Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T12:03:36.907Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Endozoochory by native and exotic herbivores in dry areas: consequences for germination and survival of Prosopis seeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2008

Claudia M. Campos ,
Begoña Peco ,
Valeria E. Campos ,
Juan E. Malo ,
Stella M. Giannoni  and
Francisco Suárez
Claudia M. Campos*
Affiliation:
Grupo de Investigaciones de la Biodiversidad, IADIZA-CONICET, Argentina
Begoña Peco
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
Valeria E. Campos
Affiliation:
Museo de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Argentina
Juan E. Malo
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
Stella M. Giannoni
Affiliation:
Museo de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Argentina
Francisco Suárez
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
*
*Correspondence [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Mammalian herbivores can play a role in the endozoochorous dispersal of Prosopis seeds in the arid zones of Argentina, and the introduction of exotic mammals can change relevant parameters of the plant's reproductive ecology. Our specific goals were to quantify the seeds of Prosopis flexuosa, P. chilensis and P. torquata contained in the faeces of native [mara (Dolichotis patagonum), guanaco (Lama guanicoe)] and exotic [donkey (Equus asinus) and hare (Lepus europaeus)] mammals, and to determine the mortality, germination percentage and germination speed of seeds borne in faeces, compared with those collected from trees. In 2006, seeds were collected directly from trees or removed from mammal faeces. Seeds were counted and classified as apparently healthy or damaged. P. torquata and P. flexuosa seeds were found in the dung of guanaco, hare and mara, whereas only P. flexuosa seeds appeared in donkey faeces. P. chilensis seeds were only found in guanaco faeces. There was a notable relative abundance of seeds contained in small herbivore faeces in comparison to the large herbivores. The passage through the digestive tract of animals modified seed germination capacity and speed, with great variability between animal species. Guanacos had greater effects than donkeys on mortality, germination percentage and germination speed. Differences between the effects of both smaller-sized herbivores on seeds were much smaller.

Keywords

ArgentinadesertdonkeyguanacohareIschigualastomaramesquiteProsopis
Type
Research Article
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 18 , Issue 2 , June 2008 , pp. 91 - 100
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Acosta, J.C. and Murúa, F. (1999) Lista preliminar y estado de conservación de la mastofauna del Parque Natural Ischigualasto, San Juan – Argentina. Multequina 8, 121–129.Google Scholar
Bewley, J.D. and Black, M. (1982) Physiology and biochemistry of seeds in relation to germination. Vol. 1. New York, Springer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burkart, A. (1976) A monograph of the genus Prosopis (Leguminosae Subfam. Mimosoideae). Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 57, 219–249.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campos, C.M. (1997) Utilización de recursos alimentarios por mamíferos medianos y pequeños del desierto del Monte. PhD thesis, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina..Google Scholar
Campos, C.M. and Ojeda, R.A. (1997) Dispersal and germination of Prosopis flexuosa (Fabaceae) seeds by desert mammals in Argentina. Journal of Arid Environments 35, 707–714.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campos, C., Ojeda, R., Monge, S. and Dacar, M. (2001) Utilization of food resources by small and medium-sized mammals in the Monte desert biome, Argentina. Austral Ecology 26, 142–149.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campos, C.M., Giannoni, S.M., Taraborelli, P. and Borghi, C.E. (2007) Removal of mesquite seeds by small rodents in the Monte desert, Argentina. Journal of Arid Environments 69, 228–236.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Catalán, L.A. and Balzarini, M. (1992) Improved laboratory germination conditions for several arboreal Prosopis species: P. chilensis, P. flexuosa, P. nigra, P. alba, P. caldenia and P. affinis. Seed Science and Technology 20, 293–298.Google Scholar
Catalán, L.A. and Macchiavelli, R.E. (1991) Improving germination in Prosopis flexuosa D.C. and P. alba Griseb. with hot water treatments and scarification. Seed Science and Technology 19, 253–262.Google Scholar
Cony, M.A. and Trione, S.O. (1996) Germination with respect to temperature of two Argentinian Prosopis species. Journal of Arid Environments 33, 225–236.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Diaz, G.B. and Ojeda, R.A. (2000) Libro Rojo de Mamíferos amenazados de Argentina. Argentina, SAREM.Google Scholar
Eilberg, B.A. (1973) Presencia de disemínulos de ‘vinal’ (Prosopis ruscifolia Griseb) en deyecciones de equinos y bovinos. Ecología 1, 56–57.Google Scholar
Gokbulak, F. and Call, C.A. (2004) Grass seedling recruitment in cattle dungpats. Journal of Range Management 57, 649–655.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Howe, H.F. (1986) Seed dispersal by fruit-eating birds and mammals. pp. 123–189in Murray, D.R. (Ed.) Seed dispersal. Sydney, Academic Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Howe, H.F. and Smallwood, J. (1982) Ecology of seed dispersal. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 13, 201–228.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hyatt, L.A., Rosenberg, M.S., Howard, T.G., Bole, G., Fang, W., Anastasia, J., Brown, K., Grella, R., Hinman, K., Kurdziel, J.P. and Gurevitch, J. (2003) The distance dependence prediction of the Janzen–Connell hypothesis: a meta-analysis. Oikos 103, 590–602.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Izhaki, I. and Ne'eman, G. (1997) Hares (Lepus spp.) as seed dispersers of Retama raetam (Fabaceae) in a sandy landscape. Journal of Arid Environments 37, 343–354.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Janzen, D.H. (1970) Herbivores and the number of tree species in tropical forests. American Naturalist 104, 501–528.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Janzen, D.H. (1981) Enterolobium cyclocarpum seed passage rate and survival in horses, Costa Rican Pleistocene seed dispersal agents. Ecology 62, 593–601.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Janzen, D.H. (1982) Differential seed survival and passage rates in cows and horses, surrogate Pleistocene dispersal agents. Oikos 38, 150–156.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Janzen, D.H., Demment, M.W. and Robertson, J.B. (1985) How fast and why do germinating guanacaste seeds (Enterolobium cyclocarpum) die inside cows and horses? Biotropica 17, 322–325.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kingsolver, J.M., Johnson, C.D., Swier, S.R. and Terán, A. (1977) Prosopis fruits as a resource for invertebrates. pp. 108–122in Simpson, B.B. (Ed.) Mesquite: its biology in two desert scrub ecosystems. Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, Dowden, Hutchinson & Ross, Inc.Google Scholar
Kneuper, C.L., Scott, C.B. and Pinchak, W.E. (2003) Consumption and dispersion of mesquite seeds by ruminants. Journal of Range Management 56, 255–259.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lamoot, I., Callebut, J., Demeulenaere, E., Vandenberghe, C. and Hoffmann, M. (2005) Foraging behaviour of donkeys grazing in a coastal dune area in temperate climate conditions. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 92, 93–112.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lerner, P. and Peinetti, R. (1996) Importance of predation and germination on losses from the seed bank of caldén (Prosopis caldenia). Journal of Range Management 49, 147–150.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mares, M.A., Enders, F.A., Kingsolver, J.M., Neff, J.L. and Simpson, B.B. (1977) Prosopis as a niche component. pp. 123–149in Simpson, B.B. (Ed.) Mesquite: its biology in two desert scrub ecosystems. Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, Dowden, Hutchinson & Ross, Inc.Google Scholar
Maron, J.L. and Gardner, S.N. (2000) Consumer pressure, seed versus safe-site limitation, and plant population dynamics. Oecologia 124, 260–269.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Márquez, J. (1999) Las Áreas protegidas de la Provincia de San Juan. Multequina 8, 1–10.Google Scholar
Milesi, F.A. and López de Casenave, J. (2004) Unexpected relationships and valuable mistakes: non-myrmecochorous Prosopis dispersed by messy leaf cutting ants in harvesting their seeds. Austral Ecology 29, 558–567.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Or, K. and Ward, D. (2003) Three-way interactions between Acacia, large mammalian herbivores and bruchid beetles – a review. African Journal of Ecology 41, 257–265.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ortega Baes, P., de Viana, M. and Saravia, M. (2001) The fate of Prosopis ferox seeds from unremoved pods at National Park Los Cardones. Journal of Arid Environments 48, 185–190.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ortega Baes, P., de Viana, M.L. and Sühring, S. (2002) Germination in Prosopis ferox seeds: effects of mechanical, chemical and biological scarificators. Journal of Arid Environments 50, 185–189.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peinetti, R., Cabezas, C., Pereyra, M. and Martinez, O. (1992) Observaciones preliminares sobre la diseminación del caldén (Prosopis caldenia Burk). Turrialba 42, 415–417.Google Scholar
Peinetti, R., Pereyra, M., Kin, A. and Sosa, A. (1993) Effects of cattle ingestion on viability and germination rate of caldén (Prosopis caldenia) seeds. Journal of Range Management 46, 483–486.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peláez, D.V., Boó, R.M. and Elia, O.R. (1992) Emergence and seedling survival of caldén in the semiarid region Argentina. Journal of Range Management 45, 564–568.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pili-Sevilla, E. (1987) Germination and tetrazolium testing. Seed Science and Technology 15, 691–698.Google Scholar
Puig, S., Videla, F. and Cona, M.I. (1997) Diet and abundance of the guanaco (Lama guanicoe Muller 1776), in four habitats of Northern Patagonia, Argentina. Journal of Arid Environments 36, 343–357.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Puig, S., Videla, F., Cona, M.I. and Monge, S.A. (2001) Use of food availability by guanacos (Lama guanicoe) and livestock in Northern Patagonia (Mendoza, Argentina). Journal of Arid Environments 47, 291–308.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reddy, L.V., Metzger, R.J. and Ching, T.M. (1985) Effect of temperature on seed dormancy of wheat. Crop Science 25, 455–458.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rice, W.R. (1989) Analyzing tables of statistical tests. Evolution 43, 223–225.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robertson, A.W., Trass, A., Ladley, J.J. and Kelly, D. (2006) Assessing the benefits of frugivory for seed germination: the importance of the deinhibition effect. Functional Ecology 20, 58–66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rodríguez-Pérez, J., Riera, N. and Traveset, A. (2005) Effect of seed passage through birds and lizards on emergence rate of Mediterranean species: differences between natural and controlled conditions. Functional Ecology 19, 699–706.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rossi, B.E. and Villagra, P.E. (2003) Effects of Prosopis flexuosa on soil properties and the spatial pattern of understory species in arid Argentina. Journal of Vegetation Science 14, 543–550.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Samuels, I.A. and Levey, D.J. (2005) Effects of gut passage on seed germination: do experiments answer the question they ask? Functional Ecology 19, 365–368.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, L.L. and Ueckert, D.N. (1974) Influence of insects on mesquite seed production. Journal of Range Management 27, 61–65.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Traveset, A. (1999) The importance of mutualisms for biodiversity conservation in insular ecosystems. Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 72, 527–538.Google Scholar
Traveset, A. and Richardson, D.M. (2006) Biological invasions as disruptors of plant reproductive mutualisms. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 21, 208–216.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Traveset, A. and Riera, N. (2005) Disruption of a plant–lizard seed dispersal system and its ecological consequences on a threatened endemic plant in the Balearic Islands. Conservation Biology 19, 421–431.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Traveset, A. and Verdú, M. (2002) A meta-analysis of the effect of gut treatment on seed germination. pp. 339–350in Levey, D.J.; Silva, W.R.; Galetti, M. (Eds) Seed dispersal and frugivory: ecology, evolution and conservation. Wallingford, CABI Publishing.Google Scholar
Traveset, A., Robertson, A.W. and Rodríguez-Pérez, J. (2007) A review on the role of endozoochory in seed germination. pp. 78–103in Dennis, A.J.; Green, R.J.; Schupp, E.W.; Westcott, D.A. (Eds) Seed dispersal: theory and its application in a changing world. Wallingford, CABI Publishing.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Varela, O. (2004) Frugivoría y dispersión de semillas por 13 especies de vertebrados en el Chaco salteño, Argentina.>Doctoral thesis, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina..Doctoral+thesis,+Universidad+Nacional+de+Córdoba,+Argentina..>Google Scholar
Verdú, M. and Traveset, A. (2005) Early emergence enhances plant fitness: a phylogenetically controlled meta-analysis. Ecology 86, 1385–1394.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Villagra, P.E., Marone, L. and Cony, M.A. (2002) Mechanisms affecting the fate of Prosopis flexuosa (Fabaceae, Mimosoideae) seeds during early secondary dispersal in the Monte Desert, Argentina. Austral Ecology 27, 416–421.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zar, J.H. (1984) Biostatistical analysis (2nd edition). Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice-Hall.Google Scholar