Abstract
Abstract1. Plant–animal interactions, and in particular the processes of seed predation and dispersal, are crucial for tree regeneration and forest dynamics. A novel and striking case of interaction between a dung beetle (Thorectes lusitanicus) and twoQuercusspecies (Q. suberandQ. canariensis) in forests of southern Spain is presented here.2. During the autumn,T. lusitanicusbeetles (endemic to the southern Iberian Peninsula) bury and feed on single‐seeded fruits (acorns) ofQuercus, with important ecological implications.3. Field experiments found differences in the removal rate of acorns byT. lusitanicus, depending on the type of microsite within the forest, the species of oak, the exclosure of large herbivores, and the forest site.4. Acorn consumption byT. lusitanicuswas studied under laboratory conditions, confirming for the first time that this dung beetle is a legitimate seed predator.5. In addition, some buried acorns can be abandoned partially predated or even intact, and emerge as seedlings; thus,T. lusitanicusalso has a potential role as secondary seed disperser.
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