Carnivorous mammals as seed dispersers of Myrtus communis (Myrtaceae) in the Mediterranean shrublands

ABSTRACT

The role of carnivorous mammals as seed dispersers of Myrtus communis L. in the Mediterranean environment was studied. Seeds of M. communis were found in faeces of red fox (Vulpes vulpes L.) and carnivores from the genus Martes, at four sites on the Tyrrhenic coast of Southern Italy in the period autumn-winter 1993–1995. All the study sites are covered by Mediterranean shrublands with M. communis as one of the dominant species. Content analysis of fox scats showed that fruits of M. communis constitute a relevant component of the diet of these carnivores, although other food categories were also well represented. Further investigations on the effect of mammal digestion on seed germinability showed that carnivores not only moved the seeds away from the mother plant but also enhanced their germinability. This species was known to be bird- and ant-dispersed and the adaptive implications of a multi-vectorial seed dispersal process is discussed.     

The endotegmen tuberculae: an account of little-known structures from the seed coat of the Hydrocharitoideae (Hydrocharitaceae) and Najas (Najadaceae)

SHAFFER-FEHRE, M., 1991. The endotegmen tuberculae: an account of little-known structures from the seed coat of the Hydrocharitoideae (Hydrocharitaceae) and of Najas (Najadaceae). The sub-cellular protuberances from the inner tegmen layer have been given various names in earlier literature. Here named 'endotegmen tuberculae', they vary in shape, size and density of distribution in the endotegmen of different taxa. These characteristics make them useful for taxonomic research at both genus and species level. Their shape is a major consideration in transferring Hydrocharis dubia to the genus Limnobium. A further structure, 'exotegmen tuberculae', has been observed for the first time. This paper gives a survey of these structures and illustrates their taxonomic importance and its implications.     

Transferring sediment containing intact seed banks: a method for studying plant community ecology

The experimental study of the ecology of natural plant communities is necessary to demonstrate the effects of environmental factors on plant growth. It allows one to make predictions of the likely effects of environmental changes on plant communities. Manipulating an entire ecosystem is complicated, and is rarely attempted. An alternative method is applied here for the submerged plant communities of the seasonally-flooded oligohaline marshes of the Camargue. It consists of collecting undisturbed sediment samples with their contained intact seed bank, and submitting them to different salinities. The study of total biomass and of the biomass of the more frequent species was carried out using parametric tests. The precision of the results depended on the frequency of the species in the replicates. When the frequency was low, non-parametric statistics were necessary. The method seems to be particularly suitable for the study of communities of annual species in aquatic environments.

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Résumé L'étude expérimentale de l'écologie des communautés naturelles de plantes est nécessaire pour démontrer les relations de cause à effet entre les facteurs environnementaux et l'abondance des plantes. Elle l'est également pour faire des prédictions réalistes sur les effets de modifications envisagées de l'environnement sur des communautés de plantes. La manipulation de l'écosystème complet est complexe, ce qui rend son utilisation rare. Une méthode alternative a été utilisée pour l'étude de la composition spécifique des communautés de plantes submergées des marais temporaires de Camargue. Elle consiste à prélever des échantillons non perturbés de sédiment, avec leur stock de semences intact, et à les soumettre à des conditions de salinité. L'étude de la biomasse totale et de la biomasse des espèces les plus fréquentes est faite au moyen de test paramétriques. La précision attendue des résultats dépend de la fréquence de l'espèce dans les réplicats. Lorsque la fréquence n'est pas élevée l'emploi de statistiques non paramétriques est indispensable. La méthode se révéle particulièrement bien adaptée à l'étude des communautés d'annuelles en milieu aquatique.

     

Comparative effects of desiccation,heat shock and high temperatures on seed germination of savanna and forest tree species

Although forest and savanna biomes predominate in tropics regions, the factors that control their distribution remain unclear. South American savannas occur in regions that are considered warm and humid enough to support forests, indicating that agents other than climate determine the occurrence of one or the other physiognomy. Herbivory, fire and water deficit have been considered environmental filters that limit the forest species encroachment in savanna physiognomies, but the effects of these filters on the capability of these species to recruit from seeds remain poorly understood. In this study we investigated how stress factors characteristic of savanna environments, such as soil desiccation, heat shocks and high temperatures affect the survival and germination of seeds from savanna and forest tree species. We found that desiccation (to 5%) reduced the germination percentage of forest seeds, but had no effect on the germination of savanna seeds. Forest seeds were less tolerant to heat shocks of 140°C and 200°C, and showed lower germination percentage at temperatures of 35 and 40°C, when compared with savanna seeds. Savanna seeds presented longer germination times and higher germination variance than forest seeds, indicating a risk‐spreading germination strategy among savanna species. The low tolerance of forest seeds to desiccation, heat shock and high temperatures may explain the low recruitment of forest trees into savanna physiognomies. Climate change models predict lower soil moisture, higher temperatures and higher fires frequency for South America biomes. Our results suggest that savanna species are likely to be more capable of withstanding the effects of these changes than forest species.     

Deposition and longevity of oviposition-deterring pheromone in the cabbage seed weevil

Abstract The cabbage seed weevil ( Ceutorhynchus assimilis Payk.) lays eggs singly into pods of oilseed rape ( Brassica napus L.) through punctures bored with the mouthparts, preferring pods not recently used for oviposition. A simple new choice test has been used to test individual components of egg-laying behaviour for their effect on oviposition site selection. It is confirmed that an oviposition-deterring pheromone (ODP) is deposited during abdomen brushing of the pod which follows egg-laying. Neither pin punctures, weevil feeding punctures, oviposition punctures nor eggs had any deterrent effect. Pods walked on by female weevils were not avoided by those laying eggs. Observations suggest that the ODP is sensed by contact chemoreceptors on the antennae. The deterrent effect lasted only 1–2 h. The implications of these findings on the adaptive significance of the pheromone and its possible use in pest control are discussed.