Secondary seed dispersal by ants in Neotropical cerrado savanna: species‐specific effects on seeds and seedlings of Siparuna guianensis (Siparunaceae)

1. Most woody plant species in tropical habitats are primarily vertebrate‐dispersed, but interactions between ants and fallen seeds and fruits are frequent. This study assesses the species‐specific services provided by ants to fallen arillate seeds of Siparuna guianensis, a primarily bird‐dispersed tree in cerrado savanna. The questions of which species interact with fallen seeds, their relative contribution (versus vertebrates) to seed removal, and the potential effects on seedling establishment are investigated. 2. Seeds are removed in similar quantities in caged and control treatments, suggesting that ants are the main dispersers on the ground. Five ant species attended seeds. Pheidole megacephala (≈0.4 cm) cooperatively transported seeds, whereas the smaller Pheidole sp. removed the seed aril on spot. Large (> 1.0 cm) Odontomachus chelifer, Pachycondyla striata, and Ectatomma edentatum individually carried seeds up to 4 m. Bits of aril are fed to larvae and intact seeds are discarded near the nest entrance. 3. Overall, greater numbers of seedlings were recorded near ant nests than in control plots without nests. This effect, however, was only detected near P. megacephala and P. striata nests, where soil penetrability was greater compared with controls. Soil nutrients did not differ between paired plots. 4. This study confirms the prevalence of ant–seed interactions in cerrado and shows that ant‐derived benefits are species‐specific. Ant services range from seed cleaning on the spot to seed displacement promoting non‐random spatial seedling recruitment. Although seed dispersal distances by ants are likely to be shorter than those by birds, our study of S. guianensis shows that fine‐scale ant‐induced seed movements may ultimately enhance plant regeneration in cerrado.