A seed predator drives the evolution of a seed dispersal mutualism

Siepielski, Adam M.

doi:10.1098/rspb.2008.0451

Cited by 33 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 47 publications

(81 reference statements)

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“…In addition, we found that high phage defence correlated with weak protist defence. This suggests a trade-off in simultaneously evolving defences to phage and protist enemies [18,21,41]. Phage selection could have thus indirectly limited bacterial fitness increase to antibiotics by constraining evolution of protist defence, which correlated positively with bacterial ability to grow in the presence of antibiotics.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bacterial adaptation to sublethal antibiotic gradients can change the ecological properties of multitrophic microbial communities

et al. 2015

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Antibiotics leak constantly into environments due to widespread use in agriculture and human therapy. Although sublethal concentrations are well known to select for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, little is known about how bacterial evolution cascades through food webs, having indirect effect on species not directly affected by antibiotics (e.g. via population dynamics or pleiotropic effects). Here, we used an experimental evolution approach to test how temporal patterns of antibiotic stress, as well as migration within metapopulations, affect the evolution and ecology of microcosms containing one prey bacterium, one phage and two protist predators. We found that environmental variability, autocorrelation and migration had only subtle effects for population and evolutionary dynamics. However, unexpectedly, bacteria evolved greatest fitness increases to both antibiotics and enemies when the sublethal levels of antibiotics were highest, indicating positive pleiotropy. Crucially, bacterial adaptation cascaded through the food web leading to reduced predator-to-prey abundance ratio, lowered predator community diversity and increased instability of populations. Our results show that the presence of natural enemies can modify and even reverse the effects of antibiotics on bacteria, and that antibiotic selection can change the ecological properties of multitrophic microbial communities by having indirect effects on species not directly affected by antibiotics.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bacterial adaptation to sublethal antibiotic gradients can change the ecological properties of multitrophic microbial communities

et al. 2015

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“…Also, conspicuous fruit colours signal the availability of seed resources to avian seed predators in addition to mutualistic frugivores. Avian seed predators can affect the fitness of seed plants and select for particular fruit phenotypes (Siepielski and Benkman 2008). Therefore, opposing selection from birds to increase antioxidant intake as well as from seed predators might select against increased conspicuousness.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geographic patterns in fruit colour diversity: do leaves constrain the colour of fleshy fruits?

et al. 2008

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We tested for geographic patterns in fruit colour diversity. Fruit colours are thought to promote detection by seed dispersers. Because seed dispersers differ in their spectral sensitivities, we predicted that fruit colour diversity would be higher in regions with higher seed disperser diversity (i.e. the tropics). We collected reflectance data on 232 fruiting plant species and their natural backgrounds in seven localities in Europe, North and South America, and analysed fruit colour diversity according to the visual system of birds-the primary consumer types of these fruits. We found no evidence that fruit colours are either more conspicuous or more diverse in tropical areas characterised by higher seed disperser diversity. Instead, fruit colour diversity was lowest in central Brazil, suggesting that fruit colours may be more diverse in temperate regions. Although we found little evidence for geographic variation in fruit hues, the spectral properties of fruits were positively associated with the spectral properties of backgrounds. This result implies that fruit colours may be influenced by selection on the reflectance properties of leaves, thus constraining the evolution of fruit colour. Overall, the results suggest that fruit colours in the tropics are neither more diverse nor more conspicuous than temperate fruits, and that fruit colours may be influenced by correlated selection on leaf reflectance properties.

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“…Global climate change, including warming temperatures and altered precipitation regimes, is shifting the geographic distribution of many species (Kelly and Goulden ). However, several non‐climatic factors may play a major role in determining the magnitude and direction of range shifts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small mammal controls on the climate‐driven range shift of woody plant species

Mortelliti

Grentzmann

Fraver

et al. 2019

Oikos

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Climate change is resulting in shifts in species’ ranges as species inhabit new climatically suitable areas. A key factor affecting range‐shifts is the interaction with predators. Small mammals, being primary seed predators and dispersers in forest ecosystems, may play a major role in determining which plant species will successfully expand and the rate at which range‐shifts will occur. Plants dispersing seeds beyond the species’ current range limits will encounter seed predators to which these seeds are novel; however, empirical studies of seed predator–novel seed interactions are lacking. The aims of our study were to: 1) quantify seed selection by small mammals presented with ‘novel’ seeds; 2) quantify the post‐selection fate of ‘novel’ seeds; and 3) identify seed traits that affect seed selection and post‐selection seed fate. We designed a field experiment exposing small mammal communities to novel seeds produced by plants expected to shift their ranges in response to climate change. We matched novel seeds with reference ‘familiar’ seeds and studied key steps defining interactions between small mammals and novel seeds. We found that the probability of selection of a novel seed varied among species and was, at times, higher than the selection probability of familiar seeds. Key traits that affected seed selection and the distance a seed was dispersed for caching were shell hardness and seed mass. We also found that 33% of dispersed seeds were cached in optimal germination sites (e.g. within fallen logs and buried under the leaf litter mat). Through seed emergence trials we found that emergence was higher for larger seeds, suggesting that the role of small mammals may be modulated by emergence rates. Our results suggest that the interaction between small mammals and novel seeds may have cascading effects on climate‐induced plant range shifts and community composition.

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A seed predator drives the evolution of a seed dispersal mutualism

Cited by 33 publications

References 47 publications

Bacterial adaptation to sublethal antibiotic gradients can change the ecological properties of multitrophic microbial communities

Bacterial adaptation to sublethal antibiotic gradients can change the ecological properties of multitrophic microbial communities

Geographic patterns in fruit colour diversity: do leaves constrain the colour of fleshy fruits?

Small mammal controls on the climate‐driven range shift of woody plant species

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