No description available.

Thesis (PhD (Conservation Ecology and Entomology))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / Dispersal plays an essential role in determining the distribution of populations of species, especially species expanding their ranges. Two disciplines are concerned with gaining understanding of spread of species, namely restoration ecology and invasion biology. Con- ceptual understanding of dispersal, its mechanisms and its management is essential to both disciplines. Nevertheless, the disciplines have quite opposite objectives: in restoration ecol- ogy, spread of indigenous species into transformed landscapes is promoted, while invasion biology aims to prevent the (further) spread of alien species into pristine or restored habi- tats. Despite these two opposite objectives of facilitating spread and preventing spread of their respective target species, these disciplines have essentially the same requirements in terms of information needed for restoration. In this thesis, I will present two modelling studies—one looking at the impact of two different seed-feeding alien control agents on the spread of Hakea sericea, the other investigating the recolonisation by Dicerothamnus rhinocerotis of an old field dominated by Cynodon dactylon. Based on these studies, I will draw conclusions for the management in each case. In a second step, I will compare these two seemingly-different studies and draw conclusions on how these two disciplines can learn from each other, and how conclusions drawn and management recommendations developed for the one discipline can be translated for the other. The invasion biology study concluded that seed-feeding biocontrol agents do have a considerable impact on the velocity of the spread of the target species. In addition, management recommendations included the possibility of substituting seed-feeding biocontrol agents with an increased fire frequency where the negative impact on natural vegetation, on the site invaded by the target species, is acceptable. The restoration study concluded that the main impact on the velocity of spread, and the speed of the return of the shrub species onto the old fields, is the availability of micro-sites. A sensitivity analysis showed the even a slight change from 1% to 2% increases the velocity and pattern of spread dramatically. The other parameters playing an important role are the mean rate of establishment and the time span between

The decline in range and density of frugivorous birds worldwide could have consequences for the functioning of ecosystem processes such as seed dispersal. I endeavoured to determine the effects of bird declines on seed dispersal and assess the current status of dispersal in New Zealand. My first aim was to determine whether decreased bird density can reduce competitive interactions between birds, leading to birds concentrating on higher-reward fruit species. I measured fruit removal rates and fruit preferences of birds in Canterbury forest remnants with high (Hay and Prices) and low (Lords and Kaituna) bird densities. Removal rates of Melicytus ramiflorus and Coprosma spp. were lower at low-bird sites, and the size of this effect was greater for low-reward plant species. Coprosma areolata (a low-sugar fruit) had limited dispersal at Kaituna (59% fruit removed by end of 2012 season), compared with 92% removal at Hay, whereas 99-100% of M. ramiflorus and C. robusta (higher-sugar) fruits were removed at both sites. My second aim was to determine whether seed dispersal by introduced possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) can compensate for bird declines. I analysed seeds present in possum and bird faecal samples collected at Kowhai Bush, Kaikoura. Possums dispersed <3% of the total seeds, much less than bellbirds (21%), silvereyes (16%), song thrushes (33%) and blackbirds (28%). Possums also destroyed approximately 15% of seeds found in faeces, reduced the germination of gut-passed C. robusta seed to half of that from bird faeces (30% vs. 60-70%), and did not swallow fruits any larger than those moved by the much smaller birds (c. 7 mm diameter). My third aim was to determine the relationship between percentage of fruits dispersed and distance from parent tree for three large-seeded trees; Beilschmiedia tawa, Elaeocarpus dentatus, and Prumnopitys ferruginea. I fitted dispersal kernels to the observed dispersal distances out to 50 m for both undispersed whole fruits and seeds consumed by a bird, and found that dispersal quantity below the parent tree strongly underestimates total dispersal quantity. The average percentage dispersed overall was 81% for B. tawa, 75% for E. dentatus and 91% for P. ferruginea, and for all species finding only 11-18% clean seeds under the parent tree would correspond to an overall percent dispersed of at least 50% of the whole seed crop. My final aim was to determine the consequences of dispersal failure for recruitment in three plant species; Elaeocarpus hookerianus, Ripogonum scandens, and C. robusta. I compared the fate of dispersed and undispersed seeds in a manipulative field experiment. Exclusion of mammals plus removal of fruit pulp had the greatest effect on survival, while the combined effects of dispersal failure (under parent, high density, whole fruit) and inclusion of mammals decreased the number of live seedlings present at the final count by 75-92%. Overall, most native plants were receiving adequate dispersal and there was little evidence for strong risks to plant regeneration from dispersal failure, despite the reduced bird densities and ongoing negative effects of introduced mammals in New Zealand.

Patterns of the expansion of woody cover into grasslands on barrier islands of the Virginia coast were investigated. Seed dispersal of the dominant shrub Morella spp., was sampled deploying seed traps (n = 82) throughout a landscape under shrub encroachment pressure on Hog Island, VA. Traps were placed underneath: fruiting Morella, non-fruiting Morella, co-occurring species (Iva frutescens and Baccharis halimifolia) and in grass land, (no shrub cover). Environmental filters that act upon dispersed seeds and subsequently determine establishment patterns were also investigated. Dispersal distribution throughout the encroachment zone was leptokurtic and dispersal among cover types suggest co-occurring shrub species facilitate dispersal by functioning as bird perches. Interaction of biotic and abiotic factors mediate a complex process of establishment by influencing dispersal, germination and seedling survival to ultimately determine distribution patterns of woody plants in coastal environments.

Entender como as interações ecológicas moldaram a dinâmica evolutiva dos caracteres das espécies continua sendo um desafio em ecologia evolutiva. Combinando modelos de evolução de caracteres e filogenias, nós analisamos a evolução de caracteres associadas à dispersão de sementes (tamanho e cor do fruto) e herbivoria (espinhos) em palmeiras neotropicais para inferir o papel das interações positivas e negativas entre plantas e animais na condução dos padrões evolutivos. Nós encontramos que o tamanho e a coloração dos frutos é evolutivamente correlacionada ao longo da história evolutiva das palmeiras neotropicais, suportando a interpretação adaptativa das síndromes de dispersão e destacando o papel de frugívoros em moldar caracteres de plantas. Além disso, nós encontramos uma associação positiva nas linhagens de palmeiras entre o tamanho de fruto e a presença de espinhos nas folhas e caule. Nós hipotetizamos que interações entre palmeiras e grandes mamíferos extintos podem explicar a relação entre tamanho de frutos e espinhos nas linhagens de palmeiras. Frugívoros de grande porte, como a megafauna extinta, além de consumir os frutos e dispersar sementes grandes, também podem consumir e/ou danificar outras partes da planta, favorecendo simultaneamente a evolução de grandes frutos e estruturas de defesa. Nossos resultados mostram como os padrões de caracteres atuais de um determinado clado podem ser entendidos como o resultado da interação entre interações antagonistas e mutualistas que aconteceram ao longo da história evolutiva do clado / Understanding how ecological interactions have shaped the evolutionary dynamics of species traits remains a challenge in evolutionary ecology. Combining trait evolution models and phylogenies, we analyzed the evolution of traits associated with seed dispersal (fruit size and color) and herbivory (spines) in Neotropical palms to infer the role of opposing animal-plant interactions in driving evolutionary patterns. We found that the evolution of fruit color and fruit size were associated in Neotropical palms, supporting the adaptive interpretation of seed-dispersal syndromes and highlighting the role of frugivores in shaping plant evolution. Furthermore, we reveal a positive association between fruit size and the presence of spines on palm leaves and stems. We hypothesize that interactions between palms and extinct large-bodied frugivores may explain the relationship between fruit size and spines. Large-bodied frugivores, such as extinct megafauna, besides consuming the fruits and dispersing large seeds, may also have consumed the leaves or damaged the plants, thus simultaneously favoring the evolution of large fruits and defensive structures. Our findings show how current trait patterns can be understood as the result of the interplay between antagonistic and mutualistic interactions that have happened throughout the evolutionary history of a clade

Intervenções conservacionistas baseadas em receitas generalistas e uniformes têm eficácia comprometida por serem incapazes de incorporar as particularidades de cada ecossistema e as diferentes características regionais da atividade humana. Este trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver uma metodologia que incorporasse a avaliação espacial do fluxo gênico contemporâneo de plantas ao planejamento territorial de paisagens fragmentadas. Adotou-se o Jatobá (Hymenaea courbaril), espécie zoocórica, como espécie guarda-chuva. Localizada no Pontal do Paranapanema, a área amostral utilizada possui 49km2, que abrigam sete sub-populações de Jatobá e 1,32 km2 de remanescentes florestais divididos em 4 fragmentos. Executamos o censo de árvores adultas e amostragem regular de indivíduos juvenis. Amostrou-se 359 indivíduos, dos quais 75 foram considerados como adultos, todos foram georreferenciados por GPS e genotipados por SSR. Analisando-se três locos de DNA genômico e um de c-DNA, foram realizados 21.225 testes de maternidade, nos quais 62 plantas jovens tiveram suas mães identificadas. A distribuição das distâncias de dispersão de sementes verificada indica que o isolamento para recolonização entre sub-populações ocorre em distâncias superiores a 1600m. Foram localizados 13 fragmentos que permaneceriam em condição de isolamento, mesmo após a recuperação de todas as APPs. Recomenda-se a inclusão do aumento de conectividade destas manchas, bem como do reflorestamento de todas as APPs, na lista de prioridades do planejamento da conservação da biodiversidade desta região. / Conservationist interventions, based on general and uniform protocols, lose effectiveness by being incapable to incorporate the particularities of each ecosystem and the different regional patterns of the human activity. This research meant to develop a method that incorporates the spatial evaluation of the contemporary gene flow of plants to the territorial planning of fragmented landscape. We adopted Hymenaea courbaril as an umbrella species. Located in the Pontal of the Paranapanema (São Paulo State, Brazil), the study area has 49km2, that shelters seven subpopulations of Hymenaea courbaril with 1,32km2 are covered by forest that is separated in four patches. We censused adult trees and also regular seedlings and juveniles were regularly sampled. A total of 359 individuals were identified and georreferencered by GPS and genotyped by SSR. Analyzing 3 loci of genomic DNA and one of c-DNA, we applied a maternity test. 62 young plants had them mothers identified. The distribution of distances of seed dispersal indicates that the isolation for recolonization between subpopulations occurs in distances greater than 1600m, indicating that the connectivity in the studied landscape is very low for Hymenaea courbaril. 13 habitat patches were located in isolation condition, even after the recuperation of all the law-protected riparian-corridor areas. These results emphasized the increase of connectivity of these spots, as well as the restoration in the protected riparian areas, as some of the top priorities in the planning of the biological conservation of this region.

Estudos clássicos com diversidade taxonômica, apesar de serem essenciais, não consideram as diferenças funcionais entre as espécies de uma comunidade. A abordagem considerando atributos funcionais e diversidade funcional vem preenchendo esta lacuna. A compreensão da estrutura e dinâmica de interações mutualísticas também é um elemento essencial em estudos de biodiversidade, permitindo a investigação de mecanismos ecológicos e evolutivos. Porém, a maioria dos estudos com redes de interação disponíveis na bibliografia são pequenas em número de espécies e interações, e é possível que estes dados não tenham sido suficientemente amostrados. Além disto, estudos têm mostrado que muitas métricas utilizadas em análises de rede de interação são sensíveis ao esforço amostral e ao tamanho da rede. Os objetivos desta tese foram: 1) investigar a diversidade taxonômica (DT) e funcional (DF) de aves e os padrões de organização de espécies de aves em comunidades refletindo convergência de atributos (TCAP: Trait Convergence Assembly Patterns) ao longo de transições entre floresta e campo; 2) analisar a estrutura de redes de dispersão de sementes de plantas por aves, utilizando as métricas de rede aninhamento, modularidade, conectância e distribuição do grau; 3) desenvolver um método estatístico visando avaliar suficiência amostral para métricas de redes de interação usando o método bootstrap de reamostragem com reposição. A composição de espécies de aves diferiu entre os ambientes, indicando uma substituição de espécies ao longo da transição floresta-borda-campo. DT diferiu significativamente somente entre floresta e borda de floresta, enquanto que ambas diferiram significativamente do campo em relação à DF. DT e DF podem indicar diferentes processos de organização de comunidades ao longo de mosaicos floresta-campo. A correlação significativa entre TCAP e o gradiente floresta-campo indica que provavelmente mecanismos de nicho atuam na organização da comunidade de aves, associados a mudanças na estrutura do habitat ao longo da transição floresta-borda-campo agindo como filtros ecológicos. Redes de dispersão de sementes de plantas por aves aparentemente apresentam um processo comum de organização, independentemente das diferenças na intensidade de amostragem e continentes onde as 19 redes utilizadas foram amostradas. Usando reamostragem bootstrap, encontramos que suficiência amostral pode ser alcançada com diferentes tamanhos amostrais (número de eventos de interação) para o mesmo conjunto de dados, dependendo da métrica de rede utilizada. / Classic studies on taxonomic diversity, though essential, do not consider the functional differences between species in a community. Studies using functional traits and functional diversity are filling this gap. Understanding the structure and dynamics of mutualistic interactions is also essential for biodiversity studies and allows the investigation of ecological and evolutionary mechanisms. However, most networks published are small in the number of species and interactions, and they are likely to be under-sampled. In addition, studies have demonstrated that many network metrics are sensitive to both sampling effort and network size. The aims of this thesis were: 1) to investigate bird taxonomic diversity (TD), functional diversity (FD), and patterns of trait convergence (TCAP: Trait Convergence Assembly Patterns) across forest-grassland transitions; 2) to analyse the structure of seed-dispersal networks between plants and birds using the metrics of nestedness, modularity, connectance and degree distribution; 3) to develop a statistical framework to assess sampling sufficiency for some of the most widely used metrics in network ecology, based on methods of bootstrap resampling. Bird species composition indicated species turnover between forest, forest edge and grassland. Regarding TD, only forest and edges differed. FD was significantly different between grassland and forest, and between grassland and edges. TD and FD responded differently to environmental change from forest to grassland, since they may capture different processes of community assembly along such transitions. Trait-convergence assembly patterns indicated niche mechanisms underlying assembly of bird communities, linked to changes in habitat structure across forest-edge-grassland transitions acting as ecological filters. Seed dispersal mutualistic networks apparently show a common assembly process regardless differences in sampling methodology or continents where the 19 networks were sampled. Using bootstrap resampling we found that sampling sufficiency can be reached at different sample sizes (number of interaction events) for the same dataset, depending on the metric of interest.

Orientador: Sandra Bos Mikich / Banca: Antonio Aparecido Carpanezzi / Banca: Fabiana Rocha Mendes / Resumo: A rápida perda de diversidade biológica nos trópicos através da fragmentação de habitats pode ser revertida com o uso de técnicas de nucleação. Nesse sentido, um dos processos de facilitação é o uso de poleiros naturais e artificiais. Este se beneficia da natureza potencialmente dispersora de aves frugívoras. No presente estudo foram testadas as seguintes hipóteses: 1) famílias de aves menos dependentes de habitats florestais e com maior amplitude de itens alimentares (Turdidae e Tyrannidae) são mais eficientes na dispersão de sementes sob poleiros localizados em áreas degradadas; 2) famílias de aves que ocupam preferencialmente o interior de florestas e cuja dieta é composta principalmente por frutos (Ramphastidae e Pipridae) são mais eficientes na manutenção de remanescentes florestais. Esta pesquisa foi executada por meio de extensa revisão bibliográfica com área de abrangência exclusiva em território brasileiro. Comparou-se a contribuição potencial de quatro famílias que consomem frutos para a dispersão de sementes. O foco do estudo foram suas características de uso de hábitat e dieta. Concluiu-se que houve dicotomia entre famílias frugívoras especialistas e generalistas, quanto às suas características como dispersoras de sementes. Ramphastidae e Pipridae, classificados como essencialmente frugívoros, tiveram maior ocupação de ambientes florestais, menor flexibilidade na ocupação de habitats e estratos florestais, maior sensibilidade a alterações antrópicas, atuando basicamente na manutenção de ambientes florestais. Já as famílias generalistas Turdidae e Tyrannidae, com menor sensibilidade a alterações antrópicas, ocupação de ambientes com diversos graus de cobertura vegetal e estratos... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The rapid loss of biological diversity on the tropics through habitat fragmentation can be reverted using nucleation techniques. In this regard, one of the facilitation processes is the use of natural and artificial pearches. This technique takes advantage of the potential seed dispersal nature of frugivorous birds. In the present study the following hypotheses have been tested: 1) families of birds less dependent of forest habitats and with more amplitude of food items (Turdidae and Tyrannidae) are more efficient spreading seeds by the pearchs located in degraded areas; 2) Birds that preferably occupy the interior of forests and whose diet is mainly compounded by fruits (Ramphastidae and Pipridae) are more efficient on the maintenance of forest remnants. This research was produced by means of extensive bibliographic review, regarding the Brazilian territory as the study's coverage area. The potential contribution of four families that consume fruits causing the dispersal 3 of seeds has been comparatively analyzed. The focus of this study was mainly their characteristics of usage of the habitat and diet. In conclusion, it was noticed a dichotomy among specialized and generalist frugivorous families regarding their characteristics as seed spreaders. Ramphastidae and Pipridae, classified as essentially frugivorous, had wider occupation of forestal environments, narrower flexibility on the occupation of habitats and forestal stratum, bigger sensibility to anthropic change, basically acting on the maintenance of forestal environments. On the other hand, the generalist families Turdidae and Tyrannidae, with lower sensibility to anthropic changes, environment occupation with diverse degrees of plant coverage and strata, including degraded areas. Turdidae and Tyrannidae are also the main occupiers of natural and artificial... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Myrmecochory, i.e. dispersal of seeds by ants towards and around their nests, plays an important role in temperate forests. Yet hardly any study has examined plant population spread over several years and the underlying joint contribution of a hierarchy of dispersal modes and plant demography. We used a seed-sowing approach with three replicates to examine colonization patterns of Melampyrum pratense, an annual myrmecochorous herb, in a mixed Scots pine forest in northeastern Germany. Using a spatially explicit individualbased (SEIB) model population patterns over 4 years were explained by short-distance transport of seeds by small ant species with high nest densities, resulting in random spread. However, plant distributions in the field after another 4 years were clearly deviating from model predictions. Mean annual spread rate increased from 0.9 m to 5.1 m per year, with a clear inhomogeneous component. Obviously, after a lag-phase of several years, non-random seed dispersal by large red wood ants (Formica rufa) was determining the species’ spread, thus resulting in stratified dispersal due to interactions with different-sized ant species. Hypotheses on stratified dispersal, on dispersal lag, and on non-random dispersal were verified using an extended SEIB model, by comparison of model outputs with field patterns (individual numbers, population areas, and maximum distances). Dispersal towards red wood ant nests together with seed loss during transport and redistribution around nests were essential features of the model extension. The observed lag-phase in the initiation of non-random, medium-distance transport was probably due to a change of ant behaviour towards a new food source of increasing importance, being a meaningful example for a lag-phase in local plant species invasion. The results demonstrate that field studies should check model predictions wherever possible. Future research will show whether or not the M. pratense–ant system is representative for migration patterns of similar animal dispersal systems after having crossed range edges by long-distance dispersal events.

The paper presents a simulation and parameter-estimation approach for evaluating stochastic patterns of population growth and spread of an annual forest herb, Melampyrum pratense (Orobanchaceae). The survival of a species during large-scale changes in land use and climate will depend, to a considerable extent, on its dispersal and colonisation abilities. Predictions on species migration need a combination of field studies and modelling efforts. Our study on the ability of M. pratense to disperse into so far unoccupied areas was based on experiments in secondary woodland in NE Germany. Experiments started in 1997 at three sites where the species was not yet present, with 300 seeds sown within one square meter. Population development was then recorded until 2001 by mapping of individuals with a resolution of 5 cm. Additional observations considered density dependence of seed production. We designed a spatially explicit individual-based computer simulation model to explain the spatial patterns of population development and to predict future population spread. Besides primary drop of seeds (barochory) it assumed secondary seed transport by ants (myrmecochory) with an exponentially decreasing dispersal tail. An important feature of populationpattern explanation was the simultaneous estimation of both population-growth and dispersal parameters from consistent spatio-temporal data sets. As the simulation model produced stochastic time series and random spatially discrete distributions of individuals we estimated parameters by minimising the expectation of weighted sums of squares. These sums-ofsquares criteria considered population sizes, radial population distributions around the area of origin and distributions of individuals within squares of 25*25 cm, the range of density action. Optimal parameter values, together with the precision of the estimates, were obtained from calculating sums of squares in regular grids of parameter values. Our modelling results showed that transport of fractions of seeds by ants over distances of 1…2 m was indispensable for explaining the observed population spread that led to distances of at most 8 m from population origin within 3 years. Projections of population development over 4 additional years gave a diffusion-like increase of population area without any “outposts”. This prediction generated by the simulation model gave a hypothesis which should be revised by additional field observations. Some structural deviations between observations and model output already indicated that for full understanding of population spread the set of dispersal mechanisms assumed in the model may have to be extended by additional features of plant-animal mutualism.