Barriers or corridors? The overlooked role of unpaved roads in endozoochorous seed dispersal

Ubiquitous linear developments, such as dirt tracks and firebreaks, termed ‘soft’ linear developments (SLD), represent weaker landscape modifications than paved roads and highways but still could strongly affect populations and communities. Many animals avoid SLD, but some terrestrial mammals seem t...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Suárez-Esteban, Alberto, Delibes, M., Fedriani, José M.
Formato: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2013
País:España
Recursos:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:digitalcsic_::0f050b640f95a3ed18a782f49d493fb4
Acesso em linha:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/77005
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Biodiversity
Connectivity
dirt tracks
endozoochory
firebreaks
fragmentation
human structures
linear developments
Mediterranean schrubland
reforestation
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spelling Barriers or corridors? The overlooked role of unpaved roads in endozoochorous seed dispersalSuárez-Esteban, AlbertoDelibes, M.Fedriani, José M.BiodiversityConnectivitydirt tracksendozoochoryfirebreaksfragmentationhuman structureslinear developmentsMediterranean schrublandreforestationUbiquitous linear developments, such as dirt tracks and firebreaks, termed ‘soft’ linear developments (SLD), represent weaker landscape modifications than paved roads and highways but still could strongly affect populations and communities. Many animals avoid SLD, but some terrestrial mammals seem to select them for faecal marking. Faeces often contain many viable seeds; therefore, SLD may receive a substantial amount and diversity of seeds, which could have important overlooked consequences for plant recruitment. To evaluate the potential role of SLD as seed attractors, we surveyed transects along SLD verges and along the adjacent scrubland in three patches of Mediterranean scrubland. On each transect, we collected ungulate, carnivore and rabbit faeces during two fruiting seasons (2009 and 2010). We quantified all seeds from fleshy-fruit shrubs within faeces and compared their abundance and diversity at SLD verges vs. adjacent scrubland. The frequency of defecation along SLD varied greatly among dispersers, but ungulates avoided SLD for defecation, and carnivores and rabbits positively selected them. Seed prevalence was higher in faeces of carnivores, and seed damage low compared with faeces of rabbits and especially ungulates. The role of SLD as seed attractors was species-dependent. We found from 2·7 to 124 times more viable seeds of carnivore- and rabbit-dispersed plants along SLD than in the scrubland, while ungulate-dispersed plants were more abundant in the scrubland. Of 13 mammal-dispersed shrubs, 4 species were exclusively found along SLD verges, two were found only in the scrubland, and seven were found in both habitats. Synthesis and applications. By promoting mammal-mediated seed dispersal, soft linear developments (SLD) may act as seed corridors. Given the extremely high density of SLD world-wide, SLD hold a significant overlooked role for management and plant conservation actions. Dispersers selecting SLD can promote roadside restoration, potentially saving financial resources. These feasible benefits must be weighed up against potential spread of alien or undesirable plant species, but we demonstrate the SLD represent a valuable management tool.Peer reviewedBritish Ecological Society201320132013info:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501http://hdl.handle.net/10261/77005reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSICinstname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)Ingléshttp://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12080info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:dnet:digitalcsic_::0f050b640f95a3ed18a782f49d493fb42026-05-22T06:33:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Barriers or corridors? The overlooked role of unpaved roads in endozoochorous seed dispersal
title Barriers or corridors? The overlooked role of unpaved roads in endozoochorous seed dispersal
spellingShingle Barriers or corridors? The overlooked role of unpaved roads in endozoochorous seed dispersal
Suárez-Esteban, Alberto
Biodiversity
Connectivity
dirt tracks
endozoochory
firebreaks
fragmentation
human structures
linear developments
Mediterranean schrubland
reforestation
title_short Barriers or corridors? The overlooked role of unpaved roads in endozoochorous seed dispersal
title_full Barriers or corridors? The overlooked role of unpaved roads in endozoochorous seed dispersal
title_fullStr Barriers or corridors? The overlooked role of unpaved roads in endozoochorous seed dispersal
title_full_unstemmed Barriers or corridors? The overlooked role of unpaved roads in endozoochorous seed dispersal
title_sort Barriers or corridors? The overlooked role of unpaved roads in endozoochorous seed dispersal
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Suárez-Esteban, Alberto
Delibes, M.
Fedriani, José M.
author Suárez-Esteban, Alberto
author_facet Suárez-Esteban, Alberto
Delibes, M.
Fedriani, José M.
author_role author
author2 Delibes, M.
Fedriani, José M.
author2_role author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Biodiversity
Connectivity
dirt tracks
endozoochory
firebreaks
fragmentation
human structures
linear developments
Mediterranean schrubland
reforestation
topic Biodiversity
Connectivity
dirt tracks
endozoochory
firebreaks
fragmentation
human structures
linear developments
Mediterranean schrubland
reforestation
description Ubiquitous linear developments, such as dirt tracks and firebreaks, termed ‘soft’ linear developments (SLD), represent weaker landscape modifications than paved roads and highways but still could strongly affect populations and communities. Many animals avoid SLD, but some terrestrial mammals seem to select them for faecal marking. Faeces often contain many viable seeds; therefore, SLD may receive a substantial amount and diversity of seeds, which could have important overlooked consequences for plant recruitment. To evaluate the potential role of SLD as seed attractors, we surveyed transects along SLD verges and along the adjacent scrubland in three patches of Mediterranean scrubland. On each transect, we collected ungulate, carnivore and rabbit faeces during two fruiting seasons (2009 and 2010). We quantified all seeds from fleshy-fruit shrubs within faeces and compared their abundance and diversity at SLD verges vs. adjacent scrubland. The frequency of defecation along SLD varied greatly among dispersers, but ungulates avoided SLD for defecation, and carnivores and rabbits positively selected them. Seed prevalence was higher in faeces of carnivores, and seed damage low compared with faeces of rabbits and especially ungulates. The role of SLD as seed attractors was species-dependent. We found from 2·7 to 124 times more viable seeds of carnivore- and rabbit-dispersed plants along SLD than in the scrubland, while ungulate-dispersed plants were more abundant in the scrubland. Of 13 mammal-dispersed shrubs, 4 species were exclusively found along SLD verges, two were found only in the scrubland, and seven were found in both habitats. Synthesis and applications. By promoting mammal-mediated seed dispersal, soft linear developments (SLD) may act as seed corridors. Given the extremely high density of SLD world-wide, SLD hold a significant overlooked role for management and plant conservation actions. Dispersers selecting SLD can promote roadside restoration, potentially saving financial resources. These feasible benefits must be weighed up against potential spread of alien or undesirable plant species, but we demonstrate the SLD represent a valuable management tool.
publishDate 2013
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2013
2013
2013
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10261/77005
url http://hdl.handle.net/10261/77005
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12080
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv British Ecological Society
publisher.none.fl_str_mv British Ecological Society
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
instname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
instname_str Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
reponame_str DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
collection DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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