Gut passage and secondary metabolites alter the source of post-dispersal predation for bird-dispersed chili seeds

Fricke, Evan C.; Haak, David C.; Levey, Douglas J.; Tewksbury, Joshua J.

doi:10.1007/s00442-016-3612-7

Cited by 11 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Seedling emergence was also substantially faster for gut-passed seeds than for depulped seeds and seeds from whole fruits, meaning that undispersed seeds are exposed to much longer periods of seed predation and infection prior to germination. Parental escape is considered a major advantage of dispersal for some species (Howe and Smallwood 1982), and gut passage increases seed survival and germination by removing predator attractants and pathogens for another chili species, Capsicum chacoense (Fricke et al 2013(Fricke et al , 2016. Our field experiments did not identify differences in seed predation among our seed condition and location treatments, but did show high frequencies of post-dispersal predation in this species.…”

Section: Birds and Chiliesmentioning

confidence: 58%

“…These predation rates may extend over longer periods, as they do in C. chacoense (Fricke et al. , ). Gut‐passed seeds germinated more quickly than did seeds in whole fruits, with half of the final germination occurring within roughly two weeks for gut‐passed seeds and two months for seeds in whole fruits; typical whole fruits are thus subjected to periods of post‐dispersal predation roughly four times longer than gut‐passed seeds.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Parental escape is considered a major advantage of dispersal for some species (Howe and Smallwood ), and gut passage increases seed survival and germination by removing predator attractants and pathogens for another chili species, Capsicum chacoense (Fricke et al. , ). Our field experiments did not identify differences in seed predation among our seed condition and location treatments, but did show high frequencies of post‐dispersal predation in this species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Our field experiments did not identify differences in seed predation among our seed condition and location treatments, but did show high frequencies of post-dispersal predation in this species. These predation rates may extend over longer periods, as they do in C. chacoense (Fricke et al 2013(Fricke et al , 2016. Gut-passed seeds germinated more quickly than did seeds in whole fruits, with half of the final germination occurring within roughly two weeks for gut-passed seeds and two months for seeds in whole fruits; typical whole fruits are thus subjected to periods of post-dispersal predation roughly four times longer than gut-passed seeds.…”

Section: Birds and Chiliesmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…, Fricke et al. , ). Therefore, we hypothesize that the loss of seed dispersers on Guam would negatively affect chili populations and therefore reduce ecosystem services provided by the bird–chili mutualism (Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Seed dispersal as an ecosystem service: frugivore loss leads to decline of a socially valued plant, Capsicum frutescens

Egerer

Fricke

Rogers

2018

Ecological Applications

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Species interactions, both mutualistic and antagonistic, are widely recognized as providing important ecosystem services. Fruit‐eating animals influence plant recruitment by increasing germination during gut passage and moving seeds away from conspecifics. However, relative to studies focused on the importance of frugivores for plant population maintenance, few studies target frugivores as ecosystem service providers, and frugivores are underappreciated as ecosystem service providers relative to other mutualists such as pollinators. Here, we use an accidental experiment to elucidate the role of seed dispersal by frugivores for maintaining a culturally and economically important plant, the donne’ sali chili (Capsicum frutescens) in the Mariana Islands. One of the islands (Guam) has lost nearly all of its native forest birds due to an invasive snake (Boiga irregularis), whereas nearby islands have relatively intact bird populations. We hypothesized that frugivore loss would influence chili recruitment and abundance, which could have economic and cultural impacts. By using video cameras, we confirmed that birds were the primary seed dispersers. We used captive bird feeding trials to obtain gut‐passed seeds to use in a seedling emergence experiment. The experiment showed that gut‐passed seeds emerged sooner and at a higher proportion than seeds from whole fruits. Consistent with our findings that birds benefit chilies, we observed lower chili abundance on Guam than on islands with birds. In a survey questionnaire of island residents, the majority of residents reported an association between the wild chili and local cultural values and traditions. In addition, we identified a thriving market for chili products, suggesting benefits of wild chilies to people in the Marianas both as consumers and producers. Our study therefore documents seed dispersal as both a cultural and a supporting ecosystem service. We provide a comprehensive case study on how seed‐dispersed plants decline in the absence of their disperser, and how to apply mixed‐methods in ecosystem service assessments. Furthermore, we suggest that scientists and resource managers may utilize fruit–frugivore mutualisms concerning socially valuable plants to gather support for frugivore and forest conservation efforts.

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Section: Birds and Chiliesmentioning

confidence: 58%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Birds and Chiliesmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Seed dispersal as an ecosystem service: frugivore loss leads to decline of a socially valued plant, Capsicum frutescens

Egerer

Fricke

Rogers

2018

Ecological Applications

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Effects of seed morphology and elaiosome chemical composition on attractiveness of five Trillium species to seed‐dispersing ants

Miller

Whitehead

Kwit

2020

Ecology and Evolution

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Morphological and chemical attributes of diaspores in myrmecochorous plants have been shown to affect seed dispersal by ants, but the relative importance of these attributes in determining seed attractiveness and dispersal success is poorly understood. We explored whether differences in diaspore morphology, elaiosome fatty acids, or elaiosome phytochemical profiles explain the differential attractiveness of five species in the genus Trillium to eastern North American forest ants. Species were ranked from least to most attractive based on empirically‐derived seed dispersal probabilities in our study system, and we compared diaspore traits to test our hypotheses that more attractive species will have larger diaspores, greater concentrations of elaiosome fatty acids, and distinct elaiosome phytochemistry compared to the less attractive species. Diaspore length, width, mass, and elaiosome length were significantly greater in the more attractive species. Using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, we found significantly higher concentrations of oleic, linoleic, hexadecenoic, stearic, palmitoleic, and total fatty acids in elaiosomes of the more attractive species. Multivariate assessments revealed that elaiosome phytochemical profiles, identified through liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, were more homogeneous for the more attractive species. Random forest classification models (RFCM) identified several elaiosome phytochemicals that differed significantly among species. Random forest regression models revealed that some of the compounds identified by RFCM, including methylhistidine (α‐amino acid) and d‐glucarate (carbohydrate), were positively related to seed dispersal probabilities, while others, including salicylate (salicylic acid) and citrulline (L‐α‐amino acid), were negatively related. These results supported our hypotheses that the more attractive species of Trillium—which are geographically widespread compared to their less attractive, endemic congeners—are characterized by larger diaspores, greater concentrations of fatty acids, and distinct elaiosome phytochemistry. Further advances in our understanding of seed dispersal effectiveness in myrmecochorous systems will benefit from a portrayal of dispersal unit chemical and physical traits, and their combined responses to selection pressures.

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An omnivorous mesopredator modifies predation of omnivore‐dispersed seeds

Bartel

Orrock

2021

Ecosphere

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Post-dispersal seed predation is an important determinant of plant recruitment. Although many plant species are dispersed following consumption by omnivorous vertebrates, the potential for these dispersal agents to indirectly affect seed fate by modifying seed predator behavior is poorly understood. We evaluated the hypothesis that the scat of an omnivorous vertebrate (coyote, Canis latrans), which is also a rodent predator, would reduce seed predation by rodent granivores. We also hypothesized that scat would lead to increased removal by arthropod seed predators by providing a resource that attracts ants and other arthropods. We examined the role of omnivore deposition on seed predation of two animaldispersed species that differed in size: Larger Prunus serotina seeds are attacked only by rodents, whereas smaller Rubus allegheniensis seeds are attacked by arthropods and rodents. Using an experiment that manipulated the presence of coyote scat and access by different granivore guilds, we found that scat reduced the total number of seeds removed from full-access depots by 12%, but it increased the total number of seeds removed from arthropod-only depots by 43%. Rodent removal of P. serotina seeds was 21% lower in the presence of scat. Scat composition was also important in affecting rodent seed predation, with seed predation 50% lower in the presence of meat-rich scat compared with mixed or fruit-rich scat. Arthropod removal of R. allegheniensis seeds was 43% higher in the presence of scat. Prunus serotina seeds were generally removed at greater rates than R. allegheniensis seeds in full-access trays; however, scat reduced this difference in removal rates from 37% more P. serotina seeds removed to 18% more P. serotina seeds removed. These findings illuminate a new pathway through which omnivores may influence plant populations by modifying post-dispersal seed predation by arthropods and rodents. Moreover, our results indicate that the ultimate effect of vertebrate omnivores on seed survival in a given region may depend upon omnivore diet, dominant seed predator guilds, and differences in granivore seed preference.

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Gut passage and secondary metabolites alter the source of post-dispersal predation for bird-dispersed chili seeds

Cited by 11 publications

References 24 publications

Seed dispersal as an ecosystem service: frugivore loss leads to decline of a socially valued plant, Capsicum frutescens

Seed dispersal as an ecosystem service: frugivore loss leads to decline of a socially valued plant, Capsicum frutescens

Effects of seed morphology and elaiosome chemical composition on attractiveness of five Trillium species to seed‐dispersing ants

An omnivorous mesopredator modifies predation of omnivore‐dispersed seeds

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