Are Gastropods, Rather than Ants, Important Dispersers of Seeds of Myrmecochorous Forest Herbs?

Türke, Manfred; Andreas, Kerstin; Goßner, Martin M.; Kowalski, Esther; Lange, Markus; Boch, Steffen; Socher, Stephanie A.; Müller, Jörg; Prati, Daniel; Fischer, Markus; Meyhöfer, Rainer; Weisser, Wolfgang W.

doi:10.1086/663195

Cited by 30 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Traveset et al [39], however, showed that it can lead to species regression and in the long term, even to local extinctions. As shown by Türke et al [40], gastropods appear to substitute ants as seed dispersers in Central European beech forests. Interestingly, these forests are still inhabited by the native large slugs A. rufus and A. ater (L.) whereas A. lusitanicus is still absent (personal observation by M.Türke).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Gastropod Seed Dispersal: An Invasive Slug Destroys Far More Seeds in Its Gut than Native Gastropods

et al. 2013

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Seed dispersal is one of the most important mechanisms shaping biodiversity, and animals are one of the key dispersal vectors. Animal seed dispersal can directly or indirectly be altered by invasive organisms through the establishment of new or the disruption of existing seed dispersal interactions. So far it is known for a few gastropod species that they ingest and defecate viable plant seeds and consequently act as seed dispersers, referred to as gastropodochory. In a multi-species experiment, consisting of five different plant species and four different gastropod species, we tested with a fully crossed design whether gastropodochory is a general mechanism across native gastropod species, and whether it is altered by the invasive alien slug species Arion lusitanicus. Specifically, we hypothesized that a) native gastropod species consume the seeds from all tested plant species in equal numbers (have no preference), b) the voracious invasive alien slug A. lusitanicus – similarly to its herbivore behaviour – consumes a higher amount of seeds than native gastropods, and that c) seed viability is equal among different gastropod species after gut passage. As expected all tested gastropod species consumed all tested plant species. Against our expectation there was a difference in the amount of consumed seeds, with the largest and native mollusk Helix pomatia consuming most seeds, followed by the invasive slug and the other gastropods. Seed damage and germination rates did not differ after gut passage through different native species, but seed damage was significantly higher after gut passage through the invasive slug A. lusitanicus, and their germination rates were significantly reduced.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Gastropod Seed Dispersal: An Invasive Slug Destroys Far More Seeds in Its Gut than Native Gastropods

et al. 2013

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“…In a recent study by Türke et al (2010) slugs were identified as seed dispersers of forest myrmecochores [11]. In these habitats, benefits of gastropodochory for the plant could potentially be greater dispersal distances permitted by gastropods than by ants [11], the availability of gastropods as seed dispersers where ants are rare [12] or it may reduce the subsequent risk of seed predation as diaspores swallowed and defecated by slugs were less attractive to rodents than untreated diaspores in the laboratory [11]. Furthermore, gut passage through slugs can even accelerate seed germination or increase total germination [13], [14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gastropod-defecated seeds were, in general, undamaged and germinable and thus dispersed endozoochorously [11], [13], [14], [18], [19]. A recent study highlighted the importance of gastropods for the removal of myrmecochorous diaspores in beech forests in Germany [12], which is particularly interesting as myrmecochores were also highly abundant where ants were rare or missing, suggesting that gastropods might substitute ants as seed dispersers in certain habitats. Also in the field gastropods often left diaspores behind with their elaiosomes being detached [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A recent study highlighted the importance of gastropods for the removal of myrmecochorous diaspores in beech forests in Germany [12], which is particularly interesting as myrmecochores were also highly abundant where ants were rare or missing, suggesting that gastropods might substitute ants as seed dispersers in certain habitats. Also in the field gastropods often left diaspores behind with their elaiosomes being detached [12]. Thus, gastropods serve different ecological roles, acting either as mutualists or antagonists for plant dispersal.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Species, Diaspore Volume and Body Mass Matter in Gastropod Seed Feeding Behavior

Türke

Weisser

2013

PLoS ONE

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BackgroundSeed dispersal of ant-dispersed plants (myrmecochores) is a well studied ecosystem function. Recently, slugs have been found to act as seed dispersers of myrmecochores. The aim of our study was to (1) further generalize the finding that gastropods feed on seeds of myrmecochores and hence may act as seed dispersers, (2) to test whether gastropod body mass and the volume of diaspores have an influence on the seed dispersal potential.Methodology and Principal FindingsWe assessed the seed dispersal potential of four slug and snail species with a set of seven myrmecochorous plant species from seven different plant families common to Central European beech forests. Diaspores differed in shape and size. Gastropods differed in their readiness to feed on diaspores and in the proportion of seeds that were swallowed as a whole, and this readiness generally decreased with increasing diaspore size. Smaller Arionid slugs (58 mm body length; mean) mostly fed on the elaiosome but also swallowed small diaspores and therefore not only act as elaiosome consumers, a nutrient rich appendage on myrmecochorous diaspores, but may also disperse seeds. Large Arionid slugs (>100 mm body length) swallowed diaspores of all sizes. Diaspores swallowed by gastropods were defecated without damage. Within-species variability in body size also affect seed dispersal potential, as larger individuals of the red slug (Arion rufus) swallowed more diaspores of wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa) than smaller ones.Conclusions and SignificanceOur results help to generalize the finding that gastropods consume and potentially disperse seeds of myrmecochores. The dispersal potential of gastropods is strongly influenced by diaspore size in relation to gastropod size.

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“…Most arable plant species, however, lack obvious adaptations for dispersal and rely on gravity when shedding their seeds 4 , which permits very limited dispersal distances unless seeds are transported by man 3 . Recent research highlights the importance of so far Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems: Page 1 of 4 doi:10.1017/S1742170512000415 underappreciated invertebrate taxa, in particular, gastropods 5 and earthworms 6 in the dispersal of seeds of herbs. Also in crop fields or adjacent wild flower strips, gastropods were responsible for the removal of a fair proportion of weed or herb seeds 7,8 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weeds and endangered herbs have unforeseen dispersal helpers in the agri-environment: gastropods and earthworms

Türke

Blattmann

Knop

et al. 2013

Renew. Agric. Food Syst.

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Agri-environmental schemes involving organic farming or set-aside management aim at promoting biodiversity and restoring ecosystem functioning in agrarian landscapes. Application of pesticides in these crop fields is strongly regulated facilitating the spread of weeds but also allowing for the establishment of endangered herbs and a variety of animals. Recent studies found gastropods and earthworms to be legitimate dispersers of seeds of wild plants. We assumed that both groups also play a significant role in the spread and establishment of wild plants within crop fields. Therefore, we are conducting a series of experiments in three different study systems on (1) the role of earthworms and gastropods as dispersers of rare herbs and weeds in an organic rye field in Germany, (2) the seed feeding behavior of gastropods of plants sown in fallow ground in Switzerland, and (3) weed dispersal in irrigated rice fields by golden apple snails in the Philippines.

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Are Gastropods, Rather than Ants, Important Dispersers of Seeds of Myrmecochorous Forest Herbs?

Cited by 30 publications

References 30 publications

Gastropod Seed Dispersal: An Invasive Slug Destroys Far More Seeds in Its Gut than Native Gastropods

Gastropod Seed Dispersal: An Invasive Slug Destroys Far More Seeds in Its Gut than Native Gastropods

Species, Diaspore Volume and Body Mass Matter in Gastropod Seed Feeding Behavior

Weeds and endangered herbs have unforeseen dispersal helpers in the agri-environment: gastropods and earthworms

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