A simple standardized protocol to evaluate the reliability of seed rain estimates

Abstract Seed dispersal has key implications for community dynamics and restoration ecology. However, estimating seed rain (the number and diversity of seeds arriving in a given area) is challenging, and the lack of standardization in measurement prevents cross-site comparisons. Seed trap effectiveness and accuracy of seed sorting methods are key components of seed rain estimates in need of standardization. We propose and describe a standardized protocol for evaluating the effectiveness of two seed trap types (sticky and funnel traps) and the accuracy of a seed sorting method. We used widely available seeds (arugula, quinoa, sesame and sunflower) to produce a gradient of seed size, weight and colour. Proof-of-concept was tested in a tropical grassland, where traps were set for 30 days. Our results suggest that we underestimate dispersal of seeds with less than 2 mm width that can be easily mistaken for debris and soil particles or that fail to adhere to sticky traps. Seeds on sticky traps may be more vulnerable to removal by wind and rain, whereas seeds in funnel traps are more susceptible to decay. We found no evidence of observer bias on seed sorting for funnel trap samples. However, accuracy on seed sorting for funnel trap samples tended to decline for seeds with less than 2 mm width, suggesting a size-dependence in seed retrieval success. Our standardized protocol addressing trap effectiveness and seed sorting methods will increase the reliability of data obtained in seed rain studies and allow more reliable comparisons between datasets.

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Effectiveness of three seed-trap designs

Australian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1071/bt02017 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 50 (5) ◽

pp. 587 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

M. J. Page ◽

L. Newlands ◽

J. Eales

Keyword(s):

Seed Production ◽

Reproductive Potential ◽

Seed Rain ◽

Individual Species ◽

Monitoring Methods ◽

Vegetation Community ◽

Vegetation Monitoring ◽

Trap Design ◽

Funnel Trap ◽

Seed Trap

Vegetation monitoring is essential to evaluate management and assess condition. However, methods that have been used cannot assess the viability of the community or provide indicators of future condition. Seed traps can be used to measure reproductive potential of a vegetation community via seed rain. This study evaluates three different seed-trap designs and compares their effectiveness in terms of the diversity and abundance of seed captured, the presence of seed-predating insects, cost, manufacturing ease and serviceability. Field trials were conducted in open, grassy woodlands in south-western and south-eastern Queensland. The results showed that the tall funnel-trap design was the least effective, while the wet wind trap and pitfall funnel trap proved more effective. On the basis of the results of this study, further investigations are recommended for testing trap performance in different vegetation communities, seed predation in relation to seed production and variation in seed production over time. Seed traps that monitor seed rain are potentially useful in assessing the health and viability of a vegetation community. Used in conjunction with other monitoring methods, they may offer valuable insights about the dynamics of entire communities and/or individual species, and therefore appropriate management strategies.

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MYCORRHIZAL COMMUNITY DYNAMICS FOLLOWING NITROGEN FERTILIZATION: A CROSS-SITE TEST IN FIVE GRASSLANDS

Ecological Monographs ◽

10.1890/06-1772.1 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 77 (4) ◽

pp. 527-544 ◽

Cited By ~ 181

Author(s):

Louise M. Egerton-Warburton ◽

Nancy Collins Johnson ◽

Edith B. Allen

Keyword(s):

Nitrogen Fertilization ◽

Community Dynamics ◽

Site Test ◽

Cross Site

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Similarity between seed rain and neighbouring mature tree communities in an old-growth temperate forest

Journal of Forestry Research ◽

10.1007/s11676-019-01027-3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (6) ◽

pp. 2435-2444

Author(s):

Yunyun Wang ◽

Jalene M. LaMontagne ◽

Fei Lin ◽

Zuoqiang Yuan ◽

Ji Ye ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Seed Dispersal ◽

Temperate Forest ◽

Community Dynamics ◽

Basal Area ◽

Seed Rain ◽

Mature Trees ◽

Data Set ◽

Deposition Patterns ◽

Tree Communities ◽

Tree Traits

Abstract Seed distribution and deposition patterns around parent trees are strongly affected by functional traits and therefore influence the development of plant communities. To assess the limitations of seed dispersal and the extent to which diaspore and neighbouring parental traits explain seed rain, we used a 9-year seed data set based on 150 seed traps in a 25-ha area of a temperate forest in the Changbai Mountain. Among 480,598 seeds belonging to 12 families, 17 genera, and 26 species were identified, only 54% of the species with mature trees in the community were represented in seeds collected over the 9 years, indicating a limitation in seed dispersal. Understory species were most limited; overstory species were least limited. Species with wind-dispersed seed had the least limitation, while the lowest similarity in species richness was for animal-dispersed species followed by gravity-dispersed species; fleshy-fruited species had stronger dispersal limitations than dry-fruited species. Generalized linear mixed models showed that relative basal area had a significant positive effect on seed abundance in traps, while the contribution of diaspore traits was low for nearly all groups. These results suggest that tree traits had the strongest contribution to seed dispersal and deposition for all functional groups examined here. These findings strengthen the knowledge that tree traits are key in explaining seed deposition patterns, at least at the primary dispersal stage. This improved knowledge of sources of seeds that are dispersed could facilitate greater understanding of seedling and community dynamics in temperate forests.

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Community dynamics and sensitivity to model structure: towards a probabilistic view of process-based model predictions

Journal of The Royal Society Interface ◽

10.1098/rsif.2018.0741 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (149) ◽

pp. 20180741 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Clement Aldebert ◽

Daniel B. Stouffer

Keyword(s):

Biological Sciences ◽

Community Dynamics ◽

Parametric Uncertainty ◽

Proof Of Concept ◽

Predator Prey ◽

Predictive Uncertainty ◽

Structural Sensitivity ◽

Model Predictions ◽

Complex Models ◽

Process Based Models

Statistical inference and mechanistic, process-based modelling represent two philosophically different streams of research whose primary goal is to make predictions. Here, we merge elements from both approaches to keep the theoretical power of process-based models while also considering their predictive uncertainty using Bayesian statistics. In environmental and biological sciences, the predictive uncertainty of process-based models is usually reduced to parametric uncertainty. Here, we propose a practical approach to tackle the added issue of structural sensitivity, the sensitivity of predictions to the choice between quantitatively close and biologically plausible models. In contrast to earlier studies that presented alternative predictions based on alternative models, we propose a probabilistic view of these predictions that include the uncertainty in model construction and the parametric uncertainty of each model. As a proof of concept, we apply this approach to a predator–prey system described by the classical Rosenzweig–MacArthur model, and we observe that parametric sensitivity is regularly overcome by structural sensitivity. In addition to tackling theoretical questions about model sensitivity, the proposed approach can also be extended to make probabilistic predictions based on more complex models in an operational context. Both perspectives represent important steps towards providing better model predictions in biology, and beyond.

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A seed trap for monitoring the seed rain in terrestrial communities

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b95-087 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 73 (5) ◽

pp. 794-796 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Gary W. Schott

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Seed Bank ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Seed Rain ◽

Andropogon Gerardii ◽

Sampling Methodology ◽

Grassland Community ◽

Species Population ◽

Seed Trap ◽

Pvc Pipe

Monitoring the seed rain of a species, population, or community is important to quantify that component of life history that follows anthesis yet precedes establishment in the seed bank or as a seedling. I have developed a unique seed trap that is ideal for monitoring the seed rain of a grassland community. The trap consists of a 10-cm diameter funnel attached by Velcro to one end of a 15-cm long PVC pipe. The trap is sunk into the ground with 1.5–2 cm protruding above the soil surface to prevent soil and ground-dwelling insects from entering the trap. A small cotton bag is attached to the stem of the funnel and acts as the reservoir for trapped seeds. I was able to trap propagules ranging in size from 0.5-mm seeds (Juncus interior) to > 2 cm long awned spikelets (Andropogon gerardii). Because this trap minimizes prédation, is easy to construct and monitor, and is inexpensive, it is superior to traps used by previous researchers. Key words: seed trap, seed rain, sampling methodology.

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Local seed rain and seed bank in a species-rich grassland: effects of plant abundance and seed size

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b06-136 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 84 (12) ◽

pp. 1870-1881 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Anna Jakobsson ◽

Ove Eriksson ◽

Hans Henrik Bruun

Keyword(s):

Seed Size ◽

Seed Bank ◽

Negative Relationship ◽

Seed Rain ◽

Positive Relationships ◽

Plant Abundance ◽

M 10 ◽

Seed Trap ◽

Perennial Grassland ◽

The Relationship

In this study, we examined the relationship between seed size, seed rain, and seed bank in a species-rich perennial grassland in Sweden. The seed rain was monitored by 100 seed traps placed in a 10 m × 10 m area for 1 year. The seed bank was sampled by taking 100 soil samples, each in close vicinity to a seed trap. Abundance of reproductive ramets in the area was estimated, since this is likely to affect the proportion of hit seed traps and seed bank samples. When abundance of reproductive ramets was accounted for, we found a negative relationship between seed size and proportion of hit seed bank samples, but we found no relationship between seed size and proportion of hit seed traps. We found strong positive relationships between the abundance of reproductive ramets and proportion of hit seed traps and seed bank samples. We also found strong positive relationships between abundance of reproductive ramets and abundance of seeds in the seed rain and the seed bank, but no relationship between seed size and abundance of seeds in the seed rain or the seed bank. We discuss these results in the context of theory suggesting that large-seeded and small-seeded species may coexist because of a trade-off between colonization and competitive abilities, where smaller-seeded species are able to reach more sites than seeds of larger-seeded species, because they are more numerous and (or) better dispersed.

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Geometric morphometrics analysis: a complement to the revision of whelk taxonomy in the Arctic

10.7287/peerj.preprints.26730 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Lisa Treau De Coeli ◽

Jean-Marc Gagnon ◽

Philippe Archambault

Keyword(s):

Phenotypic Plasticity ◽

Geometric Morphometrics ◽

Community Dynamics ◽

The Arctic ◽

Proof Of Concept ◽

Benthic Organisms ◽

Dispersal Capacity ◽

Reproduction Mode ◽

3 Dimensional ◽

Limited Dispersal

Ice cover, food availability, light intensity, limited dispersal capacity, presence of predators and reproduction mode are just a few of the drivers that influence benthic community dynamics, especially in the Arctic. Benthic organisms can respond to such drivers through morphologic variations, referred to as phenotypic plasticity. These variations are however hard to observe on Arctic whelk (genus Buccinum) and their diversity and extensive distribution increase the complexity of their identification. While genetics analyses can address this problem, they are not broadly accessible. More accessible are landmark-based geometric morphometrics which analytically identifies morphologic variations. This technique aims at identifying shape variations and could be used to identify intra- and inter-species morphologic variability in the genus Buccinum. The main objective of this project is to verify whether landmark-based geometric morphometrics, particularly 3-dimensional, could be used on whelk species. If this proof of concept proves successful, the next step will be to identify new morphologic traits to differentiate species and compare this technique to genetics analyses on multiple Buccinum species. This project could allow researchers to efficiently differentiate between whelk species on the basis of morphologic traits rather than through more demanding genetics analyses.

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Does the seed rain limit recruitment, regeneration, and plant community dynamics?

Ideas in Ecology and Evolution ◽

10.4033/iee.2017.10.3.c ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Randall Myster

Keyword(s):

Plant Community ◽

Community Dynamics ◽

Seed Rain ◽

Plant Community Dynamics

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A MULTIPLE FUNNEL TRAP FOR SCOLYTID BEETLES (COLEOPTERA)

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/ent115299-3 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 115 (3) ◽

pp. 299-302 ◽

Cited By ~ 320

Author(s):

B. S. Lindgren

Keyword(s):

Mountain Pine Beetle ◽

High Efficiency ◽

Sticky Trap ◽

Mass Trapping ◽

Ambrosia Beetles ◽

Sticky Traps ◽

Research Survey ◽

Pine Beetle ◽

Funnel Trap ◽

Vertically Aligned

AbstractThe multiple funnel trap, an efficient, collapsible, non-sticky trap for scolytid beetles, consists of a series of vertically aligned funnels with a collecting jar at the bottom. The trap compared favorably with sticky traps and Scandinavian drainpipe traps for three species of ambrosia beetles and the mountain pine beetle. Minimum maintenance required for this trap allows for high efficiency in pheromone-based research, survey, and mass trapping of scolytid beetles.

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