Cattle Disperse Seeds and Aquatic Plants in Neotropical Wetlands

IF 1.8 3区环境科学与生态学 Q3 ECOLOGY

Biotropica Pub Date : 2025-05-06 DOI:10.1111/btp.70043

Milena Rosa Pereira, Pedro Henrique de Oliveira Hoffmann, Andressa Adolfo, Daniel Antunes Mendonça, Sônia Marisa Hefler, Andy J. Green, Leonardo Maltchik, Cristina Stenert

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Dispersal by waterbirds and wild mammals is known to be important for maintaining biodiversity among wetlands. Cattle are known to be important seed dispersers in terrestrial habitats; however, the role of cattle in plant dispersal among wetlands is poorly known. We analyzed the potential for the dispersal of aquatic plants (seeds, diaspores and whole plants) by cattle (Bos taurus) through endozoochory in Neotropical wetlands. Ten fresh fecal samples per site (total 30 samples) were collected in three farms of the Pampa region, southern Brazil, between September and November of 2023. A total of 982 propagules and whole plants from 37 wetland plant taxa, belonging to 14 angiosperm and two fern families, were reported. Ten of these taxa are aquatic, seven terrestrial, and 19 grow both in water and on land. Viability was confirmed for seeds from 10 angiosperm families and for 26% of all seeds tested. Our results suggest cattle provide an important ecosystem service for wetland biodiversity in grassland areas through seed dispersal.

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牛在新热带湿地传播种子和水生植物

众所周知，水鸟和野生哺乳动物的扩散对维持湿地的生物多样性很重要。众所周知，牛是陆地栖息地重要的种子传播者；然而，牛在湿地植物扩散中的作用却鲜为人知。本文分析了新热带湿地水生植物（种子、水孢子和整个植物）被牛（Bos taurus）通过endozochory传播的可能性。在2023年9月至11月期间，在巴西南部潘帕地区的三个农场收集了每个站点10个新鲜粪便样本（共30个样本）。共报道了14个被子植物科和2个蕨类科37个湿地植物类群的982个繁殖体和整株植物。这些分类群中有10个是水生的，7个是陆生的，19个既生长在水里也生长在陆地上。从10个被子植物科和26%的所有测试种子中确认了种子的活力。结果表明，牛通过种子传播为草原湿地生物多样性提供了重要的生态系统服务。

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来源期刊

Biotropica 环境科学-生态学

CiteScore

4.10

自引率

9.50%

发文量

122

审稿时长

8-16 weeks

期刊介绍： Ranked by the ISI index, Biotropica is a highly regarded source of original research on the ecology, conservation and management of all tropical ecosystems, and on the evolution, behavior, and population biology of tropical organisms. Published on behalf of the Association of Tropical Biology and Conservation, the journal''s Special Issues and Special Sections quickly become indispensable references for researchers in the field. Biotropica publishes timely Papers, Reviews, Commentaries, and Insights. Commentaries generate thought-provoking ideas that frequently initiate fruitful debate and discussion, while Reviews provide authoritative and analytical overviews of topics of current conservation or ecological importance. The newly instituted category Insights replaces Short Communications.