scholarly journals Multiple Anthropogenic Pressures Lead to Seed Dispersal Collapse of the Southernmost Palm Jubaea chilensis

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastián Cordero ◽  
Francisca Gálvez ◽  
Francisco E. Fontúrbel
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Palm Tree ◽  
Seed Fate ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressures ◽  
Octodon Degus ◽  
Palm Species ◽  
Seed Harvest ◽  
Aging Populations

Seed dispersal is a critical process for plant reproduction and regeneration. Successful recruitment depends on pre- and post-dispersal processes that complete a seed’s journey until becoming a new plant. However, anthropogenic stressors may disrupt the seed dispersal process at some stages, collapsing plant regeneration and hampering its long-term persistence. The Chilean palm tree Jubaea chilensis is the southernmost and the only non-tropical palm species, which currently relies on the scatter-hoarding rodent Octodon degus for seed dispersal. We assessed seed fate by measuring predation and dispersal rates through experimental fieldwork in the Palmar de Ocoa site (located within La Campana National Park) and the Palmar El Salto. We also used previous reports on seed harvest and seedling herbivory to depict the whole J. chilensis seed dispersal process and assess the relative importance of different anthropogenic pressures. We asked the following questions: (1) What is the effect of human harvesting on J. chilensis recruitment? (2) Do native and exotic rodents predate J. chilensis seeds in the same way? and (3) Does post-dispersal herbivory matter? We found that J. chilensis fruits are harvested for human consumption, reducing pre-dispersal available seeds by removing about 23 tons per season. Then, post-dispersal seeds at the Ocoa palm grove are heavily predated by exotic (Rattus rattus) and native (Octodon spp.) rodents; only 8.7% of the seeds are effectively dispersed by Octodon degus. At Palmar El Salto, 100% of the seeds were predated by Rattus rattus, precluding further analysis. Finally, 70% of the seedlings were consumed by exotic herbivores (mainly rabbits), resulting in a success rate of 1.81%. Only 7.9% of the surviving seedlings become infantile plants (4 year-old). Our assessment suggests that J. chilensis has aging populations with very few young individuals in disturbed sites to replace the old ones. For those reasons, we suggest increasing its conservation category to critically endangered as land-use change is rapidly fragmenting and shrinking the extant J. chilensis populations. We urge to take urgent actions to protect this relict palm, which otherwise may go extinct in the next decades.

Short-term post-dispersal fate of seeds defecated by two small primate species (Saguinus mystaxandSaguinus fuscicollis) in the Amazonian forest of Peru

2009 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurence Culot ◽  
Marie-Claude Huynen ◽  
Paul Gérard ◽  
Eckhard W. Heymann
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Seed Fate ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Amazonian Forest ◽  
Saguinus Fuscicollis ◽  
High Quality Seed ◽  
Secondary Seed Dispersal

Abstract:Post-dispersal fate of seeds dispersed by large primates is well studied but little is known about this process in small frugivores like tamarins. This study in the Amazonian forest of Peru aimed at investigating if characteristics related to the defecation patterns of tamarins (Saguinus mystaxandSaguinus fuscicollis) affected short-term post-dispersal seed fate, through secondary seed dispersal by dung beetles and removal by seed predators. Data on dung beetle activity were based on direct observations of 49 defecations while seed fate was studied using semi-controlled experiments (N = 458 for secondary dispersal and N = 398 for predation). Tamarins produce small defecations with a low number of seeds. Thirty-five per cent of defecations were visited by an average of 1.5 dung beetles that usually transport the faeces as pellets. Twenty-four per cent of seeds were buried by beetles at a mean depth of 3.5 cm. With increasing quantities of faecal matter, the probability of secondary seed dispersal increased but not the depth of burial. Seed predation pressure was low (17.6%) after 4 d and higher in faeces ofS. mystaxthan in faeces ofS. fuscicollis. Despite their small size, tamarins could be considered as high-quality seed dispersers, with a potential role for forest regeneration.

scholarly journals First report of Paysandisia archon on Phoenix theophrasti

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kostas Niamouris ◽  
Panagiota Psirofonia
Keyword(s):  
Palm Tree ◽  
First Report ◽  
Educational Institute ◽  
Palm Species ◽  
Technological Educational ◽  
Technological Educational Institute ◽  
First Time

In March 2012 Paysandisia archon, Lepidoptera: Castniidae, a palm tree pest, was found for the first time in the endemic palm species of Crete Phoenix theophrasti. The infestation was detected in the premises of the Technological Educational Institute in Heraklion, Crete. Information on its biology, morphology and distribution is given.

scholarly journals Native seed dispersal by rodents is negatively influenced by an invasive shrub

2021 ◽  
pp. 53-67
Author(s):  
A. F. Malo ◽  
A. Taylor ◽  
M. Díaz
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Seed Predation ◽  
Seedling Survival ◽  
Apparent Competition ◽  
Acer Pseudoplatanus ◽  
Pedunculate Oak ◽  
Seed Fate ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Native Seed ◽  
Open Woodland

Refuge–mediated apparent competition is the mechanism by which invasive plants increase pressure on native plants by providing refuge for generalist consumers. In the UK, the invasive Rhododendron ponticum does not provide food for generalist seed consumers like rodents, but evergreen canopy provides refuge from rodent predators, and predation and pilferage risk are key factors affecting rodent foraging and caching behaviour. Here we used a seed removal/ seed fate experiment to understand how invasion by an evergreen shrub can alter seed dispersal, seed fate and early recruitment of native trees. We used seeds of four species, small and wind–dispersed (sycamore maple Acer pseudoplatanus and European ash Fraxinus excelsior) and large and animal–dispersed (pedunculate oak Quercus robur and common hazel Corylus avellana), and monitored seed predation and caching in open woodland, edge habitats, and under Rhododendron. In the open woodland, wind–dispersed seeds had a higher probability of being eaten in situ than cached seeds, while the opposite occurred with animal–dispersed seeds. The latter were removed from the open woodland and edge habitats and cached under Rhododendron. This pattern was expected if predation risk was the main factor influencing the decision to eat or to cach a seed. Enhanced dispersal towards Rhododendron cover did not increase the prospects for seed survival, as density of hazel and oak saplings under its cover was close to zero as compared to open woodland, possibly due to increased cache pilferage or low seedling survival under dense shade, or both. Enhanced seed predation of ash and sycamore seeds close to Rhododendron cover also decreased recruitment of these trees. Rhododendron patches biased rodent foraging behaviour towards the negative (net predation) side of the conditional rodent / tree interaction. This effect will potentially impact native woodland regeneration and further facilitate Rhododendron spread due to refuge–mediated apparent competition.

scholarly journals Survey and identification of palm tree species at some ornamental plant stores and nurseries in Ho Chi Minh City and using palm trees in garden design

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (04) ◽  
pp. 43-52
Author(s):  
Tien. T. M. Duong
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Comparison Method ◽  
Ornamental Plant ◽  
Ho Chi Minh City ◽  
Palm Tree ◽  
Species Classification ◽  
Morphological Comparison ◽  
Garden Design ◽  
Palm Trees ◽  
Palm Species

The study was conducted from June to September 2020 in Ho Chi Minh City. This research aimed to identify the palm species and incorporate them into the garden design. To investigate the species, 85 ornamental plant stores and nurseries were surveyed in Go Vap district, District 7 and at Highway 22. Then, morphological comparison method was used for plant species classification. According to the analyses, this region had 25 species belonging to 22 genera in the Arecaceae family. Twenty two of the 25 species surveyed were imported and 03 being native to the area. The majority (68%) was solitary-stemmed palms, with the remaining 08 species having clustered trunks (32%). To incorporate palm trees into the garden design, Sketch-up, Lumion, and Photoshop software were used.

scholarly journals Herbicide selectivity in the early development of Alexander palm and peach palm

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 2891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Roberta Gobi Queiroz ◽  
Antonio Carlos Silva Junior ◽  
Maria Renata Rocha Pereira ◽  
Dagoberto Martins
Keyword(s):  
Early Development ◽  
Control Method ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Tree Seedlings ◽  
Palm Tree ◽  
Peach Palm ◽  
Palm Trees ◽  
Randomized Design ◽  
Palm Species ◽  
Plastic Containers

Herbicides are an efficient weed-control method, and herbicide selectivity with regard to palm species is an important subject of agricultural research. Owing to a lack of studies in the literature regarding the use of herbicides on palm trees, especially during the early stages of growth, the present study aimed to evaluate the selectivity of some herbicides during the early development of Alexander palm (Archontophoenix alexandrae) and peach palm (Bactris gasipaes) seedlings. The study was conducted in two seasons in a completely randomized design with eight treatments and four repetitions. The herbicide treatments and dosages (g i.a. ha-1), were as follows: fluazifop-p-butyl (93.8), sethoxydim (184.0), quizalofop-p-ethyl (75.0) clethodim + fenoxaprop-p-ethyl (50.0 + 50.0), fomesafen (225.0), lactofen (168.0), and nicosulfuron (50.0), and a no-herbicide control was included. The seedlings of both types of trees were transplanted into 3.1-L plastic containers. In the first study, herbicide was applied to Alexander palm seedlings of 25–30 cm in height. In the second study, herbicide was applied to Alexander palm seedlings of 30–40 cm in height. Herbicide was applied to peach palm tree seedlings of 40–55 cm in height in both studies. In peach palms only, the herbicides caused slight visible damage during early development. Collectively, the results suggested that all herbicides used are selective and can be used on peach palms during the various stages of development when there are one to four leaves. For Alexander palms, fluazifop-p-butyl, quizalofop-p-ethyl, and lactofen were the only herbicides that did not affect early development during the stages when the plant had one to four leaves.

Seed dispersal and seed fate in Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia)

2012 ◽  
Vol 81 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.A. Waitman ◽  
S.B. Vander Wall ◽  
T.C. Esque
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Seed Fate ◽  
Yucca Brevifolia

Seed dispersal and defecation patterns of Cebus capucinus and Alouatta palliata: consequences for seed dispersal effectiveness

2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 535-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabet V. Wehncke ◽  
Catherine Numa Valdez ◽  
César A. Domínguez
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Tropical Dry Forest ◽  
Cebus Capucinus ◽  
Alouatta Palliata ◽  
Dry Forest ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Seed Fate ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Seed Processing ◽  
Seed Dispersers

Primates are primary seed dispersers for many tropical tree species. Different species of primates vary considerably in ranging and feeding behaviour, seed processing, and in seed defecation patterns. Here we compare the role of two arboreal primate species, howlers (Alouatta palliata), and white-faced monkeys (Cebus capucinus) as seed dispersers in a tropical dry forest in Costa Rica. We found that Cebus produce smaller defecations, spend shorter times feeding per tree, have longer seed dispersal distances, and produce a more scattered pattern of seed deposition in the forest than Alouatta. In addition, Cebus moved more frequently between trees, and consumed fruits of more species than Alouatta. We examined the consequences of the contrasting defecation patterns produced by Cebus and Alouatta on the early seed fate of Acacia collinsii. We found that quantity, but not the identity (Cebus vs. Alouatta) of faecal material affected post-dispersal activity. Seeds in scattered faeces, sufficiently apart from each other (the common defecation pattern of white-faced monkeys), had higher short-term survival than seeds in clumped patterns of faeces (the pattern associated with Alouatta).

scholarly journals Physical and Mechanical Properties of Particleboard Made from Palm Tree Prunings

Forests ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 755 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara-Eugenia Ferrández-García ◽  
Antonio Ferrández-García ◽  
Manuel Ferrández-Villena ◽  
Juan Hidalgo-Cordero ◽  
Teresa García-Ortuño ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Carbon Fixation ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Construction Material ◽  
Physical And Mechanical Properties ◽  
Phoenix Dactylifera ◽  
Palm Tree ◽  
Pressing Time ◽  
Palm Trees ◽  
Palm Species

Palm trees are very fast-growing species. Their management produces annually a large amount of biomass that traditionally has been either disposed of at dumping sites or has been burnt onsite. This paper presents an experimental study to obtain particleboard using this biomass in a low energy process (short pressing time and low pressing temperature), using particles of different sizes from the rachis (midrib) of the three palm species most representative of urban gardening in Spain: canary palm (Phoenix canariensis hort. ex Chabaud), date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and washingtonia palm (Washingtonia robusta H. Wendl). Their physical and mechanical properties were tested, and the feasibility of their use as a construction material was evaluated. The results showed that the manufactured particleboard had similar performance to conventional wood particleboard and good thermal insulation properties. Boards made with the canary species showed better mechanical performance. The properties of the particleboard depended on the particle size and species. The use of the pruning waste of palm trees to produce durable materials such as particleboard could be beneficial to the environment since it is a method of carbon fixation, helping to decrease atmospheric pollution and reducing the amount of waste that ends in dumping sites.

Fragmentation and Alteration of Seed Dispersal Processes: An Initial Evaluation of Dung Beetles, Seed Fate, and Seedling Diversity1

Biotropica ◽  
10.1646/02149 ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 382
Author(s):  
Colin A. Chapman ◽  
Lauren J. Chapman ◽  
Kevina Vulinec ◽  
Amy Zanne ◽  
Michael J. Lawes
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Initial Evaluation ◽  
Seed Fate

Effects of dung presence, dung amount and secondary dispersal by dung beetles on the fate of Micropholis guyanensis (Sapotaceae) seeds in Central Amazonia

2001 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
ELLEN ANDRESEN
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Seedling Emergence ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Howler Monkey ◽  
Burial Depth ◽  
Seed Fate ◽  
Tropical Plants ◽  
Initial Seed ◽  
Seed Fates

The study of seed fate is crucial for understanding fruit-frugivore interactions. One factor that can greatly influence the fate of seeds dispersed through mammal defecation, is the dung that accompanies the seeds. Dung attracts dung beetles and rodents; the former eat and bury dung, the latter feed on seeds. In this study the fate of Micropholis guyanensis subsp. guyanensis seeds surrounded by no dung and by 5, 10 and 25 g of howler monkey dung was followed until seedling establishment. The depths at which dung beetles bury the seeds were measured, and the effect of burial depth on seedling emergence was determined. Although initial seed fates differed among treatments, the same percentage of seedlings established from seeds without faecal material, and from seeds with 5, 10 and 25 g of dung. However, a significantly higher proportion of seedlings established from buried seeds when compared to seeds that remained on the surface. The percentage of seedlings establishing in a controlled germination experiment decreased significantly with increasing burial depth. The effect of dung beetle activity should be taken into consideration when assessing the role that mammal endozoochory plays on seed dispersal ecology of tropical plants. These results provide further evidence for the emerging realization that the study of secondary seed dispersal and post-dispersal events is crucial for a more complete understanding of plant regeneration.

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