Extrafloral nectar increases seed removal by ants in Turnera ulmifolia |
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| Authors: | Emily M. Dutton Joel S. Shore Megan E. Frederickson |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada;2. Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada |
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| Abstract: | To investigate whether extrafloral nectar (EFN) increases seed dispersal in Turnera ulmifolia, we measured seed removal on plants with and without EFN. Plants producing EFN had more seeds removed than control plants, suggesting that EFN does play a role in seed dispersal. This is a novel function of EFN. |
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| Keywords: | ant defense extrafloral nectar Florida mutualism myrmecochory seed dispersal |
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