Dispersal of vascular plants by game in northern Germany. Part I: Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa)

Abstract

The endozoochorous and epizoochorous dispersal of vascular plant species by roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) was investigated in forest areas of Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony, Germany. The primary aim of this study was to learn about which plant species and in what numbers diaspores are dispersed by the two wild ungulate species. In particular, the significance of zoochory for species composition and biodiversity of forests was evaluated. Fresh faecal pellets were collected from April-November 2001 in the forests of the two study areas. In addition, the coats and hooves of shot roe deer and wild boar were brushed out. The number of viable seeds was determined by greenhouse germination (seedling emergence method). The samples were spread in trays over sterilized soil from the study forests and were kept under controlled conditions in the greenhouse for 12 months. A total of 2,473 individuals from 77 vascular plant species were recorded. While roe deer exceeded wild boar concerning seed contents in the faeces, the significance of roe deer for epizoochorous dispersal was relatively low compared with wild boar. An analysis of the habitat preference of the vascular plant species dispersed by the two ungulate species revealed a high proportion of species growing in forests as well as in the open landscape, and also of non-forest species, while woody plants and herbaceous species closely tied to forest habitats were severely underrepresented. We also discuss consequences for forest ecology and nature conservation.

Wild boar rooting intensity determines shifts in understorey composition and functional traits

“…Other species found exclusively, or more frequently, in the low-rooting areas were Stellaria media and Rumex acetosa, i.e., species that are known to take great advantage of wild boar for their dispersal through endozoochory and epizoochory respectively (Schmidt et al 2004, Heinken et al 2006. The fact that bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) was an indicator of high rooting, while it was absent in low rooting plots, was also unexpected.…”

Soil seed banks near rubbing trees indicate dispersal of plant species into forests by wild boar

“…Today the main vectors for long-distance transport of diaspores within and between European temperate forest patches are wild birds and large mammals, and modern forestry itself by means of machines or cars (Bonn & Poschlod 1998, Gill & Beardall 2001. While the effects of fruit consumption by vertebrate frugivores (mainly birds) on seed dispersal has received considerable attention (Bonn & Poschlod 1998, Kollmann 2000, only recently wild large mammals came into focus as effective epi-and endozoochorous dispersers of a wide range of plant species (Mrotzek, Halder & Schmidt 1999, Welander & Weibull 2000, Heinken, Hanspach, Raudnitschka & Schaumann 2002, Schmidt, Sommer, Kriebitzsch, Ellenberg & von Oheimb 2004. Epizoochorous dispersal of diaspores on fur and feet of large mammals is presumed to be among the most important long-distance dispersal mechanisms because of a long retention time of several hours up to several days and large home ranges during a single day.…”

Spillage of Viable Seeds of Oilseed Rape along Transportation Routes: Ecological Risk Assessment and Perspectives on Management Efforts

“…Feral OSR plants may originate from seed banks at seminatural sites due to local soil relocation, as a result of epizoochory-diaspores are dispersed via adhesion to animals (e.g., wild boars; Schmidt et al, 2004)-or due to seed spillage during transport and handling activities. Transport and handling have been identified as the main reasons for spillage of OSR (Crawley and Brown, 2004;Pivard et al, 2008) and are therefore the focus of the present work.…”