Epizoochorous dispersal by ungulates depends on fur, grooming and social interactions.

ABSTRACT: The transport phase of the animal-mediated plant dispersal process is critical to dispersal effectiveness as it determines the spatial distribution of the diaspores released and their chance for further recruitment. Assessing this specific phase of the dispersal process generally requires combining diaspore retention times with the associated distances covered. Here, we specifically tested the effect of grooming behavior, interindividual contacts and ungulate fur on diaspore retention times and associated dispersal distances for the hooked diaspores of Xanthium strumarium L. experimentally attached to tamed individuals of three ungulate species. We used a comparative approach based on differing fur quality on different body zones of these three ungulates. During 6-hr sessions, we mo

SUBMITTER: Liehrmann O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5792512 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature