Seed dispersal of the Korean pine,Pinus koraiensis,by the red squirrel,Sciurus vulgaris |
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Authors: | Masami Miyaki |
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Institution: | (1) Hokkaido Urakawa Forest Office, Urakawa, 057 Hokkaido, Japan;(2) Present address: Dohoku Branch, Hokkaido Forest Experiment Station, Nakagawa, 098-28 Hokkaido, Japan |
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Abstract: | Seed hoarding behavior of the red squirrel,Sciurus vulgaris, was studied in relation to the amount of dispersed seeds of the Korean pine,Pinus koraiensis, and the distribution of its seedlings. After removing a cone from a tree, squirrels sat on the ground and ripped off its
cone scales before transporting it. A mean of 3.2 seeds were scatter-hoarded per hole. Of 7.7×104 mature seeds produced in a 0.21 ha planted Korean pine forest, 22% were estimated to be directly eaten by four squirrels,
9% were hoarded by them in the pine forest and 65% were cached outside the forest. Squirrels rediscovered hoarded seeds frequently,
until the ground was covered with snow, during the period from snow fall until seed germination the next spring, few hoarded
seeds were utilized. Korean pine seedlings were found up to 600 m from their mother trees. Scatter-hoarding by squirrels extensively
contributes to seed dispersal to places suitable for the regeneration of the Korean pine. The large size of the cone, the
absciss-layer at the cone penduncle, the infrequent dehiscence of cone scales, the large and wingless seeds, and the thick
seed-coats have probably all been specialized to facilitate utilization by GenusSciurus. |
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Keywords: | Pinus koralensis scatter-hoarding Sciurus vulgaris seed dispersal |
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