How far do Neotropical primates disperse seeds?

Abstract

Seed dispersal distance (SDD) is a vital component of vertebrate-mediated seed dispersal process: the average distance at which seeds are deposited away from the parent plant represents the starting template of plant regeneration. We present a simple model to explain and predict observed measures of average dispersal distance and we hypothesize that it is a consequence of how long seeds are retained in the disperser's gut, how rapidly the disperser moves per unit time and how twisted the animal travel path is relative to the straight-line distance moved away from the seed source. We retrieved data on dispersal distances from 26 published studies including nine primate species dispersing up to 112 plant species per study. We used gut transit time (TT) as a proxy for residence time inside the gut, the disperser's travel path per hour as proxy for movement rate, and the daily path length relative to the home range area as a correlate of path twisting (PT). We illustrate this model with comparative data on Neotropical primates. These three variables explained 90% of the variation in the average SDD. Path analysis indicates that additional variables exerted only indirect effects. Our model can be applied to primate populations for which detailed seed dispersal data are missing, and help evaluate conservation priorities for primate species according to the potential service they provide in terms of forest regeneration.