Long seed dispersal distances by an inquisitive flightless rail (Gallirallus australis) are reduced by interaction with humans.

ABSTRACT: Human presence is becoming increasingly ubiquitous, but the influence this has on the seed dispersal services performed by frugivorous animals is largely unknown. The New Zealand weka (Gallirallus australis) is an inquisitive flightless rail that frequently congregates in areas of high human use. Weka are important seed dispersers, yet the seed dispersal services they provide are still poorly understood. We estimated seed dispersal distances of weka for two plant species (Prumnopitys ferruginea and Elaeocarpus dentatus) and tested how human interaction affected these dispersal distances. We estimated weka seed dispersal distances by combining GPS data from 39 weka over three sites with weka seed retention time data in a mechanistic model. The mean seed retention times

SUBMITTER: Carpenter JK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6731707 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature