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Buttonweed (Cotula coronopifolia) is native to South Africa but invasive in wetlands in Europe, North America, and Australasia, where it excludes native plants. Despite being dry-fruited, field studies suggest migratory waterbirds can disperse its seeds via gut passage (endozoochory), aiding its expansion. To explore the potential for endozoochory in different regions and habitats, we collected seeds from six populations in Spain, Sweden, and the UK. Germination was tested under different salinity levels (0, 5, 10, 15 g/L) and simulated gut passage treatments: scarification, acidification, or both. No germination occurred at 15 g/L. Higher salinity reduced and delayed germination, but full gut passage treatment (i.e., both scarification and acidification) increased germinability and accelerated germination. Scarification or acid treatment alone resulted in intermediate germination patterns. There were significant salinity × population and gut passage × population interactions on germinability. The acceleration effect of gut passage on germination was stronger at 5–10 g/L than at 0 g/L. This study highlights how migratory birds can facilitate the spread of alien plants introduced by humans. Endozoochory by waterbirds is an understudied mechanism for the long-distance dispersal of dry-fruited alien plants. Further research on C. coronopifolia, including population genetics, is necessary to understand dispersal mechanisms and facilitate management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical montane forests in the Andes are hotspots for species diversity and constitute important ecosystems for the provision of numerous services critical for local populations, including biomass/carbon accumulation and hydrological regulation. Additionally, in many countries in the region, these forests are being lost or degraded at alarming rates. Understanding their dynamics in terms of the composition, diversity, structure and function is a key challenge in the region that can inform policies for their sustainable management and conservation. This study focused on the use of monitoring data from ground-based permanent plots (part of the Andean Forest Network) in the two main mountain ranges of the Venezuelan Andes to analyze forest structure, diversity and dynamics over six years (2016-2023), and their potential drivers. We found that although the wetter forests of La Mucuy (northeast) and the more seasonal stands of San Eusebio (northwest) are very similar in terms of overall species richness, they show substantial differences in their species assemblages and their biogeographic origins. Both sites share similarities in tree dispersal strategies and stem turnover rates (mean=1.16%/year), but forests in La Mucuy are significantly more productive, with a mean annual woody productivity rate of 3.09±1.42 Mg C.ha-1.y-1, while this rate was 0.73±0.48 Mg C.ha-1.y-1 in SEU plots. Interestingly, although species richness and composition has not shown significant changes during this 6-year period, both sites have increased their total aboveground biomass, acting as a significant carbon sink, which appears to be largely driven by the growth of large trees in these forests. These results emphasize the need of maintaining long-term monitoring efforts to be able to link more explicitly changes in composition, biodiversity and ecosystem services with changes in environmental drivers under climate change scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersal is a life-history trait of fundamental importance in single- and multi-species systems. Several studies indicate its central role for antagonistic species interactions, modulating ecological and evolutionary processes, epidemiology, spatial dynamics, and patterns of local adaptation. Dispersal itself can evolve, but only recently theoretical and experimental research has recognized the profound implications of this second-order evolutionary process for antagonistic interactions, including host-parasite, host-parasitoid, and predator-prey. We therefore call for more detailed investigations of dispersal evolution and its impact on critical interaction traits, such as virulence and resistance, and the potential for eco-evolutionary feedbacks. Dispersal evolution modifies diverse spatial processes, such as range expansions or biological invasions of single species, but we are currently lacking a realistic vision for metacommunities. Focusing on antagonistic species interactions, we review existing theory of dispersal evolution between natural enemies, and explain how this might be relevant for classic themes in host-parasite evolutionary ecology, namely virulence evolution or local adaptation. Specifically, we highlight the importance of considering the simultaneous (co)evolution of dispersal and interaction traits. Linking such multi-trait evolution with reciprocal demographic and epidemiological feedbacks might change basic predictions about coevolutionary processes and spatial dynamics of interacting species. Future challenges concern the integration of system-specific disease ecology or spatial modifiers, such as spatial network structure or environmental heterogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beta diversity patterns are essential for understanding how biological communities are structured. Geographical and environmental factors, as well as species dispersal ability, are important drivers of beta diversity, but their relative importance may vary across spatial scales. In this study, we evaluate whether beta diversity changes across geographical scales and analyse how different drivers affect turnover patterns of native seed plants in an oceanic archipelago, the Azores (Portugal). Using a 500 × 500 m resolution grid, we selected cells that are covered by one of the following habitats: native forest, naturalized vegetation and seminatural pastures. We calculated species turnover at three spatial scales: 1) between islands, 2) between cells within each island, and finally 3) between cells of each of the habitats of interest in each island. We then calculated the contribution of dispersal syndromes (endozoochory, epizoochory, hydrochory and anemochory) to turnover at each of the scales. Lastly, we assessed the relationship between geographical and climatic distances and habitat type with turnover. Turnover was higher at the smallest spatial scale, particularly in seminatural pastures, and decreased with increasing spatial scales, a pattern potentially associated with the historical fragmentation and current patchy distribution of native forest and seminatural habitats in the Azores. Dispersal syndromes and habitat type had a negligible effect on turnover at all scales. Geographical distance had a positive effect on turnover at all scales, increasing its importance with scale. The relationship between turnover and climatic distance was only significant at the intermediate and small scales in specific islands and habitats. Therefore, scale plays an important role at determining the effect of the drivers of turnover, in particular geographical and climatic distance. These results highlight the need to carefully select the scale of analysis when studying turnover patterns, as well as identifying the potential drivers associated with each spatial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long‐distance seed dispersal is a crucial process determining the distribution of plant biodiversity and, therefore, of major interest in biogeography and macroecology. A recent data article on Global Ecology and Biogeography presented a database of estimated seed‐dispersal distance classes for the European flora, where the classes are defined by the morphological dispersal syndrome of species associated with a single dispersal mode. We explain how this article overlooks literature on the unreliable capacity of dispersal syndromes for predicting key dispersal modes involved in long‐distance seed dispersal. Consequently, the published database does not consider the possibility that individual species can naturally be dispersed through multiple modes (polychory). Most importantly, the database consistently omits seed‐dispersal modes that can mediate dispersal distances several orders of magnitude longer than the mode predicted by the syndromes. This is the case of many terrestrial and aquatic plants dispersed by animals, notably ungulates and waterbirds, and that of coastal plants dispersed by the sea. We thus urge caution when using this database to model potential plant dispersal because long‐distance seed dispersal is underestimated in many species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variation in plant dispersal capabilities strongly influences the assembly of island plant communities. Many tropical plants have seeds capable of long‐distance, often oceanic, dispersal; in some cases, these taxa speciate into island interior endemics with reduced dispersal capabilities, though whether this is a general pattern is debated. Flotation times are highly variable among plants with oceanic dispersal and between such plants and their inland congeners. Here, we experimentally compared salt‐water flotation in three woody plant genera in Palau, Micronesia, comparing broadly distributed and island endemic species within each genus. The widespread Calophyllum inophyllum (with oceanic and vertebrate dispersal), C. soulattri (vertebrate dispersal), and Terminalia catappa had substantially longer flotation than their inland endemic relatives C. pelewense and T. crassipes. This supports the "Loss of dispersal ability" hypothesis for Calophyllum though, for Terminalia, additional phylogenetic information is needed to determine T. crassipes' sister species. Seed flotation in the widespread, oceanic dispersed Pandanus tectorius did not significantly differ from that of the Palau endemics P. palawensis and P. aimiriikensis. Our results highlight that differences among taxa in dispersal modes, speciation modes, and their interactions may influence the assembly of island floras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Is the increase in species diversity patterns towards lower latitudes linked to reproductive traits? Plant reproductive organs influence reproductive isolation and hence species divergence. Abiotic differences between temperate and tropical regions can also directly impact on plant reproductive traits. Here we provide a novel overview of southern hemisphere, Afromontane forest tree taxonomical patterns and ask whether reproductive traits relate to latitude, while accounting for environmental (tree height) and evolutionary (biogeographical affinity) selective forces. Methods We compiled a novel dataset with (1) flower colour, size and pollination syndrome and (2) fruit colour, size and dispersal syndrome for 331 tree species found in six Afromontane forest regions. We categorized each species into latitudinal distribution using these six regions, spanning the southern Cape (34º S) to Mount Kenya (0º S). Additionally, we gathered maximum tree height (m) for each species and determined the global distribution of all 196 tree genera (Afrotropical, Palaeotropical or Pantropical). Key Results Species, genera and families showed a general decrease in richness away from tropical and subtropical forests towards warm temperate forests. Southern Afrotemperate forests (the furthest south) had the highest tree endemism. There was no relationship between latitude and the reproductive traits tested here. Biogeographical affinity related to fruit colour and dispersal syndrome, with palaeotropical genera showing relative increases in black-purple fruit colour compared with pantropical genera, and palaeotropical genera showing relative increases in biotic seed dispersal compared with Afrotropical genera, which showed higher relative abiotic seed dispersal. Taller trees had a higher chance to be wind or insect pollinated (compared with bird pollinated) and had larger fruits. Conclusions Latitude explained patterns in Afromontane tree taxonomic diversity; however, tree reproductive traits did not relate to latitude. We suggest that phylogenetic conservatism or convergence, or both, explain the reported patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buttonweed (Cotula coronopifolia) is native to South Africa but invasive in wetlands in Europe, North America, and Australasia, where it excludes native plants. Despite being dry-fruited, field studies suggest migratory waterbirds can disperse its seeds via gut passage (endozoochory), aiding its expansion. To explore the potential for endozoochory in different regions and habitats, we collected seeds from six populations in Spain, Sweden, and the UK. Germination was tested under different salinity levels (0, 5, 10, 15 g/L) and simulated gut passage treatments: scarification, acidification, or both. No germination occurred at 15 g/L. Higher salinity reduced and delayed germination, but full gut passage treatment (i.e., both scarification and acidification) increased germinability and accelerated germination. Scarification or acid treatment alone resulted in intermediate germination patterns. There were significant salinity × population and gut passage × population interactions on germinability. The acceleration effect of gut passage on germination was stronger at 5–10 g/L than at 0 g/L. This study highlights how migratory birds can facilitate the spread of alien plants introduced by humans. Endozoochory by waterbirds is an understudied mechanism for the long-distance dispersal of dry-fruited alien plants. Further research on C. coronopifolia, including population genetics, is necessary to understand dispersal mechanisms and facilitate management strategies.

ABSTRACT Climate influences species distribution and selects different morphological traits. The Chaco biome has climatic gradients, leading us to question morphological trait distribution. Using Fabaceae as a study model, we aimed to understand how the dispersal traits of this family, such as fruit types, dispersal syndromes and dispersal units, are distributed along the climatic gradients in the Chaco. We performed a spatial analysis in order to generate spatial predictors and thus identify on which spatial scales climate and soil variables are relevant to the distribution of the traits. Also, we used Threshold indicator rate analysis to identify the variation of the traits along the gradients. Temperature seasonality, precipitation seasonality, and annual mean precipitation are significant predictors of the distribution of the analyzed traits. Anemochory and barochory show the occurrence of reductions in intermediate gradient values for temperature seasonality. Regarding precipitation seasonality, craspedium showed greater reductions. At intermediate values of the rainfall gradient, we observed an increase in the occurrence of drupes and follicles. Craspedium increases in drier regions. Understanding the dispersion patterns of Fabaceae, a group of significant ecological and ethnological relevance in the Chaco, should contribute to the consolidation of conservation plans in different dry forest areas in South America.

Seed dispersal, or the movement of diaspores away from the parent location, is a multiscale, multipartner process that depends on the interaction of plant life history with vector movement and the environment. Seed dispersal underpins many important plant ecological and evolutionary processes such as gene flow, population dynamics, range expansion, and diversity. We review exciting new directions that the field of seed dispersal ecology and evolution has taken over the past 40 years. We provide an overview of the ultimate causes of dispersal and the consequences of this important process for plant population and community dynamics. We also discuss several emergent unifying frameworks that are being used to study dispersal and describe how they can be integrated to provide a more mechanistic understanding of dispersal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersal is a central life history trait that affects the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of populations and communities. The recent use of experimental evolution for the study of dispersal is a promising avenue for demonstrating valuable proofs of concept, bringing insight into alternative dispersal strategies and trade‐offs, and testing the repeatability of evolutionary outcomes.Practical constraints restrict experimental evolution studies of dispersal to a set of typically small, short‐lived organisms reared in artificial laboratory conditions. Here, we argue that despite these restrictions, inferences from these studies can reinforce links between theoretical predictions and empirical observations and advance our understanding of the eco‐evolutionary consequences of dispersal.We illustrate how applying an integrative framework of theory, experimental evolution and natural systems can improve our understanding of dispersal evolution under more complex and realistic biological scenarios, such as the role of biotic interactions and complex dispersal syndromes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Understanding the mechanisms underlying the structure and connectivity of ecological communities is a central issue in biogeography. Dispersal syndromes are tightly woven into organisms' life history seen across populations and communities, but measuring dispersal is still complicated in practice. We investigated the role of dispersal syndromes (here, associated with body size, adult flying ability and voltinism) to predict phylogenetic distance decay relationships (DDRs) of aquatic insect assemblages in dendritic stream networks. Location: Du River Basin, China. Taxon: Aquatic insects (Coleoptera, Diptera, Ephemeroptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Megaloptera, Odonata, Plecoptera and Trichoptera). Methods: We applied multiple methods (i.e. deconstruction approach, null models, Mantel tests and partial Mantel tests) to enhance our basic understanding of phylogenetic distance decay patterns. To provide additional insights into correlates of phylogenetic dissimilarity between stream sites, we modelled potential dispersal routes based on overland, watercourse and cost distances. Results: Overland distances were among the main correlates of phylogenetic distance decay in the stream networks studied, suggesting that aquatic insects disperse overland seeking for habitats suitable for survival and reproduction. However, local environmental filtering was generally more important for phylogenetic DDRs than geographical distances alone. The interaction between environmental vs. dispersal processes in driving spatial patterns of phylogenetic dissimilarity was contingent on different dispersal syndromes. More specifically, significant phylogenetic DDRs were detected only for subsets of large‐bodied, univoltine taxa with strong adult flying abilities, such as dragonflies. Main Conclusions: Overall, historical constraints affect the phylogenetic DDRs in aquatic insects. Dispersal syndromes associated with body size, adult flying ability and voltinism are key features underlying distance decay in phylogenetic assemblage similarity and the evolutionary legacies of aquatic insects in dendritic stream networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent field data suggest that migratory gulls disperse many rice field weeds by gut passage (endozoochory), most of which are dry fruited and widely assumed to have no long-distance dispersal mechanisms, except via human activity. We investigated this mechanism with a feeding experiment, in which seeds of five common rice field weeds (in order of increasing seed size: Juncus bufonius, Cyperus difformis, Polypogon monspeliensis, Amaranthus retroflexus, and the fleshy-fruited Solanum nigrum) were fed to seven individuals of lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus held in captivity. We quantified seed survival after collecting faeces at intervals for 33 h after ingestion, then extracting intact seeds and running germination tests, which were also conducted for control seeds. All five species showed high seed survival after gut passage, of >70%. Gut retention times averaged 2–4 h, but maxima exceeded 23 h for all species. Germinability after gut passage was 16–54%, and gut passage accelerated germination in J. bufonius and S. nigrum, but slowed it down in the other species. All species had lower germinability after gut passage compared to control seeds (likely due to stratification prior to the experiment), but the loss of germinability was higher in smaller seeds. There was no evidence that the different dispersal syndromes assigned to the five species (endozoochory, epizoochory or barochory) had any influence on our results. In contrast, mean gut retention time was strongly and positively related to seed size, likely because small seeds pass more quickly from the gizzard into the intestines. Non-classical endozoochory of dry-fruited seeds by waterbirds is a major but overlooked mechanism for potential long-distance dispersal, and more research into this process is likely essential for effective weed management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Rapid evolutionary change during range expansions can lead to diverging range core and front populations, with the emergence of dispersal syndromes (coupled responses in dispersal and life-history traits). Besides intraspecific effects, range expansions may be impacted by interspecific interactions such as parasitism. Yet, despite the potentially large impact of parasites imposing additional selective pressures on the host, their role on range expansions remains largely unexplored. Using microcosm populations of the ciliate Paramecium caudatum and its bacterial parasite Holospora undulata, we studied experimental range expansions under parasite presence or absence. We found that the interaction of range expansion and parasite treatments affected the evolution of host dispersal syndromes. Namely, front populations showed different associations of population growth parameters and swimming behaviours than core populations, indicating divergent evolution. Parasitism reshaped trait associations, with hosts evolved in the presence of the parasite exhibiting overall increased resistance and reduced dispersal. Nonetheless, when comparing infected range core and front populations, we found a positive association, suggesting joint evolution of resistance and dispersal at the front. We conclude that host–parasite interactions during range expansions can change evolutionary trajectories; this in turn may feedback on the ecological dynamics of the range expansion and parasite epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding what drives non‐native species naturalization (the establishment of a self‐sustainable population outside its native range) is a central question in invasion science. Plant capacity for long‐distance dispersal (LDD) is likely to influence the spread and naturalization of non‐native species differently according to their introduction pathways. These pathways include intentional introductions (for economic use, e.g. for agriculture), unintentional introductions (e.g. seed contaminants), plant dispersal via human infrastructures (e.g. roads) and plant spread from an adjacent region where the species was previously introduced. We tested the relationship between sets of LDD traits (syndromes) of 10 308 European plant species and their global naturalization incidence (i.e. whether a species has become naturalized or not) and extent (i.e. the number of regions where a species has become naturalized) using the most comprehensive database of naturalized plants worldwide (GloNAF). Diaspore traits allowed the identification of four traditional LDD syndromes, namely those with specializations for dispersal by: wind (anemochorous), animal ingestion (endozoochorous), attached to animals (epizoochorous) and sea currents (thalassochorous). These evolutionary specializations have been historically interpreted by biologists even though actual dispersal is not always related to diaspore syndromes. We found that while epizoochorous and thalassochorous traits are positively associated with global plant naturalization incidence, anemochorous and endozoochorous traits show a negative relationship. Species' residence time outside their native range, their economic use and presence of epizoochorous traits (such as hooks, hairs and adhesive substances) are positively associated with global naturalization extent. Furthermore, we found that plant economic use reduces the influence of LDD syndromes on the naturalization incidence of intentionally introduced plants. While the success of non‐native plants is influenced by a broad array of species‐ and context‐specific factors, LDD syndromes play an important role in this context depending on the economic use of plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The relation of plant dispersal syndromes with insular species richness patters remains one of the challenges in island biogeography, especially as people have affected species distribution patterns. This study disentangles how dispersal syndromes influence the relationship of richness with area and isolation while also accounting for the human impact on island biodiversity. It builds on the potential of islands at the mesoscale and of similar origin to contribute to the ongoing discussion in island biogeography on what determines species richness and filtering. Location: Denmark, 54 islands in the North and Baltic Sea. Taxon: Vascular plants, including pteridophytes. Methods: Generalized linear models (GLMs) and linear regressions are used to analyse how dispersal syndromes influence the relationships of species numbers with island area and isolation, as well as island inhabitation and human density, respectively. Results: Species numbers, seed mass and the proportion of zoochore and anemochore species are positively related to island area while the share of water‐dispersed species decreases with increasing area. Isolation is weakly related to mean seed mass but has no explaining power for species numbers and the presence of specific dispersal syndrome on the target islands. Species richness and seed mass were positively related to human presence. Main conclusions: Human impact for centuries has not overwritten the strong relationship of species richness with area on the Danish Islands but is affecting the shape of this relationship. Island area constitutes a strong filter for different dispersal syndromes and leads to the assumption that heavier and animal‐dispersed seeds are positively related to area due to the presence of more bird and mammal species. Human‐induced loss of isolation caused by ongoing traffic and the connection of landmasses by bridges and ferries may be a reason for the overall low explanatory power of island isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

These simplified seed dispersal syndromes can be a valuable heuristic for generalizing and predicting diaspore movement, but seed dispersal is often more complex. I detected a presumably undescribed seed dispersal strategy during an experiment exploring seed dispersal in a diffuse mutualism. Keywords: anemochory; coevolution; diffuse mutualism; dispersal kernel; dispersal syndromes; dispersal vectors; epizoochory; long distance dispersal; nonstandard dispersal; polychory; seed dispersal; zoochory EN anemochory coevolution diffuse mutualism dispersal kernel dispersal syndromes dispersal vectors epizoochory long distance dispersal nonstandard dispersal polychory seed dispersal zoochory 1 4 4 06/06/22 20220601 NES 220601 Ecologists often use morphological characteristics to infer mechanisms of seed dispersal. Anemochory, long distance dispersal, polychory, seed dispersal, coevolution, diffuse mutualism, dispersal kernel, dispersal syndromes, dispersal vectors, epizoochory, nonstandard dispersal, zoochory. [Extracted from the article]

Evidence accumulates that dispersal is correlated with individual behavioural phenotype (dispersal syndrome). The evolutionary causes and consequences of such covariation depend on the degree of plasticity versus inheritance of the traits, which requires challenging experiments to implement in mobile organisms. Here, we combine a forced dispersal experiment, natural colonization and longitudinal data to establish if dispersal and aggression levels are integrated and to test their adaptive nature in pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca). We found that (forced) dispersers behaved more aggressively in their first breeding year after dispersal and decreased their aggression in following years. Strength of dispersal syndrome and direction of fecundity selection on aggression in newly colonized areas varied between years. We propose that the net benefits of aggression for dispersers increase under harsh conditions (e.g. low food abundance). This hypothesis now warrants further testing. Overall, this study provides unprecedented experimental evidence that dispersal syndromes can be remodelled via adaptive plasticity depending on the individuals' local breeding experience and/or year-specific ecological conditions. It highlights the importance of individual behavioural variation in population dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Question: Is there a decrease in the richness, structural variables and composition similarity of woody Cerrado species with habitat–matrix distance, potentially influenced by soil compaction and propagule dispersal strategies in the pasture matrix? Location: We studied three landscapes of a pasture matrix in areas of the Cerrado biome in southwestern São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: We sampled 110 plots of 2 m × 2 m in the matrix, stratified in ranges perpendicular to the edge of the habitat, and 10 plots in the forest with no edge effect (60 m from the edge). We undertook soil sampling and collected information about the plants (taxonomy, height, circumference and establishment form by germination or resprouting). We defined habitat distance as the predictor variable for the following response variables: abundance, richness, establishment form, mean height, mean diameter at soil height and dispersal syndrome of the individuals sampled; in addition to the porosity and bulk density of the sampled soil. Results: We found significant differences between habitat and matrix for abundance, richness, mean height and germination number, but non-significant differences for resprouting number and mean diameter at soil height. There was no relationship regarding matrix–habitat distances for structural variables, and habitat species composition was similar only for the first 10 m distance from the habitat edge. Conclusion: Pasture did not prevent plant establishment but might act as an environmental filter. Pasture matrices modify the composition and diversity of the plant community compared with the Cerrado community. Pastures are dominated by resprouting, autochory and grassland species. Regenerating plants from the propagule bank of the matrix showed the potential for natural regeneration of Cerrado areas in pasture as a restoration strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mulching use in agriculture has been known since 1802 as the practice of spreading dry leaves and straw on the soil to prevent erosion and water loss. Our study evaluated the mulch effectiveness in the establishment of regenerating seedlings and its contribution to the control of exotic grasses. The studies were carried out in an ecological restoration area in the municipality of Itapira-SP. The treatment with mulching consisted in chemical desiccation with glyphosate herbicide application, keeping the dry grass on the ground. In the control treatment, after chemical weeding, the grass was removed with manual mowing, exposing the soil. Eight months after implantation, we sampled all regenerating seedlings in 100 plots of 50 x 50 cm in each treatment. We considered as seedlings all individuals of tree species less than 100 cm tall. We calculated richness, abundance, similarity, and the relationship of the frequency of seedlings to the height of the mulch. We sampled eight species with 42 seedlings, with only one not identified. The highest abundance and species richness were found in the treatment with mulch (n = 34 individuals; eight species), the most abundant being Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (14 individuals) followed by Solanum mauritianum Scop. (11 individuals), and Platypodium elegans Vog. (three individuals). The presence of exotic grasses was lower in the plots of the mulching (13%) compared to the control treatment (67%). The highest frequency of seedlings was obtained with mulch height from 21 to 37 cm. We suggest that adaptive management practices, such as the use of the mulching technique, can be implemented in ecological restoration areas, because they favor the natural regeneration of native seedlings and can contribute to the control of exotic grasses, but the height of the layer must be controlled.

Recent field data suggest that migratory gulls disperse many rice field weeds by gut passage (endozoochory), most of which are dry fruited and widely assumed to have no long-distance dispersal mechanisms, except via human activity. We investigated this mechanism with a feeding experiment, in which seeds of five common rice field weeds (in order of increasing seed size: Juncus bufonius, Cyperus difformis, Polypogon monspeliensis, Amaranthus retroflexus, and the fleshy-fruited Solanum nigrum) were fed to seven individuals of lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus held in captivity. We quantified seed survival after collecting faeces at intervals for 33 h after ingestion, then extracting intact seeds and running germination tests, which were also conducted for control seeds. All five species showed high seed survival after gut passage, of >70%. Gut retention times averaged 2–4 h, but maxima exceeded 23 h for all species. Germinability after gut passage was 16–54%, and gut passage accelerated germination in J. bufonius and S. nigrum, but slowed it down in the other species. All species had lower germinability after gut passage compared to control seeds (likely due to stratification prior to the experiment), but the loss of germinability was higher in smaller seeds. There was no evidence that the different dispersal syndromes assigned to the five species (endozoochory, epizoochory or barochory) had any influence on our results. In contrast, mean gut retention time was strongly and positively related to seed size, likely because small seeds pass more quickly from the gizzard into the intestines. Non-classical endozoochory of dry-fruited seeds by waterbirds is a major but overlooked mechanism for potential long-distance dispersal, and more research into this process is likely essential for effective weed management.

Dispersal is a critically important process that dictates population persistence, gene flow, and evolutionary potential, and is an essential element for identifying species conservation risks. This study aims to investigate the contributions of dispersal syndromes and hydrographic barriers on patterns of population connectivity and genetic structure in fishes occupying the particularly rugged and fragmented landscape of the Kimberley Plateau, Western Australia.We assessed population genetic structure between three neighbouring catchments (the Mitchell, King Edward, and Drysdale rivers) in three congeneric groups of freshwater fishes that exhibit varied dispersal syndromes within and among groups: (1) Melanotaenia australis and M. gracilis; (2) Syncomistes trigonicus and S. rastellus; and (3) Hephaestus jenkinsi and H. epirrhinos. Within each species we sampled the upper, middle, and lower reaches of each catchment and assessed patterns of gene flow between and within catchments using microsatellite markers.Our results suggest that contemporary connectivity between catchments is greatly limited or absent in all study species, regardless of their dispersal syndromes. However, gene flow within catchments varied in line with predicted dispersal potential, with poor dispersers exhibiting limited gene flow and significant genetic structuring.We conclude that the rugged landscape and historical habitat isolation has contributed to patterns of population fragmentation among fish populations from different river catchments. However, it appears dispersal syndromes influence connectivity and gene flow within catchments, where landscape constraints are not as pervasive.This study presents a comparative population genetic analysis of freshwater fishes with differing dispersal syndromes and colonisation ability. Our findings provide new insights into factors shaping patterns of biodiversity on the Kimberley Plateau, and the evolutionary uniqueness of fish communities from different river catchments draining the plateau. More broadly, they highlight the importance of accounting for dispersal‐related traits when planning management and conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mulching use in agriculture has been known since 1802 as the practice of spreading dry leaves and straw on the soil to prevent erosion and water loss. Our study evaluated the mulch effectiveness in the establishment of regenerating seedlings and its contribution to the control of exotic grasses. The studies were carried out in an ecological restoration area in the municipality of Itapira-SP. The treatment with mulching consisted in chemical desiccation with glyphosate herbicide application, keeping the dry grass on the ground. In the control treatment, after chemical weeding, the grass was removed with manual mowing, exposing the soil. Eight months after implantation, we sampled all regenerating seedlings in 100 plots of 50 x 50 cm in each treatment. We considered as seedlings all individuals of tree species less than 100 cm tall. We calculated richness, abundance, similarity, and the relationship of the frequency of seedlings to the height of the mulch. We sampled eight species with 42 seedlings, with only one not identified. The highest abundance and species richness were found in the treatment with mulch (n = 34 individuals; eight species), the most abundant being Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (14 individuals) followed by Solanum mauritianum Scop. (11 individuals), and Platypodium elegans Vog. (three individuals). The presence of exotic grasses was lower in the plots of the mulching (13%) compared to the control treatment (67%). The highest frequency of seedlings was obtained with mulch height from 21 to 37 cm. We suggest that adaptive management practices, such as the use of the mulching technique, can be implemented in ecological restoration areas, because they favor the natural regeneration of native seedlings and can contribute to the control of exotic grasses, but the height of the layer must be controlled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Worldwide, the Atlantic forest domain is considered one of the 34 biodiversity hotspots. In the Northeast region of Brazil, only 2% of its original territory is covered by forests, and part of these forested areas are found in the form of enclaves (“Northeastern brejos”) surrounded by the Thorny woodland. This study aimed to identify the phytogeographic patterns of the species of Leguminosae present in an area of Atlantic forest domain in Northeast Brazil and relate these patterns to abiotic and/or biotic factors to explain the current distribution. For this goal, a floristic inventory was carried out with assessments of dispersal syndromes for each species and construction of maps with distribution patterns. For Baturité Mountain, 60 genera and 128 species of Leguminosae were found. Twelve distribution patterns were identified, ranging from restricted to the Northeast region of Brazil to extracontinental. Long-distance dispersion events were the best explanation for the extracontinental distribution pattern, whereas vicariance can explain distribution restricted to the American continent.

Aim: Environmental niche tracking is linked to the species ability to disperse. While well investigated on large spatial scales, dispersal constraints also influence small‐scale processes and may explain the difference between the potential and the realized niche of species at small scales. Here we test whether niche size and niche fill differ systematically according to dispersal syndrome within isolated oceanic islands. We expect that species with higher dispersal abilities (anemochorous or endozoochorous) will have a higher niche fill, despite their environmental niche size. Location: Azores archipelago. Taxon: Native seed plants. Methods: We combined a georeferenced database of the species distribution within the archipelago (Azorean Biodiversity Portal/GBIF) with an expert‐based dispersal syndrome categorization and a high‐resolution climatic grid (CIELO model). Using four climatic variables (Annual Mean Temperature, Mean Diurnal Range, Annual Precipitation, Precipitation Seasonality), we calculated a four‐dimensional hypervolume to estimate the niche size of each species. Niche fill was quantified as the suitable climatic space of the island that was occupied by the focal species. Results: We found a significant relationship between dispersal syndromes and niche size, and also between dispersal syndromes and niche fill. Such relationships presented no phylogenetic signal. Endozoochorous species display higher niche fill compared to epizoochorous and hydrochorous species, and larger niches than anemochorous and epizoochorous. Differences among the remaining groups are not significant for either niche size or for niche fill. Main conclusions: The ability of a species to track its niche at small scales is not tightly related to its dispersal syndrome, although endozoochorous species track their niche more efficiently than the rest of groups. Despite being intuitively appealing, dispersal syndrome classifications might not be the most appropriate tools for understanding dispersal processes at small scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Woody and herbaceous plants have different phenological strategies in seasonally dry vegetation. • In the Brazilian Chaco vegetation, there was continuous leaf flush and leaf fall. However, in contrast to the woody plants, the herbaceous plants tend to have some fluctuations throughout the year. • The flowering of herbaceous plants is more intense during the rainy season, while woody plants have two flowering peaks, one of which is in the dry season. • The fruiting of herbaceous species is concentrated in the rainy season, while in woody species, the mean dates differed between plants with biotic and abiotic dispersion. • We did not detect phylogenetic signals regarding the phenological patterns of the dispersal phase, although dispersal modes help to explain fruiting phenology, especially in woody species. Plant growth and reproduction patterns may be closely associated with environmental seasonality, but the high diversity of plant strategies has revealed complex phenological patterns. Here, we evaluate the occurrence, duration, and seasonality of vegetative and reproductive phenophases of the Brazilian Chaco vegetation. In addition, we summarize the results of a systematic literature review about the phenology of herbaceous and woody plants in different types of seasonal vegetation in the South American Dry Diagonal. Woody plants have a high intense leaf fall and low leaf flush during the dry season in the Brazilian Chaco, whereas in herbaceous plants these phenophases have more fluctuations. In both types, flowering and fruiting are continuous, not uniform, and mainly concentrate during the rainy season. However, woody species present two intensity peaks independent of rainfall, mean temperature, photoperiod, or soil water availability. In turn, in herbaceous species, flowering and fruiting responded to local climatic variables and photoperiod, presenting a peak of intensity during the rainy season. The rainy season plays an important role in plant growth and reproduction in seasonal climates around the world, mainly due to the energetic demand for plants. Like other vegetation types with seasonal climates, particularly in the South American Dry Diagonal, the Brazilian Chaco presents a wide range of phenological patterns, with generally different patterns between woody and herbaceous species. Community-level phenological studies conducted in areas with a seasonal climate have globally focused only on reproduction in relation to vegetative phenology, mostly ignoring herbaceous flora. Here, we emphasize that the phenological complementarity between the woody and herbaceous components is of great importance in maintaining the availability of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersal is a key trait linking ecological and evolutionary dynamics, allowing organisms to optimize fitness expectations in spatially and temporally heterogeneous environments. Some organisms can either actively disperse or reduce activity in response to challenging conditions, and both responses may be under a trade‐off. To understand how such organisms respond to changes in environmental conditions, we studied emigration (the first step of dispersal) and activity behaviour in the gonochoric land snail Pomatias elegans, a litter decomposer that can reach very high local densities, over most of the range of ecologically relevant densities. We found that crowding had no detectable effect on emigration tendency in this species, contrary to previous results in many hermaphroditic snails. Pomatias elegans is nonetheless able to detect population density; we show they reduce activity rather than increase dispersal in response to crowding. We propose that limiting activity may be more advantageous than moving away in species with especially poor movement abilities, even by land mollusc standards, such as P. elegans. Interestingly, emigration and activity were positively correlated independently of density; this dispersal syndrome may reflect an underlying pace‐of‐life syndrome and is compatible with a dispersal‐dormancy trade‐off, which would require further investigation. Additionally, we found snails with heavier shells relative to their size tended to be less mobile, which may reflect physical and metabolic constraints on movement and/or survival during inactivity. We finally discuss how the absence of density‐dependent dispersal may explain why P. elegans is often found at very high local densities, and the possible consequences of this behaviour for ecosystem functioning and litter decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Restinga vegetation, which is a vegetation type of coastal zones, are present in two geomorphological features in the North coast of Sergipe state - Brazil: litoraneous dunes (LD) and continental dunes (CD). The objective of the present paper is to record the species composition, Raunkiaer’s life forms, dispersal syndromes and soil fertility differences between both habitats. Furthermore, we compared the life forms spectra of the studied features to the spectra of the main Brazilian phytogeographic domains. We conducted a floristic survey from November 2013 to May 2014 in different Restinga areas in two dune habitats in coastal Sergipe state, Brazil, and compared differences in the two localities. Although the two areas were geographically close, there was low floristic similarity between the two habitats; CD showed higher richness than LD. The spectrum of life forms was more similar to that of Caatinga, probably due to environmental similarities. Life forms and dispersal syndromes proportions significantly differed between features, as well as the pH, organic matter, phosphorus, sodium and base saturation index. Zoochory prevailed in both features, whereas phanerophytes prevailed in CD and chamaephytes and phanerophytes in LD. Despite the influence of historical processes, micro-environmental differences between features, which were amplified by their different distances from the sea, were assumingly responsible for the recorded differences.

Aims: Research into the dispersal of plants lacking a fleshy fruit by avian endozoochory remains limited, particularly regarding the different roles of specific vectors in the same habitat. Methods: We compared plants dispersed by endozoochory between two migratory waterbirds differing in body size: the lesser black‐backed gull Larus fuscus, and the white stork Ciconia ciconia. We collected faeces and pellets from roosting flocks on dykes in rice fields in Doñana, SW Spain, and extracted intact seeds. Results: We recovered 424 intact seeds from excreta, representing 21 plant taxa, 11 of which germinated under laboratory conditions. Eight plant species are considered weeds, four of them as alien species, and only two have a fleshy fruit. Seed abundance and species richness per sample did not differ between storks and gulls. Toadrush (Juncus bufonius) was the dominant species, accounting for 49% of seeds recovered. PERMANOVA and mvabund analyses revealed no differences in the proportions of each plant species dispersed by the two vectors, and seasonal variation in abundance was absent. Overall, germinability was 19%, and declined with increasing delay between sample collection and processing. Transects along dykes identified 52 plant taxa, only 18 of which were recorded in excreta. Conclusions: Overlap in the communities of non‐fleshy‐fruited plants dispersed by two unrelated birds of different size suggests that waterbird plant dispersal networks are different from frugivore networks. Unlike for frugivores, decoupling between seed production and ingestion reduces seasonal variation in endozoochory rates. For Juncus bufonius and other plants, these avian vectors provide maximum dispersal distances several orders of magnitude greater than predicted from their dispersal syndromes. Endozoochory by migratory waterbirds has major implications for plant distributions in a rapidly changing world, and more research is required before we can predict which plants disperse regularly via this mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Dispersal is a central process in ecology and evolution. It strongly influences the dynamics of spatially structured populations and affects evolutionary processes by shaping patterns of gene flow. For these reasons, dispersal has received considerable attention from ecologists, evolutionary biologists, and conservationists. Although it has been studied extensively in taxa such as birds and mammals, much less is known about dispersal in vertebrates with complex life cycles such as pond-breeding amphibians. Over the past two decades, researchers have taken an ever-increasing interest in amphibian dispersal and initiated both basic and applied studies, using a broad range of experimental and observational approaches. This body of research reveals complex dispersal patterns, causations, and syndromes, with dramatic consequences for the demography and genetics of amphibian populations. In this review, our goals are to: redefine and clarify the concept of amphibian dispersal; review current knowledge about the effects of individual (i.e., condition-dependent dispersal) and environmental (i.e., context-dependent dispersal) factors during the three stages of dispersal (i.e., emigration, transience, and immigration); identify the demographic and genetic consequences of dispersal in spatially structured amphibian populations; and propose new research avenues to extend our understanding of amphibian dispersal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While Psittaciformes (parrots and allies) are well-recognized as highly-mobile seed predators, their role as seed dispersers has been overlooked until very recently. It remains to be determined whether this role is anecdotic or is a key mutualism for some plant species. We recently found that the large nut-like seeds of the two South American Araucaria tree species (Araucaria araucana in Andean forests and Araucaria angustifolia in Atlantic forests, weighing c. 3.5 and 7 g, respectively) are frequently dispersed, and to long distances, by parrots. Moreover, both observational and experimental work demonstrated that dispersed seeds can germinate faster after partial predation by parrots. Here, we hypothesized that a third, even larger-seeded (17.5 g) congeneric Australian species (A. bidwillii) is also dispersed by parrots. We surveyed 52 A. bidwillii and 42 A. cunninghamii (a sympatric species with small winged seeds, c. 0.2 g) during the seeding period. We found that sulfur-crested cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) consumed large amounts of seeds from all of the A. bidwillii trees surveyed. Cockatoos dispersed ca. 30% of the seeds they removed from the mother tree, carrying the seeds to distant perches for handling or dropped them while flying. Dispersal distances ranged between 10 and 153 m (mean = 61 m). Most seeds handled for consumption (93%) were fully eaten but others were dropped intact (3%) or only partially eaten (4%), and germination was confirmed for both intact and partially-eaten dispersed seeds. Moreover, seeds dropped by cockatoos facilitated secondary seed dispersal by conspecifics and another three bird species. We found no evidence of other primary dispersal species for A. bidwillii, while the small, winged seeds of Araucaria cunninghamii were only dispersed through barochory and anemochory. The seed weight of the three Araucaria species dispersed by zoochory is strongly related to the body mass of their main seed-disperser parrot species. These results support a role for parrots as key dispersers of the three large-seeded Araucaria species around the world, and suggest that large seeds may have evolved–at least partially–as an adaptation that allows trees to attract parrots, satiate them, and benefit from their long-distance seed dispersal services.

Studies on the relationship between behavioral traits and dispersal are necessary to understand the evolution of dispersal syndromes. Empirical studies have mainly focused on natal dispersal, even though behavioral differences between dispersers and philopatric individuals are suspected to hold through the whole life cycle, potentially affecting breeding dispersal propensity. Using capture–mark–recapture data and behavioral trials in a forest passerine, the thorn‐tailed rayadito Aphrastura spinicauda, we describe inter‐individual differences in exploratory behavior and aggressiveness, and investigate the relationship between those traits and breeding dispersal. Our study took place in Fray Jorge National Park, north‐central Chile, where a relatively isolated population of rayaditos inhabits a naturally fragmented environment. We found that scores for behavioral traits were consistent between years. Exploratory behavior was similar between sexes, while males showed higher levels of aggression towards a conspecific male intruder. Only exploratory behavior was related to breeding dispersal propensity, with fast‐exploring rayaditos being more likely to have dispersed between seasons. This finding provides indirect evidence for the existence of a dispersal strategy that could reduce dispersal costs in the fragmented landscape of Fray Jorge. To our knowledge, this is the first study documenting an association between breeding dispersal and exploratory behavior in a wild bird population. A longitudinal individual‐based study will help determining whether this association constitutes a behavioral syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersal often covaries with other traits, and this covariation was shown to have a genetic basis. Here, we wanted to explore to what extent genetic constraints and correlational selection can explain patterns of covariation between dispersal and key life‐history traits—lifespan and reproduction. A prediction from the fitness‐associated dispersal hypothesis was that lower genetic quality is associated with higher dispersal propensity as driven by the benefits of genetic mixing. We wanted to contrast it with a prediction from a different model that individuals putting more emphasis on current rather than future reproduction disperse more, as they are expected to be more risk‐prone and exploratory. However, if dispersal has inherent costs, this will also result in a negative genetic correlation between higher rates of dispersal and some aspects of performance. To explore this issue, we used the dioecious nematode Caenorhabditis remanei and selected for increased and decreased dispersal propensity for 10 generations, followed by five generations of relaxed selection. Dispersal propensity responded to selection, and females from high‐dispersal lines dispersed more than females from low‐dispersal lines. Females selected for increased dispersal propensity produced fewer offspring and were more likely to die from matricide, which is associated with a low physiological condition in Caenorhabditis nematodes. There was no evidence for differences in age‐specific reproductive effort between high‐ and low‐dispersal females. Rather, reproductive output of high‐dispersal females was consistently reduced. We argue that our data provide support for the fitness‐associated dispersal hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersal involves many behavioural interactions that if inefficient or ineffectual would lead to serious fitness consequences. Such costs would be particularly dear for passively dispersing organisms for which direction of movement is determined by external forces. In this study, we investigated whether environment and morphology influence dispersal behaviours of a passive, aerially dispersing organism, the eriophyoid wheat curl mite, Aceria tosichella. We used a wind tunnel to generate stable wind speeds and analysed mite behaviour, morphology and dispersal rate for each wind speed treatment. We found that dispersal events were phenotype and context dependent with an important behavioural component. Aerial dispersal increased significantly via chains formed by individuals and mites dispersing in chains were significantly more elongated than controls. This difference in shape interacted significantly with wind speed but diminished at high wind speeds. Contrary to expectations, we found that an upright position was not related to the likelihood of being blown away. The results indicate that departure events for this mite are influenced by the interaction of behaviour, morphology and environment. Our study represents a substantial step toward explaining wheat curl mite dispersal and its colonization potential, with implications for passively dispersing organisms in general. • We tested how behaviour, morphology and environment influence passive dispersal. • Passive dispersal events are both phenotype and context dependent. • Most aerial dispersal is by mites engaged in chain-forming behaviour. • Regarding morphology, aerial dispersal relates to body shape rather than size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Nativa is the property of Revista Nativa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: Seed dispersal is an essential, yet often overlooked process in plant ecology and evolution, affecting adaptation capacity, population persistence and invasiveness. A species’ ability to disperse is expected to covary with other life‐history traits to form dispersal syndromes. Dispersal might be linked to the rate of life history, fecundity or generation time, depending on the relative selection pressures of bet‐hedging, kin competition or maintaining gene flow. However, the linkage between dispersal and plant life‐history strategies remains unknown because it is difficult to observe, quantify and manipulate the influence of dispersal over large spatiotemporal scales. We integrate datasets describing plant vital rates, dispersal and functional traits to incorporate dispersal explicitly into the rich spectra of plant life‐history strategies. For 141 plant species, we estimated dispersal ability by predicting maximum dispersal distances using allometric relationships based on growth form, dispersal mode, terminal velocity and seed mass. We derived life‐history traits from matrix population models parameterized with field data from the COMPADRE Plant Matrix Database. We analysed the covariation in dispersal ability and life‐history traits using multivariate techniques. We found that three main axes of variation described plant dispersal syndromes: the fast‐slow life‐history continuum, the dispersal strategy axis and the reproductive strategy axis. On the dispersal strategy axis, species’ dispersal abilities were positively correlated with aspects of fast life histories. Species with a high net reproductive rate, a long window of reproduction, low likelihood of escaping senescence and low shrinkage tendencies disperse their seeds further. The overall phylogenetic signal in our multidimensional analyses was low (Pagel's λ < 0.24), implying a high degree of taxonomic generality in our findings. Synthesis. Dispersal has been largely neglected in comparative demographic studies, despite its pivotal importance for populations. Our explicit incorporation of dispersal in a comparative life‐history framework provides key insights to bridge the gap between dispersal ecology and life‐history traits. Species with fast life‐history strategies disperse their seeds further than slow‐living plants, suggesting that longer dispersal distances may allow these species to take advantage of habitats varying unpredictably in space and time as a bet‐hedging strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims The relationship between fruiting phenology and seed dispersal syndrome is widely recognized; however, the interaction of dormancy classes and plant life-history traits in relation to fruiting phenology and seed dispersal is understudied. Here we examined the relationship between fruiting season and seed dormancy and how this relationship is modulated by dormancy classes, dispersal syndromes, seed mass and seed moisture content in a Brazilian savanna (cerrado). Methods Dormancy classes (non-dormancy and physical, morphological, morphophysiological, physiological and physiophysical dormancy) of 34 cerrado species were experimentally determined. Their seed dispersal syndrome (autochory, anemochory, zoochory), dispersal season (rainy, dry, rainy-to-dry and dry-to-rainy transitions), seed mass and moisture contents, and the estimated germination date were also determined. Log-linear models were used to evaluate how dormancy and dormancy classes are related to dispersal season and syndrome. Key Results The proportions of dormant and non-dormant species were similar in cerrado. The communityestimated germination date was seasonal, occurring at the onset of rainy season. Overall, anemochorous nondormant species released seeds during the dry-to-rainy transition; autochorous physically dormant species dispersed seeds during the dry season and rainy-to-dry transition; zoochorous species dispersed non-dormant seeds during the dry and rainy seasons, while species with morphological, morphophysiological or physiological dormancy dispersed seeds in the transitional seasons. Seed mass differed among dispersal seasons and dormancy classes, but seed moisture content did not vary with dispersal syndrome, season or dormancy class. Conclusions The beginning of the rainy season was the most favourable period for seed germination in cerrado, and the germination phenology was controlled by both the timing of seed dispersal and seed dormancy. Dormancy class was influenced by dispersal syndrome and season. Moreover, dormancy avoided seed germination during the rainy-to-dry transition, independently of dispersal syndrome. The variability of dormancy classes with dispersal syndrome allowed animal-dispersed species to fruit all year round, but seeds germinated only during the rainy season. Conversely, seasonally restricted wind-dispersal species dispersed and germinated their non-dormant seeds only in the rainy season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pathways (footpaths and roads) in forests are associated with edge effects, affecting forest structure and composition and associated wildlife. However, little is known about how edge effects along pathways may impact the dynamics of fruit production and their availability for frugivores. Aim: We related pathway width as a proxy for edge effects to fruit production. Our underlying hypothesis was that pathway width would be positively related to fruit production. Methods: We observed fruit production along three pathways of different widths - 2, 10 and 20 m wide - and in a control area of undisturbed forest in an Atlantic rain forest stand monthly over a 2-year period. Results: The number of species and individuals-bearing fruit was higher along the wider pathways than along the narrowest pathway and in the control area. The amount of zoochorous fruits was higher in the control area than along pathways, and the widest pathway had higher non-zoochorous fruits production. Fruiting peaks occurred along pathways, while fruiting in the control area was aseasonal. Conclusions: Pathway width is related to fruit type and its quantity and temporal availability. These effects extend towards the forest interior beyond 35 m. The presence of paths affects food resources for frugivores and thus can contribute to reconfiguring the spatio-temporal distribution of the fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect invasions, the establishment and spread of nonnative insects in new regions, can have extensive economic and environmental consequences. Increased global connectivity accelerates rates of introductions, while climate change may decrease the barriers to invader species' spread. We follow an individual-level insect- and arachnid-centered perspective to assess how the process of invasion is influenced by phenotypic heterogeneity associated with dispersal and stress resistance, and their coupling, across the multiple steps of the invasion process. We also provide an overview and synthesis on the importance of environmental filters during the entire invasion process for the facilitation or inhibition of invasive insect population spread. Finally, we highlight important research gaps and the relevance and applicability of ongoing natural range expansions in the context of climate change to gain essential mechanistic insights into insect invasions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Question Analysing taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional species distribution across a metacommunity allows understanding of how landscape dynamics may influence forest expansion over grassland. In this context, climbing plants are particularly interesting vegetation components, since they actively prospect the best sunlight position, altering forest structure. We investigated if forest structure differentiation along a patch size/isolation gradient would determine the distribution of phylogenetic clades, dispersal and/or establishment-related traits in climbing plant assemblages. We hypothesized that taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional species diversities would show a nested pattern along the gradient of increasing vegetation complexity. Furthermore, less mobile diaspores, as well as climbing mechanisms independent of support limitations, and deeper phylogenetic clades characterized by shade-tolerant species would be associated with more developed and less isolated patches. Location Subtropical grassland surrounded by Araucaria forest, southern Brazil. Method We recorded the composition and abundance of climbing plant species along a gradient of forest patches increasing in size and isolation from the surrounding continuous forest. We performed an analysis of principal coordinates of phylogenetic structure ( PCPS) to investigate the distribution of phylogenetic clades across sites, tested its relationship with patch area and isolation using linear models, and for the correlation to species dispersal traits and climbing mechanisms. We employed the tree NODF (Nestedness based on Overlap and Decreasing Fill) method to estimate if there was a phylogenetic, compositional and/or functional nested pattern of the metacommunity structure during forest expansion over grassland. Results We found that species composition distribution was explained by patch size and isolation, but not by phylogeny. Dispersal traits were more structured along the gradient compared to climbing mechanisms. We also found a nested pattern of combined species and phylogenetic/functional diversities, where smaller patches are subsets of larger patches and of continuous forest sites. Conclusion Patch area, isolation and dispersal traits play significant roles in the distribution of climbing plants during the process of forest advance over grassland, independently of phylogenetic relatedness among species. The nested pattern indicated that continuous forest and larger patches provide all the diaspores that colonize the smaller patches in this process, making them important targets for conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of the vegetation on islands off the coast of southeastern Brazil are still very scarce, despite their importance for assessing, managing, and conserving insular biodiversity. We present here a list of the vascular flora of Queimada Grande Island (QGI; 24°29'10" S, 46°40'30" W, 57 ha, 33.2 km from the coast) in southeastern Brazil and describe its phytophysiognomies. The island is covered mainly by Atlantic Forest (Dense Ombrophilous Forest), as well as with rock outcrop and anthropogenic vegetation with herbaceous-shrub phytophysiognomies. QGI showed relatively low species richness (S = 125) when compared to other Brazilian coastal islands. Herbaceous (52) and climbing species (31) predominated on QGI. The richest families were Fabaceae (11 species), Poaceae (9), and Apocynaceae, Asteraceae and Orchidaceae (8 species each). Most species (S = 112) are autochthonous from different phytophysiognomies of the southeastern Brazilian Atlantic Forest complex. Many species associated with anthropically disturbed areas (S = 26) can be found on QGI, including the invasive grass Melinis minutiflora. There was a slight predominance of zoochory (S = 50). We did not identify any species endemic to QGI. One of its species (Cattleya intermedia, Orchidaceae) is vulnerable at both national and regional levels, and another (Barrosoa apiculata, Asteraceae) is presumably extinct on the mainland in São Paulo State. The vascular flora of QGI originated from the mainland Atlantic Forest complex, following the pattern of other coastal islands in southeastern Brazil. The flora and vegetation of QGI reflect the combination of insular conditions, the small size of the island, habitat restriction, steep topography, incipient soils, and the past use of the area with the introduction of several foreign species. We recommend permanent monitoring of the vegetation cover of QGI and its management, in order to ensure the conservation of the local native biota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphological analysis of seeds has been an important subject in modern ecological studies, once it provides evidence about the biology and adaptations of the parent plant. However, this kind of study has been restricted to the ecology of modern plants and is rarely used in interpretations of Paleozoic data. From the understanding of dispersal syndromes analysis as an important tool to paleoecological reconstruction, this study provides a first approach using this tool with seeds from the Lower Permian strata of southern Paraná Basin in Rio Grande do Sul. Based on previously classified seeds and using their biological and taphonomic data, the syndrome of dispersal was interpreted, and their placement in successional groups (pioneer, early-successional and later-successional) was suggested. Seven morphospecies were analyzed: Samaropsis gigas, representing a later-successional species living in water bodies with hydrochory as its dispersal syndrome; Samaropsis kurtzii, typical of early-successional species showing anemochory as its dispersal syndrome and living in distal areas in relation to water bodies; Samaropsis aff. S. millaniana, Cordaicarpus aff. C. brasilianus, Cordaicarpus cerronegrensis and Cordaicarpus truncata have typical characteristics of pioneer plants, exhibiting barochory as their primary dispersal syndrome with other syndromes associated.A Análise morfológica das sementes tem sido um importante objeto em estudos ecológicos modernos, uma vez que fornece evidências sobre a biologia e as adaptações das plantas-mãe de sementes. Entretanto, este tipo de estudo tem sido restrito a ecologia de plantas modernas e é raramente utilizado em interpretações de dados paleozóicos. A partir do entendimento da análise das sindromes de dispersão como uma importante ferramenta para reconstruções paleoecológicas, este estudo oferece uma primeira abordagem utilizando essa ferramenta com sementes do Permiano Inferior do Sul da Bacia do Paraná, no Rio Grande do Sul. Baseado em sementes previamente classificadas e utilizando seus dados biológicos e tafonômicos, a síndrome de dispersão foi interpretada, e a classificação das sementes nos grupos successionais (pioneira, secundária inicial ou secundária tardia) foi sugerida. Sete morfoespécies foram analisadas: Samaropsis gigas, representando uma espécie de secundária-tardia, vivendo próximo a corpos d'água, com síndrome de dispesão hidrocórica; Samaropsis kurtzii, típica espécie de sucessão secundária inicial, apresentando a anemocoria como síndrome de dispersão e habitando áreas distantes em relação a corpos d'água; Samaropsis aff. S. millaniana, Cordaicarpus aff. C. brasilianus, Cordaicarpus cerronegrensis e Cordaicarpus truncata com características típicas de plantas pioneiras, sendo a barocoria sua principal síndrome de dispersão com outras síndromes associadas.

The evolutionary stability of quantitative traits depends on whether a population can resist invasion by any mutant. While uninvadability is well understood in well-mixed populations, it is much less so in subdivided populations when multiple traits evolve jointly. Here, we investigate whether a spatially subdivided population at a monomorphic equilibrium for multiple traits can withstand invasion by any mutant or is subject to diversifying selection. Our model also explores the correlations among traits arising from diversifying selection and how they depend on relatedness due to limited dispersal. We find that selection tends to favor a positive (negative) correlation between two traits when the selective effects of one trait on relatedness is positively (negatively) correlated to the indirect fitness effects of the other trait. We study the evolution of traits for which this matters: dispersal that decreases relatedness and helping that has positive indirect fitness effects. We find that when dispersal cost is low and the benefits of helping accelerate faster than its costs, selection leads to the coexistence of mobile defectors and sessile helpers. Otherwise, the population evolves to a monomorphic state with intermediate helping and dispersal. Overall, our results highlight the effects of population subdivision for evolutionary stability and correlations among traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fleshy fruits contain a myriad of secondary metabolites that may fulfill various non-mutually exclusive ecological functions. Among them are defense against pathogens and herbivores, manipulation of frugivores' gut retention time, or controlling the germination process. In addition, it has been suggested that aroma compounds may be used as fruit-selection cues by frugivores, and that plants may be under selection to provide a reliable signal for ripeness to seed-dispersal vectors through ripe fruit aroma. A previous project demonstrated that fruit odor of two Neotropical primate-dispersed plant species can be used by primates to identify ripe fruits. Here, we provide data supporting the hypothesis that olfactory conspicuousness of ripeness in these two species may be an evolved signal rather than a cue exploited by primates. We analyzed the odors of ripe and unripe fruits of the two species along with odors of two sympatric species whose main dispersal vector is passerine birds. We show that only primate-dispersed species significantly change their odor profiles upon ripening. Thus, odor of bird-dispersed species is not informative regarding their ripeness level and is likely to fulfill other functions. We discuss these data in light of the multiple hypotheses for the presence of fruit secondary metabolites, and we offer a roadmap for future studies to establish the hypothesis that fruit odor is an evolved signal for ripeness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]