Small seed size increases the potential for dispersal of wetland plants by ducks
Small seed size increases the potential for dispersal of wetland plants by ducks
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小种子尺寸增加了鸭子传播湿地植物的潜力
DOI：
10.1111/j.1365-2745.2008.01372.x
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发表时间：
2008
影响因子：
5.5
通讯作者：
M. Klaassen
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
M. Soons;C. I. van der Vlugt;Bart van Lith;G. Heil;M. Klaassen
1长距离扩散（LDD）对于动态和短暂栖息地的植物很重要。对于动态湿地生境的植物，水禽通常被认为是重要的LDD媒介。然而，与鸟类对陆地植物的内部传播相比，水禽对湿地植物的内部传播却很少受到关注。我们量化的湿地植物的水禽endozoochorous扩散的能力，并确定成功的扩散的机制，通过比较大量的湿地植物物种的扩散能力。2从动态湿地生境中选取了23种常见植物，对其种子特性进行了测定。我们饲养的所有物种的种子野鸭（鸭platyrhynchos），一种常见的和高度杂食性的鸭种，并量化种子肠道存活，肠道通过速度和随后的发芽。然后，我们使用一个简单的模型来计算种子传播距离。3在23个物种中，共有21个可以被绿头鸭传播，完整的种子回收和随后的成功发芽率高达32%。最快通过野鸭消化道的物种数量最多（高达54%），发芽最好（高达87%）。它们是种子最小的物种。种皮厚度在确定通过绿头鸭肠道的完整通道中仅起次要作用，但与对照种子相比，决定了摄入是否会增强或减少发芽。4模型计算估计，虽然最大的种子很难被野鸭传播，但大多数种子可以传播到780公里，最小的种子可以传播到3000公里，在迁移过程中。5合成。这项研究表明，潜在的机制成功endozoochorous传播湿地植物种子绿头鸭：小种子大小促进快速，因此完整和可行的，通过绿头鸭肠道。绿头鸭可以传播湿地植物种子，但最大的种子物种成功地在相当大的数量（高达32%的摄入的种子）长距离（高达数千公里），因此是重要的传播媒介。
1 Long‐distance dispersal (LDD) is important in plants of dynamic and ephemeral habitats. For plants of dynamic wetland habitats, waterfowl are generally considered to be important LDD vectors. However, in comparison to the internal (endozoochorous) dispersal of terrestrial plants by birds, endozoochorous dispersal of wetland plants by waterfowl has received little attention. We quantified the capacity for endozoochorous dispersal of wetland plants by waterfowl and identified the mechanisms underlying successful dispersal, by comparing the dispersal capacities of a large number of wetland plant species. 2 We selected 23 common plant species from dynamic wetland habitats and measured their seed characteristics. We fed seeds of all species to mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), a common and highly omnivorous duck species, and quantified seed gut survival, gut passage speed and subsequent germination. We then used a simple model to calculate seed dispersal distances. 3 In total 21 of the 23 species can be dispersed by mallards, with intact seed retrieval and subsequent successful germination of up to 32% of the ingested seeds. The species that pass fastest through the digestive tract of the mallards are retrieved in the greatest numbers (up to 54%) and germinate best (up to 87%). These are the species with the smallest seeds. Seed coat thickness plays only a minor role in determining intact passage through the mallard gut, but determines if ingestion enhances or reduces germination in comparison to control seeds. 4 Model calculations estimate that whereas the largest seeds can hardly be dispersed by mallards, most seeds can be dispersed up to 780 km, and the smallest seeds up to 3000 km, by mallards during migration. 5 Synthesis. This study demonstrates the mechanism underlying successful endozoochorous dispersal of wetland plant seeds by mallards: small seed size promotes rapid, and hence intact and viable, passage through the mallard gut. Mallards can disperse wetland plant seeds of all but the largest‐seeded species successfully in relatively large numbers (up to 32% of ingested seeds) over long distances (up to thousands of kilometres) and are therefore important dispersal vectors.