How Does Changing Environment Influence Plant Seed Movements as Populations of Dispersal Vectors Decline?

Abstract

Plants differ widely in their ability to find tolerable climatic ranges through seed dispersal, depending on their life-history traits and habitat characteristics. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic review on seed dispersal mechanisms was conducted to elucidate plant seed movements amid changing environments. Here, the highest relative count of studies was found in Spain (16.47%), followed by Brazil (14.12%), and the USA (14.12%). The megadiverse, hotspot countries (e.g., Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, India, and Indonesia) and Africa (Tanzania, South Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo) have very low to no data about the reviewed topic. The effects of land use changes, habitat degradation/disturbances, climate, and extreme weather conditions on seed dispersal mechanisms and agents had the highest share of studies across topics and countries. Plant diversity and distribution of anemochorous, endozoochorous, epizoochorous, hydrochorous, myrmecochorous, and ornithochorous species are seriously affected by changing environments due to altered long-distance seed dispersal. The fruit types commonly associated with endozoochory and ornithochory are species with achene, capsule, drupe, fleshy, and nut fruits/seeds, whereas achene, capsule, samara/winged seeds are associated with anemochory. The present review provides a summary of evidence on how plants are affected by climate change as populations of dispersal vectors decline. Finally, recommendations for further study were made based on the identified knowledge gaps.

Unveiling the resistance of native weed communities: insights for managing invasive weed species in disturbed environments

“…Dispersal mechanisms include wind, water, animals, or human activities such as transportation and trade (Fig. 2; Hernandez, Naeem & Zaman, 2023). For example, a single Eurasian watermilfoil Myriophyllum spicatum plant can produce thousands of seeds, which are easily transported by water currents, waterfowl, or human activities, allowing it to colonise new habitats rapidly (Petruzzella et al ., 2018).…”

“…The dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale ) produces numerous lightweight seeds that are easily carried by the wind, facilitating its widespread distribution (DiTomaso & Barney, 2012). Dispersal by animal vectors may also be involved, for example Sturnus vulgaris aids in the spread of Rosa multiflora by consuming and dispersing the seeds (Hernandez et al ., 2023). Berihun et al .…”

“…Such disturbances break competitive equilibria between native plants and weeds, allowing the latter to thrive. The presence or absence of seed dispersers can also impact weed invasion success (Jadeja et al ., 2013; Hernandez et al ., 2023). Many weed species rely on insects, birds, or mammals to transfer their pollen or disperse their seeds (Jadeja et al ., 2013; Linhart, 2014).…”

Climate and habitat type interact to influence contemporary dispersal potential in Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum)

“…Indeed, dispersal evolves even in the simplest systems with homogenous environments (Hamilton & May, 1977 ) and is especially important for sessile organisms, such as plants, that have limited opportunities during their life cycle for movement (Beckman & Sullivan, 2023 ). In heterogeneous habitats, environmental conditions are an important driver of plant dispersal ability, which can manifest locally through differences in physical properties of the environment (e.g., soil depth, habitat structure, fragmentation) as well as in a more broad‐scale way through the climate in the year of reproduction (Hernandez et al., 2023 ). When the impact of multiple environmental factors are considered synergistically on dispersal in theoretical studies, strong effects on plant movement are often found, with factors like fragmentation and climate change both slowing dispersal (Renton et al., 2012 , 2013 ).…”

Factors Limiting Radial Growth of Conifers on Their Semiarid Borders across Kazakhstan

“…The consequences of current climatic trends for forest vegetation vary greatly depending on a number of factors, such as local conditions (moisture availability, orography, etc. ), ecophysiological characteristics of species, individual genotypes, and even tree age [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Even the direction of impact is ambiguous: in some regions, there is a strong negative or even catastrophic effect; in others, stable forest growth or even positive changes can be observed [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ].…”