Seed traits and burial state affect plant seed secondary dispersal mediated by rodents

Abstract

Seed dispersal is an important ecological process and has important implications for plant population expansion and regeneration. Seed dispersal not only reduces the probability of death due to seed density but also facilitates seedling establishment. Many studies have focused on the effect of one or two factors on seed dispersal. However, little is known about studies on the effect of multiple factors and their interactions on seed dispersal. Here, we conducted a field experiment to explore how seed size, soil burial, and seed peeling affect the dispersal and hoarding of seeds of Quercus liaotungensis in dispersal animals. We found that large seeds were preferentially selected by animals, and the predation after dispersal, hoarding after dispersal, predation distance after dispersal, and hoarding distance after dispersal of large seeds were significantly greater than small seeds, which is more beneficial to the plant expansion and regeneration. Soil burial increased the time of seed intact in situ, significantly increased predation in situ, and reduced predation after dispersal, predation distance after dispersal, and hoarding distance after dispersal, which is not beneficial to the plant population expansion and regeneration. Seed peeling reduced the time of seed intact in situ, and the predation after dispersal was significantly greater than that of unpeeled seeds, which is not beneficial to the plant population. We did not find the interactions between seed size, soil burial, and seed peeling on dispersal. The effects of a single factor may be more than their interactions between seed size, soil burial and seed peeling on dispersal. These results implied that seed size, soil burial and seed peeling may affect plant population expansion and regeneration by affecting the dispersal and hoarding of animals.