Pre-dispersal strategies by Quercus schottkyana to mitigate the effects of weevil infestation of acorns.

ABSTRACT: We investigated how pre-dispersal strategies may mitigate the effects of weevil infestation of acorns in a population of Quercus schottkyana, a dominant oak in Asian evergreen broad-leaved forests, and assess if weevil infestation contributes to low seedling recruitment. We counted the number of acorns produced, daily from the end of August to mid-late November for 9 years from 2006-2014. We also recorded the rate of acorn infestation by weevils and acorn germination rates of weekly collections. Annual acorn production was variable, but particularly low in 2011 and 2013. There was no trade-off between acorn production and acorn dry mass. However, acorns produced later in the season were significantly heavier. For most years: (i) the rate of weevil infestation was negatively density depende

SUBMITTER: Xia K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5118682 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature