Are badgers Meles meles effective dispersal agents for bramble Rubus fruticosus agg. in Ireland?

We studied four aspects of the dispersal of bramble by badgers: plant distribution, occurrence of fruits in diet, lack of damage to seed during ingestion, and beneficial effects on seed germination. The distribution of bramble plants was concentrated around a main sett and associated latrines. Examination of fresh badger dung samples in October 1992 showed that plants represented the main food items, with bramble seeds being by far the most common seeds present. Scanning electron microscopy of seeds before and after passage through the gut of badgers revealed little damage but for a reduced extent of the surface reticulations. Egested seeds exhibited a faster rate of germination than seeds in intact fruits or those washed clear of pericarp tissue. These results suggest that badgers are effective dispersers of brambles in Ireland.