the recent advancement of the invasive Argentine ant (Linepthema humile) into Californian chaparral. This research demonstrates a clear relationship between A. fasciculatum and both resident and migratory granivores in the chaparral. We documented that a 39-year-old stand had higher germination rates than those which were 16, 20, 41 and 71 years old and how seed banks play a major role in assuring resiliency following fire. These findings are important for wildland managers to assure the continued resiliency of A. fasciculatum.
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Kasi KS, Ramasubbu R. Phenological patterns, fruit predation, and seed dispersal in two Endangered trees (Elaeocarpus spp.) of Southern Western Ghats, India. JOURNAL OF ASIA-PACIFIC BIODIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.japb.2021.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
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6
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Ramula S, Kalske A. Introduced plants of Lupinus polyphyllus are larger but flower less frequently than conspecifics from the native range: Results of the first year. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:13742-13751. [PMID: 33391677 PMCID: PMC7771124 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduced species, which establish in novel environments, provide an opportunity to explore trait evolution and how it may contribute to the distribution and spread of species. Here, we explore trait changes of the perennial herb Lupinus polyphyllus based on 11 native populations in the western USA and 17 introduced populations in Finland. More specifically, we investigated whether introduced populations outperformed native populations in traits measured in situ (seed mass) and under common garden conditions during their first year (plant size, flowering probability, and number of flowering shoots). We also explored whether climate of origin (temperature) influenced plant traits and quantified the degree to which trait variability was explained collectively by country and temperature as compared to other population-level differences. Three out of four plant traits differed between the native and introduced populations; only seed mass was similar between countries, with most of its variation attributed to other sources of intraspecific variation not accounted for by country and temperature. Under common garden conditions, plants originating from introduced populations were larger than those originating from native populations. However, plants from the introduced range flowered less frequently and had fewer flowering shoots than their native-range counterparts. Temperature of a population's origin influenced plant size in the common garden, with plant size increasing with increasing mean annual temperature in both native and introduced populations. Our results of the first year reveal genetic basis for phenotypic differences in some fitness-related traits between the native and introduced populations of L. polyphyllus. However, not all of these trait differences necessarily contribute to the invasion success of the species and thus may not be adaptive, which raises a question how persistent the trait differences observed in the first year are later in individuals' life for perennial herbs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satu Ramula
- Department of BiologyUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Aino Kalske
- Department of BiologyUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
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Dalling JW, Davis AS, Arnold AE, Sarmiento C, Zalamea PC. Extending Plant Defense Theory to Seeds. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, AND SYSTEMATICS 2020. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-012120-115156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Plant defense theory explores how plants invest in defenses against natural enemies but has focused primarily on the traits expressed by juvenile and mature plants. Here we describe the diverse ways in which seeds are chemically and physically defended. We suggest that through associations with other traits, seeds are likely to exhibit defense syndromes that reflect constraints or trade-offs imposed by selection to attract dispersers, enable effective dispersal, ensure appropriate timing of seed germination, and enhance seedling performance. We draw attention to seed and reproductive traits that are analogous to defense traits in mature plants and describe how the effectiveness of defenses is likely to differ at pre- and postdispersal stages. We also highlight recent insights into the mutualistic and antagonistic interactions between seeds and microbial communities, including fungi and endohyphal bacteria, that can influence seed survival in the soil and subsequent seedling vigor.
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Affiliation(s)
- James W. Dalling
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Panamá, República de Panamá
| | - Adam S. Davis
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - A. Elizabeth Arnold
- School of Plant Sciences and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
| | - Carolina Sarmiento
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Panamá, República de Panamá
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA;,
| | - Paul-Camilo Zalamea
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Panamá, República de Panamá
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA;,
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8
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Sousa-Lopes BD, Santos ATD, Ribeiro-Costa CS, Del-Claro K. Spatio-temporal variation in seed traits affects the occurrence and body-size pattern of a seed-feeding beetle (Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) in Brazilian Cerrado. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2020.103579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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9
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Estrada A, Coates-Estrada R. Fruit eating and seed dispersal by howling monkeys (Alouatta palliata) in the tropical rain forest of Los Tuxtlas, Mexico. Am J Primatol 2020; 6:77-91. [PMID: 31986840 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.1350060202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/1983] [Accepted: 08/25/1983] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The frugivory and ranging habits of howling monkeys living in the rain forest of Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico, were studied for 5 consecutive years with the aim of investigating the role of seed dispersal agents played by the howling monkeys. The howling monkeys' consumption of fruit occupied half of their feeding time, and 80% of this time was spent feeding on mature fruit. Observations confirmed use of 19 tree species and a preference for a few species of Moraceae and Lauraceae. Fruit exploitation was very seasonal; only two species provided fruit year-round. Home range size was about 60 ha, and animals in the troop (N = 16) showed a day range of 10-893 m. Monthly collection of fecal samples during 2 years indicated that 90% of the seeds (N = 7,928) in the samples belonged to eight tree species and to one liana; the rest belonged to 15 unidentified species of vines. Germination success for the seeds in the feces was about 60% and for control seeds was 35%. Howling monkeys created diverse seed shadows in the vicinity of their leaf and fruit sources, and while they dispersed the seeds of some plant species, they also produced a great deal of fruit and seed waste for others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Estrada
- Estación de Biología, Tropical "Los Tuxtlas," Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, San Andrés Tuxtla, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Rosamond Coates-Estrada
- Estación de Biología, Tropical "Los Tuxtlas," Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, San Andrés Tuxtla, Veracruz, Mexico
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10
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Brǿnnvik H, von Wettberg EJ. Bird Dispersal as a Pre-Adaptation for Domestication in Legumes: Insights for Neo-Domestication. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:1293. [PMID: 31681385 PMCID: PMC6803499 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hester Brǿnnvik
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Eric J. von Wettberg
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
- Mathematical Biology and Bioinformatics Laboratory, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechic University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
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11
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Gripenberg S, Basset Y, Lewis OT, Terry JCD, Wright SJ, Simón I, Fernández DC, Cedeño‐Sanchez M, Rivera M, Barrios H, Brown JW, Calderón O, Cognato AI, Kim J, Miller SE, Morse GE, Pinzón‐Navarro S, Quicke DLJ, Robbins RK, Salminen J, Vesterinen E. A highly resolved food web for insect seed predators in a species-rich tropical forest. Ecol Lett 2019; 22:1638-1649. [PMID: 31359570 PMCID: PMC6852488 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The top-down and indirect effects of insects on plant communities depend on patterns of host use, which are often poorly documented, particularly in species-rich tropical forests. At Barro Colorado Island, Panama, we compiled the first food web quantifying trophic interactions between the majority of co-occurring woody plant species and their internally feeding insect seed predators. Our study is based on more than 200 000 fruits representing 478 plant species, associated with 369 insect species. Insect host-specificity was remarkably high: only 20% of seed predator species were associated with more than one plant species, while each tree species experienced seed predation from a median of two insect species. Phylogeny, but not plant traits, explained patterns of seed predator attack. These data suggest that seed predators are unlikely to mediate indirect interactions such as apparent competition between plant species, but are consistent with their proposed contribution to maintaining plant diversity via the Janzen-Connell mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Gripenberg
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of ReadingReadingUK
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteBalboaRepublic of Panama
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
- Biodiversity UnitUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Yves Basset
- ForestGEOSmithsonian Tropical Research InstituteBalboaRepublic of Panama
- Faculty of ScienceUniversity of South BohemiaCeske BudejoviceCzech Republic
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of SciencesInstitute of EntomologyCeske BudejoviceCzech Republic
- Maestria de EntomologiaUniversidad de PanamáPanamaRepublic of Panama
| | | | | | | | - Indira Simón
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteBalboaRepublic of Panama
| | | | | | - Marleny Rivera
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteBalboaRepublic of Panama
- Maestria de EntomologiaUniversidad de PanamáPanamaRepublic of Panama
| | - Héctor Barrios
- Maestria de EntomologiaUniversidad de PanamáPanamaRepublic of Panama
| | - John W. Brown
- National Museum of Natural HistorySmithsonian InstitutionWashington, DCUSA
| | | | | | - Jorma Kim
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Scott E. Miller
- National Museum of Natural HistorySmithsonian InstitutionWashington, DCUSA
| | | | | | - Donald L. J. Quicke
- Integrative Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of ScienceChulalongkorn UniversityBangkokThailand
| | - Robert K. Robbins
- National Museum of Natural HistorySmithsonian InstitutionWashington, DCUSA
| | | | - Eero Vesterinen
- Biodiversity UnitUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
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12
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Henkel TW, Mayor JR. Implications of a long‐term mast seeding cycle for climatic entrainment, seedling establishment and persistent monodominance in a Neotropical, ectomycorrhizal canopy tree. Ecol Res 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Terry W. Henkel
- Department of Biological Sciences Humboldt State University Arcata California
| | - Jordan R. Mayor
- Environment and Planning Division, ICF San Francisco California
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13
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Strydom M, Veldtman R, Ngwenya MZ, Esler KJ. Seed survival of Australian Acacia in the Western Cape of South Africa in the presence of biological control agents and given environmental variation. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6816. [PMID: 31106056 PMCID: PMC6497107 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of invasive Australian Acacia have shown that many seeds are still produced and accumulate in soil stored seed banks regardless of the presence of seed-targeting biological control agents. This is despite claims of biological control success, although there is generally a lack of data on the seed production of invasive Australian Acacia before and after the release of the respective agents. We aimed to quantify seed production and seed survival of invasive Australian Acacia currently under biological control. The seed production and survival (proportion of aborted, predated and surviving seeds) of A. longifolia, A. pycnantha and A. saligna were each studied at four to five sites in the Western Cape of South Africa. The relationships between seed production and stand characteristics were determined and the relative effects of seed predation and abortion on seed survival were established. The investigated invasive Australian Acacia produced many seeds that survived the pre-dispersal stage despite long-term presence of released biological control agents. It was shown that seed crop size is the only significant factor influencing seed survival of the studied Australian Acacia species. Furthermore, the seeds surviving per tree and per square meter were related to tree size. No quantitative evidence was found to suggest that seed-reducing biological control agents are having an impact on the population dynamics of their Australian Acacia hosts. This study illustrates the importance of studying the seed ecology of invasive plants before biological control agents are selected and released.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthys Strydom
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa.,Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa.,Academy for Environmental Leadership SA, Upington, South Africa
| | - Ruan Veldtman
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa.,South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mzabalazo Z Ngwenya
- Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation (SEEC), Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa.,Biometry, Agricultural Research Council, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Karen J Esler
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa.,Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
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14
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Seedling establishment of Polygonum cuspidatum
and Polygonum weyrichii
var. alpinum
at high altitudes of Mt Fuji. Ecol Res 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/bf02347496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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15
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16
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Wilcots ME, Taylor BN, Kuprewicz EK, Menge DNL. Small traits with big consequences: how seed traits of nitrogen‐fixing plants might influence ecosystem nutrient cycling. OIKOS 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.05798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Megan E. Wilcots
- Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia Univ., 1200 Amsterdam Ave New York NY 10027 USA
| | - Benton N. Taylor
- Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia Univ., 1200 Amsterdam Ave New York NY 10027 USA
| | - Erin K. Kuprewicz
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Univ. of Connecticut Storrs CT USA
| | - Duncan N. L. Menge
- Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia Univ., 1200 Amsterdam Ave New York NY 10027 USA
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Abstract
The shortage of proteins in tropical countries cannot be overcome by the development of the breeding of animals originating outside the tropics, as they are ill adapted to the environmental conditions and yield a low output. Edible pulses, domesticated in these regions, can alleviate this shortage without causing soil degradation, because of their ecological properties, the rapidity of their growth, and the storability of their grains. But agricultural research ignores most of these species, and, although they are no less important than maize, their production is not even mentioned in world statistics. The protection of the stored grains is essential. The fight against weevils (Bruchidae), which often destroy more than half of the harvest, has been unsuccessful because it has not been based on an adequate knowledge of these beetles, and in particular of how they infest crops at harvest time; they are wrongly believed to attack only stored grains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Labeyrie
- Professeur d'Ecologie, Directeur de l'Institut de Biocénotique Expérimentale des Agrosystèmes (IBEAS), Université F. Rabelais, Tours, France
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18
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de Paula Mateus D, Groeneveld J, Fischer R, Taubert F, Martins VF, Huth A. Defaunation impacts on seed survival and its effect on the biomass of future tropical forests. OIKOS 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.05084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dantas de Paula Mateus
- Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research - UFZ Leipzig; Dept of Ecological Modelling; PO Box 500136 DE-04301 Leipzig Germany
| | - Juergen Groeneveld
- Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research - UFZ Leipzig; Dept of Ecological Modelling; PO Box 500136 DE-04301 Leipzig Germany
- Inst. of Forest Growth and Forest Computer Sciences; Technische Univ. Dresden; Tharandt Germany
| | - Rico Fischer
- Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research - UFZ Leipzig; Dept of Ecological Modelling; PO Box 500136 DE-04301 Leipzig Germany
| | - Franziska Taubert
- Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research - UFZ Leipzig; Dept of Ecological Modelling; PO Box 500136 DE-04301 Leipzig Germany
| | - Valéria F. Martins
- Dept of Natural Sciences, Maths and Education; Centre for Agrarian Sciences, Federal Univ. of Sao Carlos - UFSC; Araras SP Brazil
| | - Andreas Huth
- Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research - UFZ Leipzig; Dept of Ecological Modelling; PO Box 500136 DE-04301 Leipzig Germany
- Inst. of Environmental Systems Research; Univ. of Osnabrück; Osnabrück Germany
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19
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Chen K, Burgess KS, Yang X, Luo Y, Gao L, Li D. Functional trade-offs and the phylogenetic dispersion of seed traits in a biodiversity hotspot of the Mountains of Southwest China. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:2218-2230. [PMID: 29468038 PMCID: PMC5817125 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Revised: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The diversity of traits associated with plant regeneration is often shaped by functional trade-offs where plants typically do not excel at every function because resources allocated to one function cannot be allocated to another. By analyzing correlations among seed traits, empirical studies have shown that there is a trade-off between seedling development and the occupation of new habitats, although only a small range of taxa have been tested; whether such trade-off exists in a biodiverse and complex landscape remains unclear. Here, we amassed seed trait data of 1,119 species from a biodiversity hotspot of the Mountains of Southwest China and analyzed the relationship between seed mass and the number of seeds and between seed mass and time to germination. Our results showed that seed mass was negatively correlated with seed number but positively correlated with time to germination. The same trend was found regardless of variation in life-form and phylogenetic conservatism. Furthermore, the relation between seed mass and other seed traits was randomly dispersed across the phylogeny at both the order and family levels. Collectively, results suggest that there is a functional trade-off between seedling development and new habitat occupation for seed plants in this region. Larger seeds tend to produce fewer seedlings but with greater fitness compared to those produced by smaller seeds, whereas smaller seeds tend to have a larger number of seeds that germinate faster compared to large-seeded species. Apart from genetic constraints, species that produce large seeds will succeed in sites where resource availability is low, whereas species with high colonization ability (those that produce a high number of seeds per fruit) will succeed in new niches. This study provides a mechanistic explanation for the relatively high levels of plant diversity currently found in a heterogeneous region of the Mountains of Southwest China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Chen
- Germplasm Bank of Wild SpeciesKunming Institute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- Kunming College of Life ScienceUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- School of Resources and the EnvironmentBaoshan UniversityBaoshanChina
| | - Kevin S. Burgess
- Department of BiologyCollege of Letters and SciencesColumbus State UniversityUniversity System of GeorgiaColumbusGAUSA
| | - Xiang‐Yun Yang
- Germplasm Bank of Wild SpeciesKunming Institute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
| | - Ya‐Huang Luo
- Key Laboratory for Plant diversity and Biogeography of East AsiaKunming Institute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
| | - Lian‐Ming Gao
- Key Laboratory for Plant diversity and Biogeography of East AsiaKunming Institute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
| | - De‐Zhu Li
- Germplasm Bank of Wild SpeciesKunming Institute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- Kunming College of Life ScienceUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- Key Laboratory for Plant diversity and Biogeography of East AsiaKunming Institute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
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20
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Maia LF, Nascimento AR, Faria LDB. Four years host–parasitoid food web: testing sampling effort on trophic levels. STUDIES ON NEOTROPICAL FAUNA AND ENVIRONMENT 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/01650521.2018.1428042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laís F. Maia
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia Aplicada, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, Brazil
| | - André R. Nascimento
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Lucas D. B. Faria
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia Aplicada, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, Brazil
- Setor de Ecologia e Conservação, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, Brazil
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21
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Wang B, Phillips JS, Tomlinson KW. Tradeoff between physical and chemical defense in plant seeds is mediated by seed mass. OIKOS 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.04867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bo Wang
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla; Yunnan province 666303 PR China
| | | | - Kyle W. Tomlinson
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla; Yunnan province 666303 PR China
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22
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Deyrup ST, Risteen RG, Tonyai KK, Farrar MA, D'Antonio BE, Ahmed ZB, Christofel BT, Howells NR, Smedley SR. Escape into Winter: Does a Phenological Shift byEllychnia corrusca(Winter Firefly) Shield it from a Specialist Predator (Photuris)? Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2017. [DOI: 10.1656/045.024.s717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen T. Deyrup
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Siena College, Loudonville, NY 12211
| | | | | | | | | | - Zenab B. Ahmed
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Siena College, Loudonville, NY 12211
| | - Brian T. Christofel
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Siena College, Loudonville, NY 12211
| | - Nicole R. Howells
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Siena College, Loudonville, NY 12211
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23
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Tiansawat P, Beckman NG, Dalling JW. Pre‐dispersal seed predators and fungi differ in their effect on
Luehea seemannii
capsule development, seed germination, and dormancy across two Panamanian forests. Biotropica 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pimonrat Tiansawat
- Forest Restoration Research Unit Department of Biology Faculty of Science Chiang Mai University 239 Huay Kaew Road Muang Chiang Mai 50200 Thailand
- Environmental Science Research Center (ESRC) Faculty of Science Chiang Mai University 239 Huay Kaew Road Muang Chiang Mai 50200 Thailand
| | - Noelle G. Beckman
- National Socio‐Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) 1 Park Place, Suite 300 Annapolis MD 21401 USA
| | - James W. Dalling
- Department of Plant Biology University of Illinois 265 Morrill Hall, 505 South Goodwin Avenue Urbana IL 61801 USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Apartado Postal 0843‐03092 Panama City Panama
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24
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Handel SN. THE COMPETITIVE RELATIONSHIP OF THREE WOODLAND SEDGES AND ITS BEARING ON THE EVOLUTION OF ANT-DISPERSAL OF CAREX PEDUNCULATA. Evolution 2017; 32:151-163. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1978.tb01105.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/1976] [Revised: 04/22/1977] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Steven N. Handel
- Section of Ecology and Systematics; Cornell University; Ithaca New York
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25
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Wasserman SS, Futuyma DJ. EVOLUTION OF HOST PLANT UTILIZATION IN LABORATORY POPULATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN COWPEA WEEVIL, CALLOSOBRUCHUS MACULATUS FABRICIUS (COLEOPTERA: BRUCHIDAE). Evolution 2017; 35:605-617. [PMID: 28563141 DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1981.tb04923.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/1980] [Revised: 11/25/1980] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Steven S Wasserman
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York, 11794
| | - Douglas J Futuyma
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York, 11794
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26
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Willson MF, Miller LJ, Rathcke BJ. FLORAL DISPLAY IN PHLOX AND GERANIUM: ADAPTIVE ASPECTS. Evolution 2017; 33:52-63. [PMID: 28568064 DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1979.tb04662.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/1977] [Revised: 05/14/1978] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mary F Willson
- Department of Ecology, Ethology and Evolution, Vivarium Building, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, 61820.,Section of Population Biology and Genetics, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02902
| | - Linda J Miller
- Department of Ecology, Ethology and Evolution, Vivarium Building, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, 61820.,Section of Population Biology and Genetics, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02902
| | - Beverly J Rathcke
- Department of Ecology, Ethology and Evolution, Vivarium Building, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, 61820.,Section of Population Biology and Genetics, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02902
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27
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Yamauchi A. THEORY OF MAST REPRODUCTION IN PLANTS: STORAGE-SIZE DEPENDENT STRATEGY. Evolution 2017; 50:1795-1807. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1996.tb03566.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/1995] [Accepted: 02/05/1996] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Yamauchi
- Ocean Research Institute; University of Tokyo; Minamidai 1-15-1 Nakano Tokyo 164 Japan
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28
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Miranda-Pérez A, Castillo G, Hernández-Cumplido J, Valverde PL, Borbolla M, Cruz LL, Tapia-López R, Fornoni J, Flores-Ortiz CM, Núñez-Farfán J. Natural selection drives chemical resistance of Datura stramonium. PeerJ 2016; 4:e1898. [PMID: 27114866 PMCID: PMC4841232 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant resistance to herbivores involves physical and chemical plant traits that prevent or diminish damage by herbivores, and hence may promote coevolutionary arm-races between interacting species. Although Datura stramonium's concentration of tropane alkaloids is under selection by leaf beetles, it is not known whether chemical defense reduces seed predation by the specialist weevil, Trichobaris soror, and if it is evolving by natural selection. We measured infestation by T. soror as well as the concentration of the plants' two main tropane alkaloids in 278 D. stramonium plants belonging to 31 populations in central Mexico. We assessed whether the seed predator exerted preferences on the levels of both alkaloids and whether they affect plant fitness. Results show great variation across populations in the concentration of scopolamine and atropine in both leaves and seeds of plants of D. stramonium, as well as in the intensity of infestation and the proportion of infested fruits by T. soror. The concentration of scopolamine in seeds and leaves are negatively associated across populations. We found that scopolamine concentration increases plant fitness. Our major finding was the detection of a positive relationship between the population average concentrations of scopolamine with the selection differentials of scopolamine. Such spatial variation in the direction and intensity of selection on scopolamine may represent a coevolutionary selective mosaic. Our results support the view that variation in the concentration of scopolamine among-populations of D. stramonium in central Mexico is being driven, in part, by selection exerted by T. soror, pointing an adaptive role of tropane alkaloids in this plant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adán Miranda-Pérez
- Laboratory of Ecological Genetics and Evolution, Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute for Ecology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Mexico City , México
| | - Guillermo Castillo
- Laboratory of Ecological Genetics and Evolution, Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute for Ecology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, México; Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Morelia, Michoacán, México
| | | | - Pedro L Valverde
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana , Mexico City , México
| | - María Borbolla
- Laboratory of Ecological Genetics and Evolution, Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute for Ecology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Mexico City , México
| | - Laura L Cruz
- Laboratory of Ecological Genetics and Evolution, Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute for Ecology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Mexico City , México
| | - Rosalinda Tapia-López
- Laboratory of Ecological Genetics and Evolution, Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute for Ecology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Mexico City , México
| | - Juan Fornoni
- Laboratory of Ecological Genetics and Evolution, Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute for Ecology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Mexico City , México
| | - César M Flores-Ortiz
- UBIPRO, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala Universidad, Nacional Autónoma de México , Tlalnepantla , México
| | - Juan Núñez-Farfán
- Laboratory of Ecological Genetics and Evolution, Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute for Ecology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Mexico City , México
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29
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Andersen GL, Krzywinski K, Gjessing HK, Pierce RH. Seed viability and germination success of Acacia tortilis along land-use and aridity gradients in the Eastern Sahara. Ecol Evol 2015; 6:256-66. [PMID: 26811790 PMCID: PMC4716523 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Revised: 09/24/2015] [Accepted: 10/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Our study focuses on the keystone species Acacia tortilis and is the first to investigate the effect of domestic ungulates and aridity on seed viability and germination over an extensive part of the Eastern Sahara. Bruchids infest its seeds and reduce their viability and germination, but ingestion by ruminant herbivores diminishes infestation levels and enhances/promotes seed viability and germination. The degree of these effects seems to be correlated with animal body mass. Significantly reduced numbers of wild ruminant ungulates have increased the potential importance of domestic animals and pastoral nomadism for the functionality of arid North African and Middle Eastern ecosystems. We sampled seeds (16,543) from A. tortilis in eight areas in three regions with different aridity and land use. We tested the effect of geography and sampling context on seed infestation using random effects logistic regressions. We did a randomized and balanced germination experiment including 1193 seeds, treated with different manure. Germination time and rates across geography, sampling context, and infestation status were analyzed using time-to-event analyses, Kaplan-Meier curves and proportional hazards Cox regressions. Bruchid infestation is very high (80%), and the effects of context are significant. Neither partial infestation nor adding manure had a positive effect on germination. There is a strong indication that intact, uningested seeds from acacia populations in the extremely arid Western Desert germinate more slowly and have a higher fraction of hard seeds than in the Eastern Desert and the Red Sea Hills. For ingested seeds in the pastoralist areas we find that intact seeds from goat dung germinate significantly better than those from camel dung. This is contrary to the expected body-mass effect. There is no effect of site or variation in tribal management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gidske Leknæs Andersen
- UNI Research Environment P O Box 7810 5020 Bergen Norway; Department of Geography University of Bergen P O Box 7802 5020 Bergen Norway
| | - Knut Krzywinski
- UNI Research Environment P O Box 7810 5020 Bergen Norway; Department of Biology University of Bergen P O Box 7800 5020 Bergen Norway
| | - Håkon K Gjessing
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health P O Box 4404 Nydalen 0403 Oslo Norway; Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care University of Bergen Bergen Norway
| | - Richard Holton Pierce
- Department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies University of Bergen Sydnesplassen 7 5007 Bergen Norway
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30
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Lichti NI, Steele MA, Swihart RK. Seed fate and decision‐making processes in scatter‐hoarding rodents. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015; 92:474-504. [PMID: 26587693 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Revised: 10/12/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nathanael I. Lichti
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 U.S.A
| | | | - Robert K. Swihart
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 U.S.A
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31
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Xu Y, Shen Z, Li D, Guo Q. Pre-Dispersal Seed Predation in a Species-Rich Forest Community: Patterns and the Interplay with Determinants. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0143040. [PMID: 26575270 PMCID: PMC4648506 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0143040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Pre-dispersal seed predation (PDSP) is commonly observed in woody plants, and recognized as a driver of seed production variability that is critical for successful regeneration. Earlier studies on PDSP and its determinants were mostly species specific, with community-level PDSP rarely estimated; and the interactions between the temporal variability of seed production and PDSP remain elusive. In this study, the community seed rain of woody plants in a mixed evergreen-deciduous broadleaf forest was monitored for seven years. We examined predation on collected seeds and analyzed the determinants of PDSP. PDSP was recorded in 17 out of 44 woody plant species, and three-quarters of PDSP was due to insect predators. Annual seed production varied substantially at community level, reversely linked with the temporal variation of PDSP rate. The PDSP rate was biased regarding fruit types, and being significantly correlated with seed mass when using phylogenetic independent contrasts (PICs) or without taking into account phylogenetic relations, especially for nuts. PDSP rate was also negatively correlated with seed density, showing a threshold-related predator satiation effect. The community-level PDSP rate was primarily determined by tree height, fruit type, and interannual variation of seed production and seed mass. Our analysis revealed a causal link between seed production and the dynamics of PDSP rate at the community level. The predator satiation effect was primarily contributed by the dominant species, whereas the rare species seemed to apply a distinct “hide-and-seek” strategy to control the risk of PDSP. The mechanistic difference of seed production between the common and rare species can shed new light on species coexistence and community assembly. Long-term monitoring of both seed rain and seed predation is required for understanding the ecological and evolutionary implications of species regeneration strategies in a species-rich forest community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Xu
- Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zehao Shen
- Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- * E-mail:
| | - Daoxin Li
- Dalaoling National Forest Park, Yichang, Hubei, China
| | - Qinfeng Guo
- Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
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Combs JK, Lambert AM, Reichard SH. Predispersal seed predation is higher in a rare species than in its widespread sympatric congeners (Astragalus, Fabaceae). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2013; 100:2149-2157. [PMID: 24136822 DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1300238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY Rare plants may be rare, in part, because they are more susceptible to damage by predispersal insect seed predators than widespread congeneric species; thus, seed predation may be an important determinant of plant rarity. Scant evidence exists to either support or reject this hypothesis, limiting our ability to predict herbivore effects on plant rarity. We used a comparative framework to test this hypothesis in rare-common, sympatric congeners. METHODS We compared seed consumption by insect type and seed production among a rare Astragalus (Fabaceae) species and two sympatric, widespread congeners. We measured plant traits and tested whether traits were correlated with seed damage within and among rare-common species. KEY RESULTS Seed predation was significantly higher in a rare species than in common congeners over 2 yr. Seed production per pod was significantly lower in the rare species. Seed weevils exclusively consumed seeds of the rare species. Higher seed predation in the rare species is related to a combination of factors: plant phenology, dispersal ability, and vigor; seed predator identity; and insect phenology. CONCLUSIONS Our results support the hypothesis that a rare plant is more susceptible to seed predators than two common, sympatric congeners. Seed predator reduction is a promising management tool to increase seed-set, recruitment, and survival of the rare species. Further studies that compare rare-common, sympatric congeners are greatly needed to broadly evaluate the hypothesis concerning rarity and susceptibility to seed predators and to inform conservation plans for rare species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie K Combs
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195 USA
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33
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Beckman NG. The distribution of fruit and seed toxicity during development for eleven neotropical trees and vines in Central Panama. PLoS One 2013; 8:e66764. [PMID: 23843965 PMCID: PMC3699617 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2013] [Accepted: 05/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Secondary compounds in fruit mediate interactions with natural enemies and seed dispersers, influencing plant survival and species distributions. The functions of secondary metabolites in plant defenses have been well-studied in green tissues, but not in reproductive structures of plants. In this study, the distribution of toxicity within plants was quantified and its influence on seed survival was determined in Central Panama. To investigate patterns of allocation to chemical defenses and shifts in allocation with fruit development, I quantified variation in toxicity between immature and mature fruit and between the seed and pericarp for eleven species. Toxicity of seed and pericarp was compared to leaf toxicity for five species. Toxicity was measured as reduced hyphal growth of two fungal pathogens, Phoma sp. and Fusarium sp., and reduced survivorship of brine shrimp, Artemia franciscana, across a range of concentrations of crude extract. I used these measures of potential toxicity against generalist natural enemies to examine the effect of fruit toxicity on reductions of fruit development and seed survival by vertebrates, invertebrates, and pathogens measured for seven species in a natural enemy removal experiment. The seed or pericarp of all vertebrate- and wind-dispersed species reduced Artemia survivorship and hyphal growth of Fusarium during the immature and mature stages. Only mature fruit of two vertebrate-dispersed species reduced hyphal growth of Phoma. Predispersal seed survival increased with toxicity of immature fruit to Artemia during germination and decreased with toxicity to fungi during fruit development. This study suggests that fruit toxicity against generalist natural enemies may be common in Central Panama. These results support the hypothesis that secondary metabolites in fruit have adaptive value and are important in the evolution of fruit-frugivore interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelle G Beckman
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA.
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34
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Perea R, Venturas M, Gil L. Empty seeds are not always bad: simultaneous effect of seed emptiness and masting on animal seed predation. PLoS One 2013; 8:e65573. [PMID: 23776503 PMCID: PMC3679161 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2013] [Accepted: 04/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Seed masting and production of empty seeds have often been considered independently as different strategies to reduce seed predation by animals. Here, we integrate both phenomena within the whole assemblage of seed predators (both pre and post-dispersal) and in two contrasting microsites (open vs. sheltered) to improve our understanding of the factors controlling seed predation in a wind-dispersed tree (Ulmus laevis). In years with larger crop sizes more avian seed predators were attracted with an increase in the proportion of full seeds predated on the ground. However, for abundant crops, the presence of empty seeds decreased the proportion of full seeds predated. Empty seeds remained for a very long period in the tree, making location of full seeds more difficult for pre-dispersal predators and expanding the overall seed drop period at a very low cost (in dry biomass and allocation of C, N and P). Parthenocarpy (non-fertilized seeds) was the main cause of seed emptiness whereas seed abortion was produced in low quantity. These aborted seeds fell prematurely and, thus, could not work as deceptive seeds. A proportion of 50% empty seeds significantly reduced ground seed predation by 26%. However, a high rate of parthenocarpy (beyond 50% empty seeds) did not significantly reduce seed predation in comparison to 50% empty seeds. We also found a high variability and unpredictability in the production of empty seeds, both at tree and population level, making predator deception more effective. Open areas were especially important to facilitate seed survival since rodents (the main post-dispersal predators) consumed seeds mostly under shrub cover. In elm trees parthenocarpy is a common event that might work as an adaptive strategy to reduce seed predation. Masting per se did not apparently reduce the overall proportion of seeds predated in this wind-dispersed tree, but kept great numbers of seeds unconsumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramón Perea
- Departamento de Silvopascicultura, ETSI, Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, Spain
| | - Martin Venturas
- Departamento de Silvopascicultura, ETSI, Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Gil
- Departamento de Silvopascicultura, ETSI, Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, Spain
- * E-mail:
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35
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Porter SS. Adaptive divergence in seed color camouflage in contrasting soil environments. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2013; 197:1311-1320. [PMID: 23312014 DOI: 10.1111/nph.12110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2012] [Accepted: 11/20/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Although adaptive plant population divergence across contrasting soil conditions is often driven by abiotic soil factors, natural enemies may also contribute. Cryptic matching to the native soil color is a form of defensive camouflage that seeds can use to avoid detection by seed predators. The legume Acmispon wrangelianus occurs across a variety of gray-green serpentine soils and brown nonserpentine soils. Quantitative digital image analysis of seed and soil colors was used to test whether genetically based seed color is a closer match to the color of the native soil than to the color of other nearby soils. Lineages bear seeds that more closely match the color of their native serpentine or nonserpentine soil type than the opposing soil type. Further, even within a soil type, lineages bear seeds with a closer color match to the soil at their native site than to other sites. The striking concordance between seed and native soil color suggests that natural selection for locally camouflaged seed color morphs, probably driven by seed predators, may maintain adaptive divergence in pigmentation, despite the opportunity for migration between soil environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie S Porter
- The Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
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Khan N, Kazmi RH, Willems LAJ, van Heusden AW, Ligterink W, Hilhorst HWM. Exploring the natural variation for seedling traits and their link with seed dimensions in tomato. PLoS One 2012; 7:e43991. [PMID: 22952841 PMCID: PMC3431394 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2012] [Accepted: 07/27/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The success of germination, growth and final yield of every crop depends to a large extent on the quality of the seeds used to grow the crop. Seed quality is defined as the viability and vigor attribute of a seed that enables the emergence and establishment of normal seedlings under a wide range of environments. We attempt to dissect the mechanisms involved in the acquisition of seed quality, through a combined approach of physiology and genetics. To achieve this goal we explored the genetic variation found in a RIL population of Solanum lycopersicum (cv. Moneymaker) x Solanum pimpinellifolium through extensive phenotyping of seed and seedling traits under both normal and nutrient stress conditions and root system architecture (RSA) traits under optimal conditions. We have identified 62 major QTLs on 21 different positions for seed, seedling and RSA traits in this population. We identified QTLs that were common across both conditions, as well as specific to stress conditions. Most of the QTLs identified for seedling traits co-located with seed size and seed weight QTLs and the positive alleles were mostly contributed by the S. lycopersicum parent. Co-location of QTLs for different traits might suggest that the same locus has pleiotropic effects on multiple traits due to a common mechanistic basis. We show that seed weight has a strong effect on seedling vigor and these results are of great importance for the isolation of the corresponding genes and elucidation of the underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noorullah Khan
- Wageningen Seed Lab, Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rashid H. Kazmi
- Wageningen Seed Lab, Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Leo A. J. Willems
- Wageningen Seed Lab, Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Wilco Ligterink
- Wageningen Seed Lab, Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Henk W. M. Hilhorst
- Wageningen Seed Lab, Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Cao L, Xiao Z, Wang Z, Guo C, Chen J, Zhang Z. High regeneration capacity helps tropical seeds to counter rodent predation. Oecologia 2011; 166:997-1007. [PMID: 21328011 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-011-1908-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2010] [Accepted: 01/03/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Rapid germination of non-dormant seeds is one adaptation plants have evolved to counter seed predation by rodents. Some rodent species have evolved behaviors that prevent or slow the seed germination process through seed embryo removal or seed pruning; however, no plant species is known to have successfully escaped embryo removal or seed pruning by rodents. Here, we report that the non-dormant seeds of Pittosporopsis kerrii Craib in tropical rain forests in China have a high regeneration capacity to counter seed pruning by rodents. We found seed pruning, instead of embryo removal, was commonly used by rodents to increase food storage time by slowing down the seed germination process, but that P. kerrii seeds have a high regeneration capacity to escape seed predation by rodents: all pruned seeds, pruned roots and embryo-removed seeds by rodents or people retain the ability to develop into seedlings. Seeds of P. kerrii also have other capacities (i.e. rapid seed decomposition and indigestible dormant taproots) to escape predation by reducing the plant's attractiveness to rodents. The association between seed pruning behavior in rodents and high regeneration capacity of pruned seeds or roots in P. kerrii seeds are likely novel adaptation strategies adopted by seeds and rodents, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Ohnishi YK, Suzuki N. Seed predator deterrence by seed-carrying ants in a dyszoochorous plant, Chamaesyce maculata L. Small (Euphorbiaceae). POPUL ECOL 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s10144-010-0247-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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DECHAINE JENNIFERM, BURGER JUTTAC, BURKE JOHNM. Ecological patterns and genetic analysis of post-dispersal seed predation in sunflower (Helianthus annuus) crop-wild hybrids. Mol Ecol 2010; 19:3477-88. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2010.04740.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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40
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Importance of the lilac-crowned parrot in pre-dispersal seed predation of Astronium graveolens in a Mexican tropical dry forest. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2010. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467409990447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:Parrots represent a large biomass of canopy granivores in tropical forests, and may be effective pre-dispersal seed predators. We evaluated the importance of the lilac-crowned parrot (Amazona finschi) as a pre-dispersal seed predator of Astronium graveolens (Anacardiaceae) in tropical dry forest. Seeds were collected in fruit-traps beneath 22 trees to compare pre-dispersal seed predation by parrots and insects, and determine whether intensity of seed predation was related to fruit-crop size or the aggregation of fruiting conspecifics around focal trees. Ground-level exclosures were established to compare post-dispersal seed predation by vertebrates and insects. The lilac-crowned parrot predated 43% of seeds pre-dispersal, while insects predated only 1.3%. Intensity of pre-dispersal seed predation by parrots was significantly greater in high-fruiting 0.79-ha resource patches, and was not related to fruit abundance of the focal tree. Foraging parrots also discarded immature fruits below the tree, causing a total 56% pre-dispersal loss of seed production, which was greater than post-dispersal removal by vertebrates, mainly rodents (51%) or insects (36%). Our results show that parrots play an important role as pre-dispersal seed predators in tropical dry forests. The reduction of parrot populations in tropical forests may have consequences for seed predation, affecting recruitment patterns of canopy trees.
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Joshi B, Tewari A. Irregularity in frequency of mast seed years in Quercus floribunda a late successional species of Central Himalaya. RUSS J ECOL+ 2009. [DOI: 10.1134/s1067413609070054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Lindquist ES, Krauss KW, Green PT, O'Dowd DJ, Sherman PM, Smith TJ. Land crabs as key drivers in tropical coastal forest recruitment. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2009; 84:203-23. [PMID: 19391202 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-185x.2008.00070.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Plant populations are regulated by a diverse assortment of abiotic and biotic factors that influence seed dispersal and viability, and seedling establishment and growth at the microsite. Rarely does one animal guild exert as significant an influence on different plant assemblages as land crabs. We review three tropical coastal ecosystems-mangroves, island maritime forests, and mainland coastal terrestrial forests-where land crabs directly influence forest composition by limiting tree establishment and recruitment. Land crabs differentially prey on seeds, propagules and seedlings along nutrient, chemical and physical environmental gradients. In all of these ecosystems, but especially mangroves, abiotic gradients are well studied, strong and influence plant species distributions. However, we suggest that crab predation has primacy over many of these environmental factors by acting as the first limiting factor of tropical tree recruitment to drive the potential structural and compositional organisation of coastal forests. We show that the influence of crabs varies relative to tidal gradient, shoreline distance, canopy position, time, season, tree species and fruiting periodicity. Crabs also facilitate forest growth and development through such activities as excavation of burrows, creation of soil mounds, aeration of soils, removal of leaf litter into burrows and creation of carbon-rich soil microhabitats. For all three systems, land crabs influence the distribution, density and size-class structure of tree populations. Indeed, crabs are among the major drivers of tree recruitment in tropical coastal forest ecosystems, and their conservation should be included in management plans of these forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Stewart Lindquist
- Meredith College, Department of Biological Sciences, 3800 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27607, USA.
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Can forest fragmentation disrupt a conditional mutualism? A case from central Amazon. Oecologia 2009; 161:709-18. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-009-1417-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2008] [Accepted: 06/24/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Seed attack by beetles and leaf-cutter ants on Peltogyne gracilipes Ducke (Caesalpiniaceae) on Maracá Island, Brazilian Amazonia. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2009. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467400009901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Abstract
ABSTRACTPatterns of fruit production were monitored over a 1-year period, from June 1990–May 1991, by counting the numbers of freshly fallen ripe and unripe fruits on five 5-km line transects located within 35 km of one another, in lowland tropical rainforest in the Lopé Reserve, central Gabon. A total of 195 species of fruit were found, representing at least 45 taxonomic families. The majority of fruits came from trees. Fruits were assigned to one of six categories which reflected their dispersal syndrome: succulent, arillate, dehiscent, fleshy pods, wind-dispersed, others. About three-quarters of all species had fruits characteristic of those dispersed by animals. There was a marked seasonal pattern to fruit production, with both the diversity and number of ripe fruits available peaking in January, and lowest immediately before and during the major dry season. The only climatic variable that showed a significant statistical correlation with fruit production was insolation. Candidates for the role of keystone fruit species were identified from species which fruited during the major dry season, and patterns of fruit production compared with other areas.
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Seed predators and the fruiting phenology of Pithecellobium pallens (Leguminosae) in thornscrub, north-eastern Mexico. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2009. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467400008804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACTLife table studies were conducted on the flowers, pods and seeds of the tree Pithecellobium pallens to assess the extent of damage by the seed predators Stator limbatus and Merobruchus insolitus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). Brachyacma palpigera (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) was also found to feed on the seeds of this tree. Seed predation and herbivore damage destroyed 41% of the seeds. Pods were taken to the laboratory and seed predators within were reared and identified. B. palpigera and M. insolitus were major causes of mortality, whereas damage by S. limbatus was slight. The growth ratio of pods to seeds did not indicate a rapid development of seeds as an evasive strategy against bruchid attack. Experiments showed no successful attack by bruchids on seeds exposed on the ground after dispersal from the tree.
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Seed damage tolerance and seedling resprouting ability of Prioria copaifera in Panamá. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2009. [DOI: 10.1017/s026646740001066x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACTGermination and seedling resprouting capacity of the very large-seeded tree species Prioria copaifera Griseb. (Fabaceae) was studied in the seasonally moist forest of Barro Colorado Island, Panamá. Seeds with 60% of their cotyledonary mass removed did not suffer a reduced probability of germination compared to unmanipulated seeds and seeds infested with up to eight insect larvae germinated as well as uninfested seeds. Unmanipulated seeds were able to consecutively produce up to four functional resprout shoots after excision of the initial, and subsequent, fully expanded shoots. Even seeds with up to 60% of their reserves removed showed some capacity to resprout. Less than 10% of seeds we encountered in the field 2 mo after the end of the fruiting season were in a viable state, with the majority (55%) of mortality attributable to insect or pathogen damage. Of the 46 seeds that were viable, 30% had suffered partial removal of seed reserves similar to our manipulation treatments. These results indicate that P. copaifera seeds are capable of tolerating severe seed and shoot damage. The selective advantage conferred by damage tolerance may in part have contributed to the evolution of large seed size in this species.
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Protecting seeds from primates: examples from Diospyros spp. in the Lopé Reserve, Gabon. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2009. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467400009573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACTThe fruit of six species of Diospyros (Ebenaceae) provide food for eight species of diurnal primates in the Lopé Reserve, Gabon. Both succulent flesh and immature seeds are eaten but patterns of consumption vary among the primate species. Interactions between D. mannii, which has very large fruit (9 cm × 7 cm) and seeds (5 cm × 2 cm), and primates were observed in detail. D. mannii fruit are unusual, being covered by a dense mat of irritant hairs that are largely retained, but become looser on ripening, when fruit are abscissed. Primates do not eat immature seeds of this species but do predate on seeds of some other Diospyros species. Ripe flesh (and ripe seeds) of D. mannii are eaten by gorillas and chimpanzees but not by monkeys. Comparison of fruit characters and of feeding patterns of primates for the six Diospyros species suggests that large seeds are potentially vulnerable to high levels of predation but the presence of irritant hairs provides protection during fruit development. Abscission of ripe fruit (shown only by D. mannii) appears to afford additional protection from predation on ripe seeds by arboreal monkeys. These observations underline the complexity of plant-animal interactions in tropical forests and suggest that some fruit characters have evolved to reduce seed loss during maturation.
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Seed-dispersal of Vouacapoua americana (Caesalpiniaceae) by caviomorph rodents in French Guiana. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2009. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467400004867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACTA possible mutualistic dispersal system between a large-seeded tree of French Guiana, Vouacapoua americana (Caesalpiniaceae), and caviomorph rodents, Myoprocta exilis and Dasyprocta leporina, is described. Mast fruiting of Vouacapoua at the beginning of the wet season coincides with scatter-hoarding seed dispersal. During the wet season, almost 100% of marked seeds on three sites were removed: nearly 70% were buried and the rest were eaten by mammals. Unburied seeds were attacked by insects and/or lost their ability to germinate. Rodents preferred ungerminated seeds, and had no interest in germinated seeds. Seeds were buried individually near natural objects such as palms, branches, logs, lianas, roots and trees. After predation by rodents, seedling distribution did not differ from seed distribution. Most seeds were transported less than 5 m from the feeding plots but some were carried as far as 22.4 m. Between 40 and 85% of dispersed seeds were retrieved during the following month by rodents and eaten. The disinterest of caviomorph rodents in germinated seeds, because of rapid exhaustion of endosperm reserves, prevents feeding from hoarded Vouacapoua during the long dry season when resources are scarce. Seedlings emerging from forgotten or abandoned cached seeds appear to increase the recruitment of Vouacapoua americana.
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