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

Godínez–Álvarez, Héctor; Ríos-Casanova, Leticia; Peco, Begoña

doi:10.1002/ece3.6285

Cited by 45 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 35 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Experimental retention time data have been combined with animal movement data in mechanistic models that estimate seed dispersal distances. However, most models to date focused on dispersal by frugivorous birds (Côrtes & Uriarte, 2013; Godínez‐Alvarez et al., 2020), and few studies have applied this approach to questions about dispersal of seeds by non‐frugivorous birds (Kleyheeg et al., 2017). Moreover, the chances of plant establishment following seed dispersal depend critically on the spatial endpoints (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial patterns of weed dispersal by wintering gulls within and beyond an agricultural landscape

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

1. Non-frugivorous waterbirds disperse a wide variety of plants by endozoochory, providing longer-dispersal distances than other mechanisms. Many waterbirds visit both agricultural and natural landscapes during their daily movements, but potential bird-mediated dispersal of weed plants within and from agricultural landscapes to other habitats is commonly overlooked. Gulls (Laridae) are expanding in numbers and increasingly exploiting anthropogenic habitats worldwide, with possible growing implications for the spread of weeds. Yet, to date, there are no studies on the spatial distribution of weed dispersal by waterbirds. 2. We developed a plant dispersal model based on movements of 19 Larus fuscus using ricefields, via GPS telemetry. We combined daily movements with two curves estimating the retention times of plant seeds in their guts: (a) an experimental curve based on retention time in captivity for four weeds with dry fruits known to be dispersed by gulls: Juncus bufonius, Cyperus difformis, Polypogon monspeliensis and the alien Amaranthus retroflexus; (b) a theoretical curve based on the interspecific scaling relationship between body mass and mean retention time. 3. Median dispersal distances of weed plant seeds by gulls ranged between 690 and 940 m, but maximum distances exceeded 150 km. The theoretical retention time model showed higher median dispersal distances than the experimental retention time model. Spatial patterns of weed deposition were very similar between retention time methods, and most strongly depended on gull movements. Variation between individual gulls had little influence on seed shadows. About 92% of all seeds (>10,000 intact seeds per day) were dispersed within the ricefield area of 370 km 2. The remaining 8% of seeds were deposited beyond ricefields into other habitats, 42% of which reached moist environments (other irrigated agriculture, rivers and natural wetlands) presumably suitable for weed establishment.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial patterns of weed dispersal by wintering gulls within and beyond an agricultural landscape

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Without intervention, the restoration of the forest of these areas is slow and can take decades (Holl and Aide 2011). One way to speed up the regeneration process is to facilitate the dispersal of seeds by animals (Pejchar et al 2007;Godínez-Alvarez et al 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Artificial perches for the supply of seeds in a fragmented landscape in southwest Brazilian Amazon

Alencar

Guilherme

2020

Braz. J. Bot

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Artificial perches can provide an important supply of seeds and contribute to ecological restoration. In the present study, we verified the effectiveness of artificial perches for the dispersal of seeds in an area of the southwest Brazilian Amazon. We conducted the study on the Catuaba Experimental Farm in State of Acre, Brazil, from March 2016 to March 2017. We installed seed traps with artificial perches and control traps at different distances from the adjacent forest. We collected 19,865 seeds in boxes under the artificial perches and 1300 in the control traps. There was greater richness of plant species and abundance of seeds in the boxes under the artificial perches when compared with the control traps. The artificial perches at a distance of 40 m from the adjacent forest presented a greater species richness and distinct composition of plants. The quantity of dispersed seeds did not correlate with precipitation, although there was a correlation between rainfall and the fresh seed mass. The artificial perches were efficient at dispersing seeds and are a low-cost technique that can be used as a strategy for the regeneration of forests in degraded areas.

show abstract

“…In this study, multiple measures (abundance and different network metrics—species strength, degree, betweenness, and modularity) indicate that Narcondam Hornbills are keystone seed dispersers on the island. Generally, as the body mass increases, the abundance of the frugivore and the frequency of visitation is found to decline (Godínez‐Alvarez et al, 2020). Interestingly, the Narcondam Island is unique where the largest frugivore, the Narcondam Hornbill, is also the most abundant frugivore on the island.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Large frugivores matter more on an island: Insights from island‐mainland comparison of plant–frugivore communities

Naniwadekar

Gopal

Page

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Endozoochory, a mutualistic interaction between plants and frugivores, is one of the key processes responsible for maintenance of tropical biodiversity. Islands, which have a smaller subset of plants and frugivores when compared with mainland communities, offer an interesting setting to understand the organization of plant–frugivore communities vis‐a‐vis the mainland sites. We examined the relative influence of functional traits and phylogenetic relationships on the plant–seed disperser interactions on an island and a mainland site. The island site allowed us to investigate the organization of the plant–seed disperser community in the natural absence of key frugivore groups (bulbuls and barbets) of Asian tropics. The endemic Narcondam Hornbill was the most abundant frugivore on the island and played a central role in the community. Species strength of frugivores (a measure of relevance of frugivores for plants) was positively associated with their abundance. Among plants, figs had the highest species strength and played a central role in the community. Island‐mainland comparison revealed that the island plant–seed disperser community was more asymmetric, connected, and nested as compared to the mainland community. Neither phylogenetic relationships nor functional traits (after controlling for phylogenetic relationships) were able to explain the patterns of interactions between plants and frugivores on the island or the mainland pointing toward the diffused nature of plant–frugivore interactions. The diffused nature is a likely consequence of plasticity in foraging behavior and trait convergence that contribute to governing the interactions between plants and frugivores. This is one of the few studies to compare the plant–seed disperser communities between a tropical island and mainland and demonstrates key role played by a point‐endemic frugivore in seed dispersal on island.

show abstract

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

Cited by 45 publications

References 35 publications

Spatial patterns of weed dispersal by wintering gulls within and beyond an agricultural landscape

Spatial patterns of weed dispersal by wintering gulls within and beyond an agricultural landscape

Artificial perches for the supply of seeds in a fragmented landscape in southwest Brazilian Amazon

Large frugivores matter more on an island: Insights from island‐mainland comparison of plant–frugivore communities

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About