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Research article
Mahmoud-Reza Hemami
Isfahan University of Technology
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8321-6776
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: Vertebrate-mediated seed dispersal is probably the main long distance dispersal mode. Through endozoochory, large mammals act as mobile links between habitats within and among forest patches. Along with other factors, their feeding regimes do affect their contribution as dispersal vectors. We conducted a cross-species comparative experiment involving two herbivores, red deer and roe deer; and two opportunistic omnivores, wild boar and brown bear, all occurring in the forest and steppe-forest ecotone habitats of the south-eastern Caspian region. We compared their role as endozoochorous seed dispersal agents by monitoring seedling emergence in their dungs under greenhouse and natural conditions.
Results: In total, 3078 seedlings, corresponding to 136 plant taxa sprouted from 445 paired dung sub-samples, under greenhouse and natural conditions. Only 336 seedlings, corresponding to 36 plant taxa, emerged under natural conditions, among which five taxa did not appear under greenhouse conditions. Graminoids and forbs composed 91% of the seedlings in the greenhouse whereas shrubs were more abundant under natural conditions, representing 55% of the emerged seedlings. Under greenhouse conditions, first red deer and then wild boar dispersed more species than the other two mammals, while under natural conditions brown bear was the most effective vector. We observed remarkably higher species richness and seedling abundance per dung sub-sample under buffered greenhouse conditions than we did under natural conditions.
Conclusions: The four sympatric mammals studied provided different seed dispersal services, both in terms of seedling abundance and species richness and may therefore be regarded as complementary. Our results highlight a positive bias when only considering germination under buffered greenhouse conditions. This must be taken into account when planning management options to benefit plant biodiversity based on the dispersal services concluded from greenhouse experiments.
Keywords
Endozoochory, greenhouse conditions, natural conditions, mammal functional groups, Sus scrofa, Ursus arctos, Cervus elaphus, Capreolus capreolus
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CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Ecology.
Version 2
Posted 11 Aug, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 20 Jul, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 12 Jun, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 09 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 19 May, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 18 May, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 18 May, 2020
Editor assigned
On 14 May, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 13 May, 2020
Editor invited
On 13 May, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 05 Feb, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 31 Jan, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 30 Jan, 2020
Review #4 received
Received 24 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #4 agreed
On 17 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 15 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 15 Jan, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 21 Nov, 2019
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 04 Nov, 2019
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 01 Nov, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 25 Sep, 2019
Editor assigned
On 22 Sep, 2019
Editor invited
On 21 Sep, 2019
First submitted
On 20 Sep, 2019
Metrics
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PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Terrestrial Ecology
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See the published version of this preprint at BMC Ecology.
This is a preprint, a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Mahmoud-Reza Hemami
Isfahan University of Technology
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8321-6776
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Ecology.
Version 2
Posted 11 Aug, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 20 Jul, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 12 Jun, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 09 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 19 May, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 18 May, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 18 May, 2020
Editor assigned
On 14 May, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 13 May, 2020
Editor invited
On 13 May, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 05 Feb, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 31 Jan, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 30 Jan, 2020
Review #4 received
Received 24 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #4 agreed
On 17 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 15 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 15 Jan, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 21 Nov, 2019
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 04 Nov, 2019
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 01 Nov, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 25 Sep, 2019
Editor assigned
On 22 Sep, 2019
Editor invited
On 21 Sep, 2019
First submitted
On 20 Sep, 2019
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Terrestrial Ecology
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at BMC Ecology.
Background: Vertebrate-mediated seed dispersal is probably the main long distance dispersal mode. Through endozoochory, large mammals act as mobile links between habitats within and among forest patches. Along with other factors, their feeding regimes do affect their contribution as dispersal vectors. We conducted a cross-species comparative experiment involving two herbivores, red deer and roe deer; and two opportunistic omnivores, wild boar and brown bear, all occurring in the forest and steppe-forest ecotone habitats of the south-eastern Caspian region. We compared their role as endozoochorous seed dispersal agents by monitoring seedling emergence in their dungs under greenhouse and natural conditions.
Results: In total, 3078 seedlings, corresponding to 136 plant taxa sprouted from 445 paired dung sub-samples, under greenhouse and natural conditions. Only 336 seedlings, corresponding to 36 plant taxa, emerged under natural conditions, among which five taxa did not appear under greenhouse conditions. Graminoids and forbs composed 91% of the seedlings in the greenhouse whereas shrubs were more abundant under natural conditions, representing 55% of the emerged seedlings. Under greenhouse conditions, first red deer and then wild boar dispersed more species than the other two mammals, while under natural conditions brown bear was the most effective vector. We observed remarkably higher species richness and seedling abundance per dung sub-sample under buffered greenhouse conditions than we did under natural conditions.
Conclusions: The four sympatric mammals studied provided different seed dispersal services, both in terms of seedling abundance and species richness and may therefore be regarded as complementary. Our results highlight a positive bias when only considering germination under buffered greenhouse conditions. This must be taken into account when planning management options to benefit plant biodiversity based on the dispersal services concluded from greenhouse experiments.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
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