Quantifying Microstegium vimineum Seed Movement by Non-Riparian Water Dispersal Using an Ultraviolet-Marking Based Recapture Method

Tekiela, Daniel R.; Barney, Jacob N.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0063811

Cited by 11 publications

(11 citation statements)

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“…) for which general functions were fitted. Data sources: (a) Wada & Uemura (), (b) Tekiela & Barney (), (c) Swaine & Beer (), (d) Kjellsson (), (e) Bullock & Clarke (), (f) Arnold (). Where plotted, the y ‐axis is not continuous between 0 and the next tick.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A synthesis of empirical plant dispersal kernels

et al. 2016

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Summary 1.Dispersal is fundamental to ecological processes at all scales and levels of organization, but progress is limited by a lack of information about the general shape and form of plant dispersal kernels. We addressed this gap by synthesizing empirical data describing seed dispersal and fitting general dispersal kernels representing major plant types and dispersal modes. 2. A comprehensive literature search resulted in 107 papers describing 168 dispersal kernels for 144 vascular plant species. The data covered 63 families, all the continents except Antarctica, and the broad vegetation types of forest, grassland, shrubland and more open habitats (e.g. deserts). We classified kernels in terms of dispersal mode (ant, ballistic, rodent, vertebrates other than rodents, vehicle or wind), plant growth form (climber, graminoid, herb, shrub or tree), seed mass and plant height. 3. We fitted 11 widely used probability density functions to each of the 168 data sets to provide a statistical description of the dispersal kernel. The exponential power (ExP) and log-sech (LogS) functions performed best. Other 2-parameter functions varied in performance. For example, the lognormal and Weibull performed poorly, while the 2Dt and power law performed moderately well. Of the single-parameter functions, the Gaussian performed very poorly, while the exponential performed better. No function was among the best-fitting for all data sets. 4. For 10 plant growth form/dispersal mode combinations for which we had >3 data sets, we fitted ExP and LogS functions across multiple data sets to provide generalized dispersal kernels. We also fitted these functions to subdivisions of these growth form/dispersal mode combinations in terms of seed mass (for animal-dispersed seeds) or plant height (wind-dispersed) classes. These functions provided generally good fits to the grouped data sets, despite variation in empirical methods, local conditions, vegetation type and the exact dispersal process. 5. Synthesis. We synthesize the rich empirical information on seed dispersal distances to provide standardized dispersal kernels for 168 case studies and generalized kernels for plant growth form/ dispersal mode combinations. Potential uses include the following: (i) choosing appropriate dispersal functions in mathematical models; (ii) selecting informative dispersal kernels for one's empirical study system; and (iii) using representative dispersal kernels in cross-taxon comparative studies.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A synthesis of empirical plant dispersal kernels

et al. 2016

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“…A few outdoor studies and anecdotal observations confirm our observation that rain events can provide a (secondary) dispersal agent especially on steeper slopes. For instance, Tekiela and Barney () tracked Microstegium vimineum seeds using ultraviolet dye and observed them to disperse on average 21 cm with a maximum of 2·4 m. Also, the seed heads of Erodiophyllum elderi were found to disperse on average 30 cm by rain (Emmerson et al ., ). In these outdoor experiments, the quantity of the rainfall correlated positively with dispersal distance (Tekiela and Barney, ) and to slope.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…For instance, Tekiela and Barney () tracked Microstegium vimineum seeds using ultraviolet dye and observed them to disperse on average 21 cm with a maximum of 2·4 m. Also, the seed heads of Erodiophyllum elderi were found to disperse on average 30 cm by rain (Emmerson et al ., ). In these outdoor experiments, the quantity of the rainfall correlated positively with dispersal distance (Tekiela and Barney, ) and to slope. Egawa and Tsuyuzaki () reported that after 1 year, almost all seeds of all species disappear from 10 × 10 cm plots with bare soil, whereas increasing litter depth and seed size drastically decreased dispersal probability (to 0% for some species) in their Japanese peatlands.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Such smaller water flows can occur frequently during rain events, but in colder climates also during snowmelt. Little is known on the factors driving these types of dispersal events, and snowmelt is barely recognized as dispersal agent (Nilsson et al, 2010;Tekiela and Barney, 2013). Yet it is important to address these types of dispersal events and their capacity to disperse seeds as they could provide an important (secondary) dispersal pathway.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of experimental snowmelt and rain on dispersal of six plant species

Sarneel

2016

Ecohydrology

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Water flows affect dispersal of propagules of many plant species, and rivers and streams are therefore very important dispersal vectors. However, small water flows such as trough rain and snowmelt are much more common, but their effects on dispersal are barely studied. The importance of this form of dispersal deserves attention, especially when considering that climate change is predicted to change the amounts of rain and snow worldwide. Dispersal through melting snow and rain was addressed experimentally, using artificial soils mounted on slopes with different angles and subjected to a melting snow pack or an equivalent amount of dripping water. Seeds on the soil moved on average 3·02 cm (±1·81 SE) in rain treatments and 0·23 cm (±0·3 SE) in snowmelt treatments. Tracking plastic granules in field conditions further showed that snowmelt exhibited minimal dispersal capacity. Dispersal distances by rain were enhanced by increasing slope angles and with decreasing seed volume. Given that many species in cold environments have small seeds, dispersal by rain could provide an important (secondary) dispersal mechanism in these habitats.

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“…Nevertheless, this invasive grass is indeed shadetolerant (Fraterrigo et al 2011, Tekiela andBarney 2013) and can exhibit a source-sink behavior in which monocultures in disturbed habitats can disperse seed via human facilitation (Warren et al 2011) into the adjacent forest, where the weed is often the best competitor at colonizing newly disturbed microhabitats below canopy gaps and along forest edges (Huebner 2011, Schramm andEhrenfeld 2012). While a relationship with edges is not apparent in the MPEA's more recently reforested, south-central portion, the minority of plots on the northern Doughoregan tract assigned to the Microstegium community generally border edges of either suburban development or hiking trails.…”

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confidence: 99%