Frugivore gut passage increases seed germination: an updated meta-analysis

Many plants rely on animal mutualists for reproduction. Quantifying how animal mutualists impact plant performance provides a foundation for modelling how change in animal communities affects the composition and functioning of plant communities. We performed a meta-analysis of 2539 experiments, 6 times more than the last comprehensive meta-analysis, examining how gut passage by frugivores influences seed germination. We simultaneously analyzed multiple predictor variables related to study methodology, location, and frugivore identity to disentangle methodological from ecological impacts on effect sizes. We found that gut passage by birds, fish, reptiles, bats, primates, and other mammals on average increased seed germination, but that the magnitude varied across vertebrate groups. The positive effects of gut passage were largely explained by the de-inhibitory effects of pulp removal rather than by the scarification of seed tissues. Some previous studies and meta-analyses that found no effect of gut passage only tested scarification or did not distinguish between these tests of scarification and pulp removal. We found that, for a typical fleshy-fruited plant species, the lack of gut passage reduces germination by 60%. From an evolutionary perspective, this indicates a large risk associated with reliance on animal mutualists that is balanced against the benefits of animal-mediated seed dispersal. From a conservation perspective, this highlights the potential for large demographic consequences of frugivore declines on plant populations. Our database and findings advance quantitative predictions for the role of fruit-frugivore interactions in shaping plant communities in the Anthropocene.

BIOMECHANICAL CHARACTERISITICS OF PULP REMOVA IN CASES OF PERIODONTAL DISASES

The state of extensive deformation of tooth-parodont system has been explored considering the stage of the alveolar crest bone resorption and anatomical consequences of tooth depulpation. The research involving mathematical simulation in combination with the finite element analysis and Schleicher-Nadai theory has stated that removal of single-rooted teeth caused by periodontal diseases does not increase the maximum allowable level of occlusal load in case of good bone mineralization. Provided depulpation is inevitable, periodontal tissue should either not be substituted with fibrious tissue or replaced with one third intra alveolar length. Biomechanical features imply a varied choice of methods and tooth filling materials used for filling root canals as well as revision of parodontogram rates in terms of periodont changes after pulp removal.

Ruminal degradation of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber of banana peel treated with limestone

This study aimed to evaluate the kinetics of dry matter degradation and neutral detergent fiber of banana peel treated with limestone. The banana peel has been acquired from a candy manufacturer that after washing with chlorinated water to 1% and pulp removal was discarded. The banana peel in nature was treated with 1, 2, 3 and 4% of limestone in the natural matter, homogenized and pre-dried in the sun for 120 hours. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized experimental design, with five treatments (0 (control), 1, 2, 3 and 4% inclusion of limestone) with 3 repetitions. The dry matter potential degradability, showed no difference (P>0.05) in the levels compared to the control with an average of 67.58%. The insoluble degradation fraction rate of dry matter and the fiber fraction did not differ (P> 0.05) between levels and control. In relation to effective degradability of neutral detergent fiber, there was an increase of 3.47% for each percentage unit increased limestone. In relation to the ruminal degradation parameters of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber is not recommended the utilization of limestone as an additive in the treatment of banana peel.

Seed germination performances of Styrax species help understand their distribution in Cerrado areas in Brazil

In this descriptive paper, we described germination responses of Styrax pohlii, S. camporum and S. ferrugineus seeds at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 °C. We also assessed the percentage germination (%G) of S. pohlii seeds with different seed water contents because, as a forest species, it seems to have recalcitrant seed behavior. Intrigued by the capacity of seeds of this species to germinate directly from puddles formed on poorly drained soils of riparian forests, where it typically occurs, we also tested the effect of de-pulping fruits on germination of S. pohlii seeds under hypoxia and normoxia conditions. In addition, we checked whether distinct concentrations of gibberellic acid (GA3) could break S. ferrugineus seed dormancy, a typical seed behavior of Cerrado species. No germination occurred at 5, 40 and 45 °C, regardless of the species. The optimal temperature for germination was 20 °C for S. pohlii and 25 °C for S. camporum. However, S. ferrugineus seeds showed a very low %G, regardless of the temperature, and GA3 could not consistently break possible physiological seed dormancy. For S. pohlii seeds, the higher the seed desiccation the lower the %G, and fruit pulp removal showed to be essential for seed germination. S. pohlii seeds germinated independently of oxygenation conditions.

Frugivory by Taiwan Barbets (Megalaima nuchalis) and the effects of deinhibition and scarification on seed germination

We investigated the frugivory of Taiwan Barbets ( Megalaima nuchalis Gould, 1863) on passage time and germination of 19 species of commonly consumed fruits, distinguished the deinhibition and scarification effects, and tested if complete bird-gut passage increases seed germination. We measured fruit and seed size and seed retention times (SRTs) and examined the germination of intact fruits and pulp-removed and defecated seeds. Germination latency in intact fruits of most species was prolonged, whereas in more non-figs (7/12), the seed germinability increased after ingestion, and nearly all figs germinated by higher proportions after defecation or depulping. Yet, figs revealed major differences from non-figs. SRTs of both non-figs and figs were negatively dependent on fruit size, which was positively correlated to seed size in non-figs only. The germinability was negatively correlated and the germination onset time was positively correlated with SRTs of the last seeds in non-figs, but neither was correlated with SRTs in figs. Most (14/17) species with germination success were enhanced either by deinhibition and scarification, or the fruits hardly germinated but were aided by pulp removal. Deinhibition revealed greater effects than scarification in increasing the germinability and shortening latency, thus aiding, in particular, non-fig seeds with shorter SRTs or that are often culled during feeding.

Frugivore loss limits recruitment of large-seeded trees

Although global declines in frugivores may disrupt seed dispersal mutualisms and inhibit plant recruitment, quantifying the likely reduction in plant regeneration has been difficult and rarely attempted. We use a manipulative factorial experiment to quantify dependence of recruitment on dispersal (i.e. fruit pulp removal and movement of seed away from parental area) in two large-seeded New Zealand tree species. Complete dispersal failure would cause a 66 to 81 per cent reduction in recruitment to the 2-year-old seedling stage, and synergistic interactions with introduced mammalian seed and seedling predators increase the reduction to 92 to 94 per cent. Dispersal failure reduced regeneration through effects on seed predation, germination and (especially) seedling survival, including distance- and density-dependent (Janzen–Connell) effects. Dispersal of both species is currently largely dependent on a single frugivore, and many fruits today remain uneaten. Present-day levels of frugivore loss and mammal seed and seedling predators result in 57 to 84 per cent fewer seedlings after 2 years. Our study demonstrates the importance of seed dispersal for local plant population persistence, and validates concerns about the community consequences of frugivore declines.

Histological evaluation of electrosurgery and formocresol pulpotomy techniques in primary teeth in dogs

The purpose of this study was to compare pulpal and periapical tissue reactions to electrosurgery versus formocresol pulpotomy techniques in the primary teeth of dogs. The study was conducted on 33 primary teeth of three mongrel dogs between the ages of one to three months. Each dog had three teeth treated by Formocresol Pulpotomy with Mechanical Coronal Pulp Removal (FC), three teeth treated by Electrosurgery Pulpotomy with Mechanical Coronal Pulp Removal (ES/MCPR), three teeth treated by Electrosurgery Pulpotomy with Electrosurgical Coronal Pulp Removal (ES/ECPR), and two teeth serving as untreated Controls. Dogs one, two and three were sacrificed performing the pulpotomies at two, four and six weeks, respectively. The pulp, periapical tissue and after surrounding bone were submitted to histological examination and the histological reaction was recorded. The results were fourteen out of 18 unfavorable and zero out of three favorable histological reactions occurred in the FC treated teeth. Six out of 18 unfavorable and one out of three favorable histological reactions occurred in the ES/MCPR treated teeth. Nine out of 18 unfavorable and two out of three favorable histological reactions occurred in the ES/ECPR treated teeth. One out of 18 unfavorable and zero out of three favorable histological reactions occurred in the untreated Control teeth. The conclusion of this study is that of the three experimental groups, the teeth treated by Electrosurgery Pulpotomy with either Mechanical or Electrosurgical Coronal Pulp Removal exhibited less histopathological reaction than the teeth treated by Formocresol Pulpotomy.