Putative 'Dispersal Adaptations' Do Not Explain the Colonisation of a Volcanic Island by Vascular Plants, but Birds Can.

ABSTRACT: Dispersal syndromes based on traits assumed to be adaptations for specific dispersal mechanisms are routinely assigned to flowering plants. Using the colonisation record from a volcanic island formed in 1963, we assess whether dispersal syndromes predict which species establish on newly formed land. We evaluated the long-distance dispersal (LDD) syndromes of the 78 plant species using three European classification systems. Syndrome assignments were inconsistent between classifications (coinciding for ≤ 13% of species). Two systems showed no evidence that LDD syndromes conferred a colonisation advantage. The third classification suggested wind syndromes were favoured, but only assigned a minority of colonisers to LDD syndromes. 'Unassisted' species assumed to lack dispersal adaptations were

SUBMITTER: Wasowicz P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12530702 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature