How does gut passage impact endozoochorous seed dispersal success? Evidence from a gut environment simulation experiment

Milotic, Tanja; Hoffmann, Maurice

doi:10.1016/j.baae.2015.09.007

Cited by 36 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…Many studies have indicated that ingestion reduces hard-seededness, with a greater proportion of seeds capable of germinating after ingestion (Russi and Roberts, 1992;Malo and Suárez, 1996;Milotić and Hoffmann, 2016). However, other researchers have reported that germination declined when soft-coated Seed endozoochory on the north slope of the Tianshan Mountains 47 or non-dormant seeds were soaked in rumen fluid (Yu et al, 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…many species in the Leguminosae and Cistaceae families), physical damage caused by chewing might break the seed coat and enhance germination. In other cases chewing may damage seeds and reduce germinability (Milotić and Hoffmann, 2016). Ruminants generally only chew enough to get the proper mixture of food and saliva to form a bolus and facilitate swallowing (Church, 1976).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Recovery and germination of seeds after passage through the gut of Kazakh sheep on the north slope of the Tianshan Mountains

Wang

Waly

et al. 2017

Seed Sci. Res.

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Endozoochorous dispersal of seeds by livestock has long attracted the attention of grassland scientists. However, little is known about seed dispersal after ingestion by Kazakh sheep on dry grasslands in the Tianshan Mountains. The objective of this experiment was to learn more about the recovery and germinability of seeds from 17 plant species after either actual or simulated ingestion (i.e. insertion through a rumen fistula) by Kazakh sheep. The passage time of seeds through the sheep gut ranged from 12 to 96 h. More than 80% of all recovered seeds were defecated 24-48 h after ingestion. The mean retention time of seeds in the gut ranged from 27.3 to 42.2 h. Seed recovery percentage ranged between 12.6 and 17.6% for leguminous species and between 0.8 and 3.2% for gramineous species. Seed recovery percentage was positively correlated with seed mass, but negatively correlated with seed shape. The germination percentages of the gramineous species were greater in the non-ingested treatment (66-98%) than in the simulated ingestion treatment (3-10%). In contrast, for leguminous species, seed germination percentages were greater in the simulated ingestion treatment (23-70%) than in the non-ingested one (5-12%). Seed germination percentage after simulated ingestion was positively correlated with seed mass, but negatively correlated with seed shape. In conclusion, leguminous seeds were more likely than gramineous ones to pass through the gut of Kazakh sheep and then germinate. Free-ranging Kazakh sheep can contribute to the spread of plant species, especially leguminous species, in the Tianshan Mountains.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recovery and germination of seeds after passage through the gut of Kazakh sheep on the north slope of the Tianshan Mountains

Wang

Waly

et al. 2017

Seed Sci. Res.

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“…The size of the dung seed bank was affected by livestock species, amount of seed intake and the physical and chemical properties of the faeces (Milotić and Hoffmann 2016), as well as seed traits (Pakeman et al 2002). We explored the efficiency of endozoochory for temperate (e.g.…”

Section: Germinated Species From Dungmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The relationship between the dung seed bank and aboveground vegetation can be influenced by selective feeding of livestock (Bagchi and Ritchie 2010), physical and chemical properties of faeces (Milotić and Hoffmann 2016) and microhabitat properties of sites at which seeds are egested with dung (Calviño-Cancela and Martín-Herrero 2009). In the present study, the similarity of species between the soil seed bank and aboveground vegetation was low (,0.5; Fig.…”

Section: The Similarity Between Dung Seed Bank and Aboveground Vegetamentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of grazing season and stocking rate on seed bank in sheep dung on the semiarid Loess Plateau

Zhang

Hou

2019

Rangel. J.

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Endozoochorous dispersal of seeds by livestock has long attracted the attention of grassland scientists, but little is known about seed dispersal via Tan sheep dung on the dry grasslands of the Loess Plateau. We investigated the composition of dung seed bank of Tan sheep under summer and winter rotational grazing regimes at different stocking rates (2.7, 5.3 and 8.7 sheep ha -1 ), and assessed the relationships between seed mass and shape, egested seedling density and species richness and diversity. We also assessed the effects of stocking rate and grazing season on seedling density and species richness and diversity of the dung seed bank. Seeds of 10 pasture species germinated from Tan sheep dung with only two being annual species (Eragrostis pilosa and Chenopodium glaucum). The mean seed mass (AEs.e.) was 2.59 AE 0.23 mg, ranging from 0.10 mg (Cleistogenes songorica) to 10.59 mg (Thermopsis lanceolata), and the mean seed shape index (AEs.e.) was 0.10 AE 0.02, ranging from 0.03 (Lespedeza bicolor) to 0.19 (Stipa bungeana). Species richness and diversity and seedling density decreased with increasing seed mass and shape index, suggesting that small, round seeds are most suitable for endozoochorous dispersal. Stocking rate had no effect on the number of germinated seeds that collected from summer or winter grazing pastures. Species richness and diversity and seedling density were greater in winter grazing pastures than in summer grazing pastures. Jaccard coefficients of similarity between the Tan sheep dung bank and aboveground vegetation were ,0.5 for all stocking rates, indicating their weak relationship, but were significantly higher for winter than summer grazing. Plant seeds on the Loess Plateau could disperse through Tan sheep grazing, endozoochory can increase the heterogeneity of rotationally grazed plant communities, and this dispersal mode is an adaptation of plants to the harsh environment of the semiarid areas.

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“…Here, we investigated the effects of dung beetle density, biomass, and species identity on three main ecological functions provided by two tunneller species: dung removal, dispersal of seed mimics (beads), and graminoid‐seed germination in the short term. The percentage of seeds found in dung that are still viable is species‐dependent (Milotic & Hoffmann, 2016a,b,c). There are no data on Lolium multiflorum survival through the cow digestive duct, but it is known that only 12% of Lolium rigidum seeds ingested remained viable once it ended up in cattle dung (Stanton et al ., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecosystem functioning in relation to species identity, density, and biomass in two tunneller dung beetles

Piccini

Caprio

Palestrini

et al. 2019

Ecological Entomology

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1. Species abundance, biomass, and identity are the main factors that influence ecosystem functioning. Previous studies have shown that community attributes and species identity help to maintain natural ecosystem functioning. 2. This study examined how species identity, biomass, and abundance in dung pats (i.e. density) of dung beetles affect multiple ecological functions: dung removal, seed dispersal, and germination. Specifically, two species of tunnellers were targeted: Onthophagus illyricus (Scopoli, 1763) and Copris lunaris (Linnaeus, 1758). In accordance with their natural abundance, densities ranging from 10 to 80 individuals were considered for O. illyricus, and those from two to eight were considered for C. lunaris, spanning the total biomass per treatment from 0.22 to 1.76 g. 3. Results showed that, even at higher abundance, O. illyricus is not as efficient as C. lunaris. These results show that species identity, biomass, and density are crucial factors for maintaining ecosystem functioning. The combined effect of species identity and density/biomass facilitated dung removal and seed dispersal. Conversely, species identity is the only relevant factor for germination. Moreover, relationships among functions depend on the species investigated: C. lunaris showed a positive correlation between dung removal and seed dispersal, whereas O. illyricus showed a positive correlation between germination and dung removal. 4. In conclusion, optimal ecosystem functioning depends on multiple factors, such as density and species identity, and thus also on body size, nesting strategies and ecological functions investigated. Moreover, the loss of larger and efficient species cannot be compensated by higher abundances of small species.

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How does gut passage impact endozoochorous seed dispersal success? Evidence from a gut environment simulation experiment

Cited by 36 publications

References 56 publications

Recovery and germination of seeds after passage through the gut of Kazakh sheep on the north slope of the Tianshan Mountains

Recovery and germination of seeds after passage through the gut of Kazakh sheep on the north slope of the Tianshan Mountains

Effects of grazing season and stocking rate on seed bank in sheep dung on the semiarid Loess Plateau

Ecosystem functioning in relation to species identity, density, and biomass in two tunneller dung beetles

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