Premium
Evidence for overlooked mechanisms of long‐distance seed dispersal to and between oceanic islands
Author(s) -
Nogales Manuel,
Heleno Ruben,
Traveset Anna,
Vargas Pablo
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2011.04051.x
Subject(s) - biological dispersal , seed dispersal , ecology , biology , oceanography , environmental science , geography , geology , demography , population , sociology
Ever since Darwin (1859), the dispersal of species from continents to oceanic islands, and between such islands, has been the subject of considerable speculation. These islands are those arising from the seafloor as a result of underwater geologic activity, typically volcanic or coralline, that have never been connected to continental land masses. In his seminal book Dispersal of Plants Throughout the World, Ridley (1930) collated considerable empirical evidence of long-distance dispersal (LDD) and proposed mechanisms responsible for the colonization of remote archipelagos. Later, van der Pijl (1982) summarized traits to define diaspore syndromes related to sea (hydrochory), wind (anemochory) and animal (zoochory) LDD. The latter includes endozoochory (dissemination of seeds in the disperser’s gut) and epizoochory (seeds externally attached to the disperser’s body).This study is framed within a biodiversity project in the Galápagos Islands, financed by BBVA Foundation (Spain). We also thank the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Parque Nacional de Galápagos for giving us logistic support while working there.Peer Reviewe