Seed predation and dispersal pattern of Fagaceae species in a fragmented landscape, eastern China

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2020.0079

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Due to the area effect and edge effect, habitat fragmentation can alter competition intensity, foraging behavior and shelter condition of scatter-hoarders, and consequently affect seed predation and dispersal patterns. Though there have been some studies focusing on seed dispersal in fragmented landscapes, few studies have compared the effects of habitat fragmentation on seed predation and dispersal among multiple species.
Methods To explore how species identity, abundance of scatter-hoarders, seed production, island size and edge effect work together to influence seed fates and dispersal distance, we conducted seed predation and dispersal experiments for six Fagaceae species in the island and mainland forests of the Thousand Island Lake region in Zhejiang Province, eastern China.
Important findings (1) There were significant differences in seed fates and dispersal distance among six Fagaceae species. (2) Seeds were removed faster on the islands than on the mainland, and even faster on smaller islands than on larger islands. Further, seeds were removed faster at the island edges than in the interiors. (3) There was a significant interactive effect between island size and species identity on the probability of seeds eaten in situ. More seeds of Quercus fabri were eaten in situ on larger islands. (4) Seeds had the highest probability of removal on small islands; the relative abundance of scatter-hoarders had a negative effect on the probability of seeds cached. These findings implied that habitat fragmentation altered seed predation and dispersal patterns, and that area effect posed species-specific effects on seed predation and dispersal patterns, which would contribute to forest regeneration and biodiversity maintenance.

Key words: habitat fragmentation, scatter-hoarder, seed fate, dispersal distance

ZHONG Yu-Chen, WANG Bin, FANG Zhong-Ping, XU Xiao-Zhong, YU Ming-Jian. Seed predation and dispersal pattern of Fagaceae species in a fragmented landscape, eastern China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2021, 45(2): 154-162.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2020.0079

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2021/V45/I2/154

Figures/Tables 8

Fig. 1 Study islands in the Thousand Island Lake region. Numbers and letters represent islands mark. See details in Supplement I.

Table 1 Seed mass (mean ± SD) and nut-ripening periods of six Fagaceae species in the study area of the Thousand Island Lake region

物种 Species	种子质量 Seed mass (g)	果期 Nut-ripening periods
短柄枹 Quercus serrata	0.90 ± 0.02^a	9-12月 Sept.-Dec.
青冈 Cyclobalanopsis glauca	1.06 ± 0.02^a	9-10月 Sept.-Oct.
苦槠 Castanopsis sclerophylla	1.64 ± 0.08^b	10-11月 Oct.-Nov.
石栎 Lithocarpus glaber	1.93 ± 0.07^b	7-12月 July-Dec.
白栎 Quercus fabri	2.05 ± 0.03^b	10-12月 Oct.-Dec.
麻栎 Quercus acutissima	7.18 ± 0.34^c	9-12月 Sept.-Dec.

Table 2 Results of the best generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) on seed fates and the best linear mixed model (LMMs) on dispersal distance in the Thousand Island Lake region

固定效应 Fixed factor	原地完好率 IIS (χ²)	原地取食率 EIS (χ²)	扩散率 R (χ²)	扩散后贮藏率 CAR (χ²)	扩散距离 DD (F)
物种 Species	13.61^*	32.63^***	40.40^***	38.17^***	19.40^***
岛屿大小 Island size	-	3.42	6.05^*	1.99	1.49
分散贮食动物相对多度 ASH	0.004	-	-	5.42^*	1.75
种子产量 Seed production	-	-	0.33	-	-
物种×岛屿大小 Species × Island size	-	30.40^***	15.30	10.79	1.86^·
物种×分散贮食动物相对多度 Species ×ASH	11.55^*	-	-	3.15	2.81^*
物种×种子产量 Species × Seed production	-	-	10.52^·	-	-

Fig. 2 Survival analysis of experimental seeds in the study area of the Thousand Island Lake region. A, Different species. B, Different habitat types. C, Edge gradients. Cg, Cyclobalanopsis glauca; Cs, Castanopsis sclerophylla; Lg, Lithocarpus glaber; Qa, Quercus acutissima; Qf, Quercus fabri; Qs, Quercus serrata. BI, big island; M, mainland; MI, medium island; SI, small island.

Fig. 3 Seed fates of six Fagaceae species in the study area of the Thousand Island Lake region. A, Released seeds categorized as eaten in situ (EIS), intact in situ (IIS) and removed (R). B, Dispersed seeds categorized as eaten after removal (EAR), cached after removal (CAR) and missing (M). Cg, Cyclobalanopsis glauca; Cs, Castanopsis sclerophylla; Lg, Lithocarpus glaber; Qa, Quercus acutissima; Qf, Quercus fabri; Qs, Quercus serrata.

Fig. 4 Effects of species and island size on seed fates in the study area of the Thousand Island Lake region (mean + SD). A, Probability of seeds eaten in situ. B, Probability of seeds removed. Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences at the 0.05 level among different species for the same island size. Cg, Cyclobalanopsis glauca; Cs, Castanopsis sclerophylla; Lg, Lithocarpus glaber; Qa, Quercus acutissima; Qf, Quercus fabri; Qs, Quercus serrata.

Fig. 5 Seed dispersal distances of six Fagaceae plants in the study area of the Thousand Island Lake region. Different lowercase letters indicate significant difference at the 0.05 level among different species. Cg, Cyclobalanopsis glauca; Cs, Castanopsis sclerophylla; Lg, Lithocarpus glaber; Qa, Quercus acutissima; Qf, Quercus fabri; Qs, Quercus serrata.

Fig. 6 Effects of species, island size and relative abundance of scatter-hoarders on seed dispersal distances in the study area of the Thousand Island Lake region. A, Relationships between island size and seed dispersal distances for six species (mean + SD). B, Relationships between relative abundance of scatter-hoarders and seed dispersal distances for six species. Different lowercase letters indicate significant difference at the 0.05 level among different species for the same island size. Cg, Cyclobalanopsis glauca; Cs, Castanopsis sclerophylla; Lg, Lithocarpus glaber; Qa, Quercus acutissima; Qf, Quercus fabri; Qs, Quercus serrata.

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