Temporal Variation in Boxelder Seed Predation by Small Mammals

IF 0.5 4区环境科学与生态学 Q4 BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

Northeastern Naturalist Pub Date : 2023-04-10 DOI:10.1656/045.030.0111

Amber M. All, G. Adler, Jacob W. Dittel

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Abstract - Acer negundo (Boxelder) is a common tree in eastern North America. Fruits are paired samaras that mature in late summer but persist on trees for months. We examined temporal variation in predation rates by small mammals by attaching samaras to sewing bobbins in a forest in northeastern Wisconsin. We placed samaras in groups of 5 along transects and checked them regularly across 2 fall and 2 spring seasons to determine seed fates. Of the 6702 seeds, 15.26% were consumed, 81.41% were left intact, and 3.33% were aborted. Predation rates were higher in fall than in spring. Granivorous mammals did not secondarily disperse seeds but instead acted solely as seed predators. Releasing seeds over a longer period of time than other species of maples allows trees to increase seed survival by experiencing varying soil conditions and predation rates. Retained sterile fruits may act as decoys that decrease predation rates.

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小型哺乳动物捕食Boxelder种子的时间变化

摘要:木槭是北美东部的一种常见乔木。果实是成对的翅果，在夏末成熟，但在树上持续数月。在威斯康辛州东北部的森林里，我们把翅果绑在缝纫线轴上，研究了小型哺乳动物捕食率的时间变化。我们沿着样带将samaras分成5组，并在2个秋季和2个春季定期检查以确定种子命运。6702粒种子中，消耗15.26%，保留81.41%，流产3.33%。秋季的捕食率高于春季。食草哺乳动物不传播种子，而是单独作为种子捕食者。与其他种类的枫树相比，释放种子的时间更长，这使得树木能够通过经历不同的土壤条件和捕食率来增加种子的存活率。保留的不育果实可以作为诱饵，降低捕食率。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Northeastern Naturalist 环境科学-生态学

CiteScore

1.10

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

18-36 weeks

期刊介绍： The Northeastern Naturalist covers all aspects of the natural history sciences of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine organisms and the environments of the northeastern portion of North America, roughly bounded from Virginia to Missouri, north to Minnesota and Nunavut, east to Newfoundland, and south back to Virginia. Manuscripts based on field studies outside of this region that provide information on species within this region may be considered at the Editor’s discretion. The journal welcomes manuscripts based on observations and research focused on the biology of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine organisms and communities as it relates to their life histories and their function within, use of, and adaptation to the environment and the habitats in which they are found, as well as on the ecology and conservation of species and habitats. Such studies may encompass measurements, surveys, and/or experiments in the field, under lab conditions, or utilizing museum and herbarium specimens. Subject areas include, but are not limited to, anatomy, behavior, biogeography, biology, conservation, evolution, ecology, genetics, parasitology, physiology, population biology, and taxonomy. Strict lab, modeling, and simulation studies on natural history aspects of the region, without any field component, will be considered for publication as long as the research has direct and clear significance to field naturalists and the manuscript discusses these implications.