Consequences of intraspecific seed-size variation in Sparganium emersum for dispersal by fish

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2435.2007.01313.x

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Consequences of intraspecific seed-size variation in Sparganium emersum for dispersal by fish

Pollux, B. J. A., Ouborg, N. J., van Groenendael, J. M. and Klaassen, M. 2007, Consequences of intraspecific seed-size variation in Sparganium emersum for dispersal by fish, Functional ecology, vol. 21, no. 6, pp. 1084-1091, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2007.01313.x.

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Title	Consequences of intraspecific seed-size variation in Sparganium emersum for dispersal by fish
Formatted title	Consequences of intraspecific seed-size variation in Sparganium emersum for dispersal by fish
Author(s)	Pollux, B. J. A. Ouborg, N. J. van Groenendael, J. M. Klaassen, M. orcid.org/0000-0003-3907-9599
Journal name	Functional ecology
Volume number	21
Issue number	6
Start page	1084
End page	1091
Publisher	Wiley-Blackwell Publishing
Place of publication	London, England
Publication date	2007-12
ISSN	0269-8463 1365-2435
Keyword(s)	endozoochory ichthyochory seed mass seed size selection seed traits
Summary	1. The potential for seed dispersal by fish (ichthyochory) is likely to vary within aquatic plant species, depending on intraspecific variation in phenotypic seed traits. 2. We studied the effect of seed size variation within the unbranched burreed (Sparganium emersum) on the potential for internal dispersal by the common carp (Cyprinus carpio), by feeding them light (< 10 mg), medium (10–20 mg) and heavy ( > 20 mg) seeds, seed mass being positively related to seed size. 3. We hypothesized: (i) that ingestion, retention time, survival during gut passage and viability after gut passage of S. emersum seeds would be affected by seed size; and (ii) that this would translate into intraspecific variation in dispersal probability and dispersal distance among seed size categories. 4. Ingestion was negatively related to seed size, while survival during gut passage was positively related to seed size. Seed viability after gut passage was not affected by seed size. Since the negative effect of ingestion was counterbalanced by an equally strong but positive effect on seed survival, the probability of dispersal did not differ between the tested seed-size categories. 5. The time that seeds remained in the digestive tract of carp did not differ between seed sizes, suggesting equal potential dispersal distances for all seeds. Based on optimum swimming speeds of carp, ranging from 0·9 to 1·8 km h−1, maximum dispersal distances will most likely range from 13·5 to 27 km. 6. This study highlights the importance of studying all stages of the endozoochorous dispersal process in order to estimate the effect of a phenotypic seed trait on plant dispersal.
Language	eng
DOI	10.1111/j.1365-2435.2007.01313.x
Field of Research	060202 Community Ecology (excl Invasive Species Ecology)
Socio Economic Objective	970106 Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences
HERDC Research category	C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal
Copyright notice	©2007, The Authors
Persistent URL	http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30035103

Document type:	Journal Article
Collections:	Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment School of Life and Environmental Sciences Centre for Integrative Ecology


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