Megafauna Seed Dispersal in the Neotropics: A Meta-Analysis Shows No Genetic Signal of Loss of Long-Distance Seed Dispersal

Abstract Background and Aims Much of our understanding of the ecology and evolution of seed dispersal in the Neotropics is founded on studies involving the animal-dispersed, hyperdiverse plant clade Miconia (Melastomataceae). Nonetheless, no formal attempt has been made to establish its relevance as a model system or indeed provide evidence of the role of frugivores as Miconia seed dispersers. Methods We built three Miconia databases (fruit phenology/diaspore traits, fruit–frugivore interactions and effects on seed germination after gut passage) to determine how Miconia fruiting phenology and fruit traits for >350 species interact with and shape patterns of frugivore selection. In addition, we conducted a meta-analysis evaluating the effects of animal gut passage/seed handling on Miconia germination. Key Results Miconia produce numerous small berries that enclose numerous tiny seeds within water- and sugar-rich pulps. In addition, coexisting species provide sequential, year long availability of fruits within communities, with many species producing fruits in periods of resource scarcity. From 2396 pairwise interactions, we identified 646 animal frugivore species in five classes, 22 orders and 60 families, including birds, mammals, reptiles, fish and ants that consume Miconia fruits. Endozoochory is the main dispersal mechanism, but gut passage effects on germination were specific to animal clades; birds, monkeys and ants reduced seed germination percentages, while opossums increased it. Conclusions The sequential fruiting phenologies and wide taxonomic and functional diversity of animal vectors associated with Miconia fruits underscore the likely keystone role that this plant clade plays in the Neotropics. By producing fruits morphologically and chemically accessible to a variety of animals, Miconia species ensure short- and long-distance seed dispersal and constitute reliable resources that sustain entire frugivore assemblages.

Download Full-text

Mechanistic Analytical Models for Long-Distance Seed Dispersal by Wind

The American Naturalist ◽

10.2307/3473315 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 166 (3) ◽

pp. 368 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Katul ◽

Porporato ◽

Nathan ◽

Siqueira ◽

Soons ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Seed Dispersal ◽

Analytical Models ◽

Long Distance

Download Full-text

Life-threatening and major cardiac events during long-distance races: updates from the prospective RACE PARIS registry with a systematic review and meta-analysis

European Journal of Preventive Cardiology ◽

10.1177/2047487320943001 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 204748732094300

Author(s):

Benoît Gerardin ◽

Paul Guedeney ◽

Anne Bellemain-Appaix ◽

Thomas Levasseur ◽

Hazrije Mustafic ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiac Arrest ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Heat Stroke ◽

Sudden Cardiac Arrest ◽

Cardiac Events ◽

Long Distance ◽

Exertional Heat Stroke ◽

Life Threatening ◽

Long Distance Race

Aims Limited data exist regarding the incidence and aetiology of life-threatening events such as major cardiac events or exertional heat stroke during long-distance races. We aimed to provide an updated incidence, etiology and prognosis of life-threatening events during long-distance races. Methods The prospective RACE PARIS registry recorded all life-threatening events/fatal events occurring during 46 marathons, half-marathons and other long-distance races in the Paris area between 2006 and 2016, comprising 1,073,722 runners. Event characteristics were determined by review of medical records and interviews with survivors. Results The incidence of life-threatening events, exertional heat stroke and major cardiac events was 3.35 per 100,000, 1.02 per 100,000 and 2.33 per 100,000, respectively, including 18 sudden cardiac arrests (1.67 per 100,000). The main aetiology of sudden cardiac arrest was myocardial ischaemia (11/18), due to acute coronary thrombosis (6/11), stable atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (2/11), coronary dissection (1/11), anomalous connection (1/11) or myocardial bridging (1/11). A third of participants with ischaemia-related major cardiac events presented with pre-race clinical symptoms. Major cardiac events were more frequent in the case of a high pollution index (6.78 per 100,000 vs. 2.07 per 100,000, odds ratio 3.27, 95% confidence interval 1.12–9.54). Case fatality was low (0.19 per 100,000). Similarly, we report in a meta-analysis of eight long-distance race registries comprising 16,223,866 runners a low incidence of long-distance race-related sudden cardiac arrest (0.82 per 100,000) and fatality (0.39 per 100,000). Death following sudden cardiac arrest was strongly associated with initial asystole or pulseless rhythm. Conclusion Long-distance race-related life-threatening events remain rare although serious events. Better information for runners on the risk of pre-race clinical symptoms, outside air pollution and temperature may reduce their incidence.

Download Full-text

Animal movement drives variation in seed dispersal distance in a plant–animal network

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2018.2007 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 286 (1894) ◽

pp. 20182007 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

E. Rehm ◽

E. Fricke ◽

J. Bender ◽

J. Savidge ◽

H. Rogers

Keyword(s):

Seed Dispersal ◽

Animal Movement ◽

Bird Species ◽

Dispersal Distance ◽

Dispersal Patterns ◽

Long Distance ◽

Gut Passage ◽

Dispersal Distances ◽

Seed Dispersal Distance ◽

Passage Times

Frugivores play differing roles in shaping dispersal patterns yet seed dispersal distance is rarely quantified across entire communities. We model seed dispersal distance using gut passage times and bird movement for the majority (39 interactions) of known bird–tree interactions on the island of Saipan to highlight differences in seed dispersal distances provided by the five avian frugivores. One bird species was found to be a seed predator rather than a disperser. The remaining four avian species dispersed seeds but differences in seed dispersal distance were largely driven by interspecific variation in bird movement rather than intraspecific variation in gut passage times. The median dispersal distance was at least 56 m for all species-specific combinations, indicating all species play a role in reducing high seed mortality under the parent tree. However, one species—the Micronesian Starling—performed 94% of dispersal events greater than 500 m, suggesting this species could be a key driver of long-distance dispersal services (e.g. linking populations, colonizing new areas). Assessing variation in dispersal patterns across this network highlights key sources of variation in seed dispersal distances and suggests which empirical approaches are sufficient for modelling how seed dispersal mutualisms affect populations and communities.

Download Full-text

Long-Distance Seed Dispersal

Annual Plant Reviews online ◽

10.1002/9781119312994.apr0413 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 204-237 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Frank M. Schurr ◽

Orr Spiegel ◽

Ofer Steinitz ◽

Ana Trakhtenbrot ◽

Asaf Tsoar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Seed Dispersal ◽

Long Distance

Download Full-text

Design and development of a sampling platform to study long distance seed dispersal

OCEANS 2014 - TAIPEI ◽

10.1109/oceans-taipei.2014.6964467 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Jonathan Ogle ◽

John Naglak ◽

Isaac Blue-Eyes ◽

Collin Miller ◽

Aleph Baumbach ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Seed Dispersal ◽

Design And Development ◽

Long Distance

Download Full-text

Long-distance wind dispersal of tree seeds

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b95-113 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 73 (7) ◽

pp. 1036-1045 ◽

Cited By ~ 75

Author(s):

D. F. Greene ◽

E. A. Johnson

Keyword(s):

Seed Dispersal ◽

Conservation Biology ◽

Plant Conservation ◽

Dispersal Distance ◽

Wind Dispersal ◽

Source Strength ◽

Long Distance ◽

Model Predictions ◽

Tree Seeds ◽

The Relationship

Long-distance seed dispersal figures prominently in most plant conservation biology arguments, yet we possess little more than anecdotes concerning the relationship among deposition (seeds/m2), source strength (seeds/m2), and distance. In this paper we derive two simple models for long-distance deposition. The models are tested at the scale of 100–1600 m from the source and found to be within 5-fold of the observed deposition. There is no discernable decline in deposition for the range 300–1600 m. While we hesitate to extend model predictions to greater distances, both the models and the empirical results allow us to assert that rare wind-dispersed species in woodlots (dispersal distance around 1 km) are effectively isolated from one another at the temporal scale of 1000 years. Key words: plant conservation biology, wind dispersal of seeds, metapopulations.

Download Full-text

Long-Distance Seed Dispersal

Fruit Development and Seed Dispersal ◽

10.1002/9781444314557.ch6 ◽

2009 ◽

pp. 204-237 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Frank M. Schurr ◽

Orr Spiegel ◽

Ofer Steinitz ◽

Ana Trakhtenbrot ◽

Asaf Tsoar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Seed Dispersal ◽

Long Distance

Download Full-text

Seed dispersal, spatial distribution and population structure of Brazilnut trees (Bertholletia excelsa) in southeastern Amazonia

Journal of Tropical Ecology ◽

10.1017/s0266467400010749 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 595-616 ◽

Cited By ~ 106

Author(s):

Carlos A. Peres ◽

Claudia Baider

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

Seed Dispersal ◽

Average Distance ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Long Distance ◽

Neotropical Forests ◽

Bertholletia Excelsa ◽

Entire Study ◽

Natural Stands ◽

Seed Shadows

ABSTRACTSeeds of the Brazilnut tree (Bertholletia excelsa Humb. & Bonpl., Lecythidaceae) sustain one of the most important extractive industries in neotropical forests. Yet little is known about the demography and seed dispersal ecology of Bertholletia, particularly in natural stands which have not been previously harvested. This study presents data on the population density, spatial distribution, and seed dispersal ecology of Brazilnut trees at a pristine stand located within the Kayapó Indian Area of southeastern Amazonia, Pará, Brazil. Brazilnut trees were primarily found within groves (castanhais) of 75 to 149 trees, with a few isolated trees in between. Although the density of trees ≥ 10 cm in diameter at breast height (hereafter, dbh) at two groves was 4.8 to 5.1 trees ha–1, the overall density for the entire study area of c. 950 ha was estimated at 1.3 tree ha–1. Within-grove nearest neighbour distances averaged 21 m and were markedly skewed towards even shorter distances. Seed dispersal experiments using 709 marked seeds indicated that this pattern can be largely explained by the highly restricted seed shadows imparted by the main seed dispersal agents of Bertholletia at this site, the red-rumped agouti (Dasyprocta leporina). Agoutis on average scatterhoard Bertholletia seeds to an average distance of 5 m, and rarely beyond 20 m, from seed stations. We suggest that, once edaphic and climatic conditions are suitable, the highly contagious spatial distribution of Bertholletia trees at the landscape level can be largely accounted for by the quantitatively dominant effect of short-distance dispersal by caviomorph rodents, and rare events of long-distance dispersal provided by other vectors. This mechanism of grove formation need not resort to untested conjectures of human dispersal and intentional planting in prehistoric and historic times as it has often been suggested in the literature.

Download Full-text