Fleshy fruit traits and seed dispersers: which traits define syndromes?

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Fruit traits and their inter-relationships can affect foraging choices by frugivores, and hence the probability of mutualistic interactions. Certain combinations of fruit traits that determine the interaction with specific seed dispersers are known as dispersal syndromes. The dispersal syndrome hypothesis (DSH) states that seed dispersers influence the combination of fruit traits found in fruits. Therefore, fruit traits can predict the type of dispersers with which plant species interact. Here, we analysed whether relationships of fruit traits can be explained by the DSH. To do so, we estimated the inter-relationships between morphological, chemical and display groups of fruit traits. In addition, we tested the importance of each trait group defining seed disper

SUBMITTER: Rojas TN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9292605 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature