Open AccessComplementarity of epi‐ and endozoochory of plant seeds by free ranging donkeys
Author(s) -
Couvreur Martine,
Cosyns Eric,
Hermy Martin,
Hoffmann Maurice
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
ecography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.973
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1600-0587
pISSN - 0906-7590
DOI - 10.1111/j.0906-7590.2005.04159.x
Subject(s) - biological dispersal , seed dispersal , biology , ecology , seed dispersal syndrome , plant community , species richness , population , demography , sociology
Epizoochory and endozoochory are well‐recognized long‐distance seed dispersal mechanisms, yet their relative importance has hardly been studied before. Here, epi‐ and endozoochory were compared on donkeys foraging in a species‐rich 100 ha coastal dune ecosystem, through in vitro germination of zoochorous material obtained by fur brushing and dung collection. We identified 6675 seedlings of 66 plant species, covering 20% of the species recorded in the study area. Of the 66 species, only 16 occurred in both epi‐ and endozoochory samples, demonstrating the complementarity of both dispersal mechanisms. The species composition in the zoochory samples reflected a strong seasonality, and seedling numbers were partly correlated with species abundance in the study area. The non‐zoochorously dispersed species in the study area differed from the zoochorous species in seed size and weight, plant height, life span, dispersal strategy and seedbank persistence. Dispersal‐relevant plant traits were used to derive dispersal‐functional plant types for all species in the study area. Epizoochory showed to be more specific than endozoochory and was associated with a more narrow range of dispersal‐functional plant types.