DEB (Ecology): Seed Dispersal by Central American Agoutis - A Mutualism Conditioned by Predators or Food?

DEB（生态学）：中美洲刺豚鼠的种子传播 - 由捕食者或食物调节的互利共生？

• 批准号: 0717071
• 负责人: Roland Kays
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: New York State Education Department
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-09-15 至 2011-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0717071&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DEB; Ecology; Seed; Dispersal; Central

Seed dispersal and seed predation by animals are key natural processes that affect forest regeneration and the evolution of plant diversity. The role of rodents in this regard is controversial, having been argued as good for trees because they disperse and bury seeds, bad for trees because rodents eat seeds, or conditionally mutualistic depending on local food or predators. This relationship remains uncertain because few studies have been able to follow seeds to determine their ultimate fate. This study uses motion-sensitive radio transmitters to track the fate of rodent-dispersed seeds. The hypothesis tested is that rodents are conditional mutualists of trees: they are effective dispersers only where seeds are at low density AND rodents have a high likelihood of dying, thus leaving their buried seeds to germinate. The factors affecting whether rodents are dispersers or predators of seeds are of major importance for forest management, where rodents still tend to be viewed as pests that should be killed. Our study will provide a framework for understanding the role of rodents, and of how disturbances such as fragmentation and hunting affect forest regeneration by modifying predator and rodent abundances. Emphasis on scientifically interesting research with charismatic rainforest animals and important conservation implications will put the study in a strong position for continued involvement in educational programs.

动物的种子传播和种子捕食是影响森林再生和植物多样性进化的关键自然过程。啮齿动物在这方面的作用是有争议的，有人认为对树木有益，因为它们传播和埋藏种子，对树木有害，因为啮齿动物吃种子，或者根据当地食物或捕食者有条件地互利共生。这种关系仍然不确定，因为很少有研究能够追踪种子以确定它们的最终命运。这项研究使用运动敏感无线电发射器来追踪啮齿动物传播的种子的命运。测试的假设是，啮齿动物是树木的条件互利共生者：只有在种子密度较低且啮齿动物死亡的可能性很高，从而使埋藏的种子发芽的情况下，它们才是有效的传播者。 影响啮齿动物是种子传播者还是捕食者的因素对于森林管理至关重要，在森林管理中，啮齿动物仍然被视为应该消灭的害虫。我们的研究将为理解啮齿动物的作用，以及破碎化和狩猎等干扰如何通过改变捕食者和啮齿动物的丰度来影响森林再生提供一个框架。强调对具有魅力的雨林动物的科学有趣的研究和重要的保护意义将使该研究处于继续参与教育项目的有利地位。