Interactions Between Seeds of Family Fagaceae and Their Seed Predators

Abstract

Regarding the interaction between seeds and seed predators, Janzen (1971) proposed the predator satiation hypothesis, which states that synchronous and fluctuating seed production allows for the survival of seeds by alternately starving and satiating seed predators. This hypothesis depends on a strong relationship between the tree species and the seed predators specialized to prey on the seed of that species (that is, a one-to-one relationship). This sort of predator is called a typical specialist in the present study. However, if the seed predators can feed on the seeds of several tree species, predator satiation can occur only if all the prey species in a forest community fluctuate their seed production synchronously (Silvertown 1980). Otherwise, the populations of predators remain at high levels by feeding on the seeds of tree species that produce seeds asynchronously. If the seed predators can feed on other foods as well, then even synchronous seed production of several species in a forest community may be unable to control the predator populations.KeywordsSeed ProductionForest FloorSpecialist PredatorQuercus SpeciesMoth LarvaThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.