Vector activity and propagule size affect dispersal potential by vertebrates van Leeuwen, Casper H. A., Tollenaar, Marthe L. and Klaassen, Marcel 2012, Vector activity and propagule size affect dispersal potential by vertebrates, Oecologia, vol. 170, no. 1, pp. 101-109. Attached Files Name Description MIMEType Size Downloads klaassen-vectoractivity-2012.pdf Published version application/pdf 340.15KB 122 Title Vector activity and propagule size affect dispersal potential by vertebrates Author(s) van Leeuwen, Casper H. A. Tollenaar, Marthe L. Klaassen, Marcel orcid.org/0000-0003-3907-9599 Journal name Oecologia Volume number 170 Issue number 1 Start page 101 End page 109 Total pages 9 Publisher Springer Place of publication Heidelberg, Germany Publication date 2012-09 ISSN 0029-8549 1432-1939 Keyword(s) digestion endozoochory metabolic rate physiology retention time Summary Many small organisms in various life stages can be transported in the digestive system of larger vertebrates, a process known as endozoochory. Potential dispersal distances of these “propagules” are generally calculated after monitoring retrieval in experiments with resting vector animals. We argue that vectors in natural situations will be actively moving during effective transport rather than resting. We here test for the first time how physical activity of a vector animal might affect its dispersal efficiency. We compared digestive characteristics between swimming, wading (i.e. resting in water) and isolation (i.e. resting in a cage) mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). We fed plastic markers and aquatic gastropods, and monitored retrieval and survival of these propagules in the droppings over 24 h. Over a period of 5 h of swimming, mallards excreted 1.5 times more markers than when wading and 2.3 times more markers than isolation birds, the pattern being reversed over the subsequent period of monitoring where all birds were resting. Retention times of markers were shortened for approximately 1 h for swimming, and 0.5 h for wading birds. Shorter retention times imply higher survival of propagules at increased vector activity. However, digestive intensity measured directly by retrieval of snail shells was not a straightforward function of level of activity. Increased marker size had a negative effect on discharge rate. Our experiment indicates that previous estimates of propagule dispersal distances based on resting animals are overestimated, while propagule survival seems underestimated. These findings have implications for the dispersal of invasive species, meta-population structures and long distance colonization events. Notes Reproduced with the kind permission of the copyright owner. Language eng Field of Research 069999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified Socio Economic Objective 970106 Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences HERDC Research category C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal Copyright notice ©2012, The Author(s) Free to Read? Yes Persistent URL http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30046971 Document type: Journal Article Collections: Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment School of Life and Environmental Sciences Open Access Collection Centre for Integrative Ecology Related Links Link Description Connect to published version (restricted access) Go to link with your DU access privileges     Unless expressly stated otherwise, the copyright for items in DRO is owned by the author, with all rights reserved. Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that permission has been obtained for items included in DRO. If you believe that your rights have been infringed by this repository, please contact drosupport@deakin.edu.au. Versions Version Filter Type Mon, 13 Aug 2012, 12:55:44 EST Tue, 23 Oct 2012, 10:07:33 EST Tue, 23 Oct 2012, 10:15:11 EST Tue, 06 Sep 2016, 19:28:52 EST Tue, 05 Dec 2017, 12:34:43 EST Fri, 07 Sep 2018, 16:06:52 EST Filtered Full Citation counts:   Cited 20 times in TR Web of Science Cited 20 times in Scopus Search Google Scholar Access Statistics: 566 Abstract Views, 125 File Downloads  -  Detailed Statistics Created: Mon, 13 Aug 2012, 12:55:44 EST

Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that permission has been obtained for items included in DRO. If you believe that your rights have been infringed by this repository, please contact drosupport@deakin.edu.au.