scholarly journals Are large frugivorous birds better seed dispersers than medium‐ and small‐sized ones? Effect of body mass on seed dispersal effectiveness

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 6136-6143
Author(s):  
Héctor Godínez‐Alvarez ◽  
Leticia Ríos‐Casanova ◽  
Begoña Peco
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Frugivorous Birds ◽  
Seed Dispersal Effectiveness ◽  
Seed Dispersers ◽  
Dispersal Effectiveness

Seed dispersal effectiveness by frugivorous birds: Identifying functional equivalent species in bird assemblages

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 103-108
Author(s):  
Facundo Xavier Palacio
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Kernel Functions ◽  
Bird Conservation ◽  
Frugivorous Birds ◽  
Seed Dispersal Effectiveness ◽  
Bird Assemblages ◽  
Functional Equivalent ◽  
Dispersal Effectiveness

Seed dispersal by birds is a pivotal ecosystem function worldwide; yet, the rapid and ongoing global biodiversity loss poses a major threat to this essential ecosystem service. Seed dispersal effectiveness (SDE) is a key outcome of the interaction, represented by the product of seed dispersal quantity (number of seed dispersed) and quality (probability of recruitment of dispersed seeds). Therefore, identifying functional equivalent species in terms of SDE should become a key issue for bird conservation, since the effects of local extinctions on seed dispersal services may be weakened by remaining equivalent species. However, a method to quantitatively identify functional equivalent species in frugivorous bird assemblages is still lacking. To estimate SDE overlap between seed dispersers and assess whether two species may be functionally equivalent, I apply a novel nonparametric niche overlap index based on kernel functions and null models to test its statistical significance. For each bird species, I account for intraspecific variation in seed dispersal effectiveness to obtain a distribution of seed dispersal effectiveness values, an often neglected source of variation in seed dispersal assemblages. Non-significant differences in seed dispersal effectiveness overlap support the hypothesis that two species are functional equivalent, thus playing similar functional roles. The model proposed is applicable to any other quantity or quality component and is independent from the method or sampling design used to quantify SDE. The identification of functional equivalent species in seed dispersal assemblages adds to the theoretical framework of seed dispersal effectiveness and offers new insights into the ecology of the seed dispersal service provided by birds.

scholarly journals The timing of frugivore‐mediated seed dispersal effectiveness

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 219-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan P. González‐Varo ◽  
Juan M. Arroyo ◽  
Pedro Jordano
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Seed Dispersal Effectiveness ◽  
Dispersal Effectiveness

Interhabitat variation in diplochory: Seed dispersal effectiveness by birds and ants differs between tropical forest and savanna

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 48-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo H.S.A. Camargo ◽  
Suelen B.M. Rodrigues ◽  
Augusto J. Piratelli ◽  
Paulo S. Oliveira ◽  
Alexander V. Christianini
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Seed Dispersal Effectiveness ◽  
Dispersal Effectiveness

Filling gaps in the seed dispersal effectiveness model for Prosopis flexuosa: quality of seed treatment in the digestive tract of native animals

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-223
Author(s):  
Claudia M. Campos ◽  
Liliana Ramos ◽  
Noelia Manrique ◽  
Mónica I. Cona ◽  
Carmen Sartor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seed Germination ◽  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Retention Time ◽  
Germination Percentage ◽  
Seed Dispersal Effectiveness ◽  
Rhea Americana ◽  
Mean Retention Time ◽  
Feeding Experiments ◽  
Prosopis Flexuosa ◽  
Dispersal Effectiveness

AbstractFor endozoochorous species, the quality component of seed dispersal effectiveness depends in part on the treatment seeds receive in the animal's gut. Covering a variety of taxa, diet, digestion system and body size of Prosopis flexuosa seed dispersers, we analysed differences among species in (1) mean retention time of ingested seeds, (2) recovery of viable seeds, (3) seed germination in comparison with seeds collected from trees and (4) germination of seeds after two different periods of retention in the gut. Feeding experiments were conducted with captive individuals of Dolichotis patagonum, Lycalopex gymnocercus, Rhea americana, Chelonoidis chilensis and Lama guanicoe. On the first day, we provided them with fruits containing controlled amounts of seed, and on the subsequent days, we collected faeces in order to recover seeds. We performed germination and viability tests on seeds coming from faeces and collected from trees. The results showed differences among species in the mean retention time of seeds. Chelonoidis chilensis had the longest mean retention time, but its effect on seed recovery and germination was similar to that of the other species, except for L. guanicoe, which showed the lowest seed recovery. When scarification and promotion of seed germination were considered, herbivorous mammals and tortoises (L. guanicoe, D. patagonum and C. chilensis) were the ones increasing germinability, whereas R. americana and L. gymnocercus did not significantly increase final seed germination percentage, which was similar to that for seeds collected from trees. P. flexuosa seeds receive a variety of treatments from endozoochorous dispersers, which might result in an overall fitness benefit for a plant living in unpredictable environments.

Mammalian Frugivores With Different Foraging Behavior Can Show Similar Seed Dispersal Effectiveness

Biotropica ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 647-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim R. McConkey ◽  
Warren Y. Brockelman ◽  
Chanpen Saralamba
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Foraging Behavior ◽  
Seed Dispersal Effectiveness ◽  
Dispersal Effectiveness

Bird and ant synergy increases the seed dispersal effectiveness of an ornithochoric shrub

Oecologia ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 181 (2) ◽  
pp. 507-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo H. S. A. Camargo ◽  
Milene M. Martins ◽  
Rodrigo M. Feitosa ◽  
Alexander V. Christianini
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Seed Dispersal Effectiveness ◽  
Dispersal Effectiveness
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