Closing the gaps for animal seed dispersal: Separating the effects of habitat loss on dispersal distances and seed aggregation.

ABSTRACT: Habitat loss can alter animal movements and disrupt animal seed dispersal mutualisms; however, its effects on spatial patterns of seed dispersal are not well understood. To explore the effects of habitat loss on seed dispersal distances and seed dispersion (aggregation), we created a spatially explicit, individual-based model of an animal dispersing seeds (SEADS-Spatially Explicit Animal Dispersal of Seeds) in a theoretical landscape of 0%-90% habitat loss based on three animal traits: movement distance, gut retention time, and time between movements. Our model design had three objectives: to determine the effects of (1) animal traits and (2) habitat loss on seed dispersal distances and dispersion and (3) determine how animal traits could mitigate the negative effects of habitat loss on th

SUBMITTER: Jones LR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5528214 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature