Diversidad de mamíferos y su relación con la dispersión endozoócora de semillas en viñedos

Abstract

Fernandez, C., Puerta-Pinero, C. 2019. Mammal diversity and its relationship with endozoochorous seed dispersal in vineyards. Ecosistemas 28(3):126-141. Doi.: 10.7818/ECOS.1830 The vineyards are a very important study crop in the Mediterranean landscape used as a model in scenarios of global change due to a strong dependence of their production on the landscape, climate and types of management. In this research we have evaluated the influence of landscape, altitude and type of management on mammals diversity and seed dispersal. Twenty five vineyard farms were sampled (tempranillo variety, 9 in organic and 16 in non-organic management) during 4 months, between April and July in Andalusia, Spain. In each farm, the presence of mammals was estimated by searching for traces (tracks and excrements) in 12 transects of 20m x 12m per farm. The excrements founded were later desegregate to quantify and identify the dispersed seeds present in them. We found 230 excrements that belonged on 10 different mammal species (fox, badger, rabbit, hare, deer, goat, sheep, wild boar, beech marten and micromamiferous) and 4 taxonomic groups (artiodactyls, carnivores, lagomorphs and micromammals). Feces had a total of 258 seeds, including 67 different morphotypes. The results shown that the diversity of mammals (species and groups) are mainly related to the matrix and other characteristics of the landscape surrounding the farm. Likewise, seed dispersal is also influenced by the management (with more morphotypes of seeds found in organic crops), the taxonomic group of the seed disperser mammal, the landscape matrix and other variables related to the landscape as distance to the nearest point of water, or secondary or primary roads, urban settlements or natural areas.