Does passage time through the lizard Podarcis lilfordi’s guts affect germination performance in the plant Withania frutescens?

Abstract

I tested predictions of the hypothesis that a longer seed passage time through the gut of the lizard Podarcis lilfordi enhances germination performance in the plant Withania frutescens. I compared germination success and germination time between seeds that were ingested by lizards and control seeds that were not. I also explored relationships between natural variation in seed passage time and germination performance. Germination success did not differ between ingested (63 %) and non-ingested seeds (56 %); there was no significant relationship between germinability and retention time. Germination time did not differ between ingested and non-ingested seeds, and was unrelated to retention time. Hence, I found no support for the hypothesis that prolonged retention times should improve germination performance. In addition, this is a pilot study stressing the importance of reptiles as seed dispersers, at least in certain habitats. © 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS