Drivers of intraspecific variation in seed dispersal can differ across two species of fleshy-fruited savanna plants
Data files
Mar 12, 2024 version files 425.05 KB
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focal_neighbourhoods.csv
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focal_tree_measurements.csv
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focals.csv
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README.md
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ReadMe.xlsx
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visits.csv
Abstract
Various factors may mediate the visitation of frugivores to fruiting plants, which can dictate the quantum of seeds removed (dispersed) away from the parent plant. Past studies have laid emphasis on species-specific factors and environmental contexts that frugivores may use as cues to make foraging decisions and differentially visit various plant species. However, differences in plant traits (intrinsic factors) and local environmental contexts (extrinsic factors) can influence the diversity and abundance of frugivores that visit individual plants of the same species, resulting in intraspecific variation in seed dispersal. We observed individuals of two co-fruiting plant species with morphologically similar fruits – Naringi crenulata and Ziziphus oenopolia – for 134 hr and examined the influence of fruit crop size, plant height, and fruiting neighbourhood on the diversity of visiting avian frugivores and quantum of fruit removal for individual plants. We found that despite their similarity in fruits and sharing of a similar set of frugivore species, the two plant species differed in how they attracted frugivores, with consequences for fruit removal rates. Fruit crop size was an important determinant of fruit removal for N. crenulata, while plant height led to greater visitation and fruit removal for Z. oenopolia. We discuss potential reasons for the difference in frugivore visitation and fruit removal for the two plant species. Our results support a growing body of evidence that intraspecific variation in seed dispersal is pervasive and highly context-dependent and describes frugivore interactions of two plant species from an understudied tropical savanna.
README: Drivers of intraspecific variation in seed dispersal can differ across two species of fleshy-fruited savanna plants
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.m0cfxppbf
Data file descriptions
Data file | Description |
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visits | Contains information on visitations to focal plants |
focals | Contains information on focal observations done on visitors to the focal plants |
focal_tree_measurements | Contains information on height and canopy width measurements for focal plants |
focal_neighbourhoods | Contains information on fruiting plants and their ripe fruit crop sizes in a 10 m radius around focal plants |
ReadMe | Contains detailed descriptions for each column of the above data files |