Seed desiccation limits removal by ants

Ants collect and disperse seeds that bear an attractive nutritive body called the elaiosome. In mesic habitats, many myrmecochorous plant species have elaiosomes that are usually soft and desiccation-sensitive. The aim of this study was to link the desiccation rate of two species of seeds (Chelidonium majus and Viola odorata) to the seed-removing behaviour of the ant Myrmica rubra. In laboratory experiments seeds of both species lost one-third of their weight in 24 h. Concurrently, seed removal rates decreased sharply (92%) for Viola odorata over 24 h and slowly for Chelidonium majus, which retained one-third of its attractiveness after one month of desiccation. Seeds recovered their initial weight almost entirely after being soaked in water for 18 h. This rehydration partially (Viola odorata) or totally (Chelidonium majus) restored the attractiveness of the seeds. In this paper, we show that the window of seed attractiveness during which ant–plant interactions occur is desiccation-dependent and plant-specific.     

Ant-seed interactions: combined effects of ant and plant species on seed removal patterns

Seed dispersal by ants (i.e. myrmecochory) is usually considered as a mutualism: ants feed on nutritive bodies, called elaiosomes, before rejecting and dispersing seeds in their nest surroundings. While mechanisms of plant dispersal in the field are well documented, the behaviour of the ant partner was rarely investigated in details. Here, we compared in laboratory conditions the foraging behaviour of two ant species, the omnivorous Lasius niger and the insectivorous Myrmica rubra to which seeds of two European myrmecochorous plants (Chelidonium majus and Viola odorata) were given. Ant colonies were simultaneously presented three types of items: entire seeds with elaiosome (SE), seeds without elaiosome (S) and detached elaiosomes (E). The presence of elaiosomes on seeds did not attract workers from a distance since ants first contact equally each type of items. Although ants are mass-recruiting species, we never observed any recruitment nor trail-laying behaviour towards seeds. For ants having contacted seed items, their antennation, manipulation and seed retrieval behaviour strongly varied depending on the species of each partner. Antennation behaviour, followed by a loss of contact, was the most frequent ant-seed interaction and can be considered as a “hesitation” clue. For both plant species, insectivorous Myrmica ants removed items in larger number and at higher speed than Lasius. This fits with the hypothesis of a convergence between odours of elaiosomes and insect preys. For both ant species, the small Chelidonium seeds were retrieved in higher proportion than Viola ones, confirming the hypothesis that ants prefer the higher elaiosome/diaspore-ratio. Thus, in these crossed experiments, the ant-plant pair Myrmica/Chelidonium was the most effective as ants removed quickly almost all items after a few antennations. The presence of an elaiosome body increased the seed removal by ants excepting for Myrmica which retrieved all Chelidonium seeds, even those deprived of their elaiosome. After 24 h, all the retrieved seeds were rejected out of the nest to the refuse piles. In at least half of these rejected items, the elaiosome was discarded by ants. Species-specific patterns and behavioural differences in the dynamics of myrmecochory are discussed at the light of ant ecology. Received 10 September 2007; revised 5 February 2008; accepted 5 March 2008.     

其它可利用食物对小花宽瓣黄堇(Corydalis giraldii Fedde)种子散布的影响

作为蚁播植物种子的重要传播者,蚂蚁不但取食种子上附着的油质体,也喜食其它富含蛋白质、脂类、糖和维生素等的食物,因此环境中其它可利用食物的存在可能会影响蚂蚁对种子的搬运进而影响种子散布,但目前对于这种影响是如何发生的仍不清楚。在野外研究了蚂蚁对小花宽瓣黄堇(Corydalis giraldii Fedde)种子、肉、蜂蜜、苹果、馒头等食物的趋性和偏好程度,以及添加食物后蚂蚁对种子的拜访频率和搬运效率,以揭示其它可利用食物如何影响蚂蚁觅食和取食偏好,进而影响小花宽瓣黄堇种子散布。结果显示,在所诱捕的8种蚂蚁中,玉米毛蚁(Lasius alienus(Foerster))和丝光蚁(Formica fusca Linnaeus)是小花宽瓣黄堇种子的主要搬运者,不同食物诱捕的玉米毛蚁数量无显著性差异(P0.05),但蜂蜜和苹果诱捕的丝光蚁数量均显著大于种子(P0.05)。玉米毛蚁和丝光蚁均为杂食性,在觅食中分别行使群体募集和简单协作性募集。在仅有种子的对照处理中,玉米毛蚁和丝光蚁对种子的拜访频率分别为(38.73±4.57)头和(30.8±2.87)头(40min,n=15),两种蚂蚁对种子的拜访频率差异不显著(P0.05);玉米毛蚁和丝光蚁搬运种子的效率分别为(33.87±4.22)粒和(16.27±3.35)粒(40min,n=15),玉米毛蚁的搬运效率显著高于丝光蚁(P0.05)。与对照相比,添加馒头、苹果和蜂蜜后丝光蚁对种子的拜访频率显著降低(P0.05),分别为(15.6±3.61)头、(9.07±1.4)头和(7.67±1.58)头(40min,n=15);添加苹果和蜂蜜后丝光蚁对种子的搬运效率显著降低(P0.05),分别为(3.47±1.17)粒和(2.87±0.9)粒(40min,n=15);添加不同食物后玉米毛蚁对种子的拜访频率和搬运效率均无显著变化(P0.05)。研究结果表明行使群体募集的玉米毛蚁比行使简单协作募集的丝光蚁有更高的种子搬运效率,添加食物后影响丝光蚁对种子的拜访频率和搬运效率,这说明其它可利用食物对小花宽瓣黄堇种子散布的影响与搬运蚂蚁的种类及其觅食的募集方式有关。研究结果可为进一步研究蚂蚁与植物(种子)间的互利共生关系及其影响因素提供资料。     

An improved protocol for<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Agrobacterium</Emphasis>-mediated transformation of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Antirrhinum majus</Emphasis> L.

Efficient Agrobacterium -mediated transformation of Antirrhinum majus L. was achieved via indirect shoot organogenesis from hypocotyl explants of seedlings. Stable transformants were obtained by inoculating explants with A. tumefaciens strain GV2260 harboring the binary vector pBIGFP121, which contains the neomycin phosphotransferase gene (NPT II) as a selectable marker and the gene for the Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) as a visual marker. Putative transformants were identified by selection for kanamycin resistance and by examining the shoots using fluorescence microscopy. PCR and Southern analyses confirmed integration of the GFP gene into the genomes of the transformants. The transformants had a morphologically normal phenotype. The transgene was shown to be inherited in a Mendelian manner. This improved method requires only a small number of seeds for explant preparation, and three changes of medium; the overall transformation efficiency achieved, based on the recovery of transformed plants after 4–5 months of culture, reached 8–9%. This success rate makes the protocol very useful for producing transgenic A. majus plants.Communicated by G. Jürgens     

The influence of plant species on attraction and host acceptance inCotesia glomerata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Females of the larval parasitoidCotesia glomerata (L.) use plant-associated cues to locate their lepidopteran host,Pieris rapae L. In this study we investigated the influence of four host plant species,Brassica oleracea var.acephala (‘Vates’ kale),Tropaeolum majus (nasturtium),Lunaria annua (honesty), andCleome spinosa (spider flower), on two components of the host selection process inC. glomerata, namely, attraction and host acceptance. Choice tests in a flight tunnel showed that parasitoids were attracted to some host plant species more than to others in the absence of host larvae.B. oleracea was the most attractive plant species, followed byL. annua, T. majus, andC. spinosa. In previous studies it was shown thatB. oleracea carries highly suitable hosts forC. glomerata and that, in the field, parasitization rates on this plant were the highest. When host larvae were reared on the four host plant species and then transferred to a common substrate (B. oleracea var.capitata, cabbage), plant species that had served as diet for the hosts did not have a significant effect on acceptance for parasitization. Thus, parasitoids were attracted to host plant species differentially, but they did not discriminate among host larvae based on the dietary history of their hosts. ForC. glomerata, it appears that phytochemistry mediates host selection more by influencing parasitoid attraction than it does by affecting host acceptance.     

Effects of Seed Dispersal by Three Ateline Monkey Species on Seed Germination at Tinigua National Park, Colombia

We examined the effect of seed ingestion by three ateline primates: woolly monkeys, Lagothrix lagothricha; spider monkeys, Ateles belzebuth; and, red howler, Alouatta seniculus on germination rates and latency periods of seeds of several plant species in Tinigua National Park, Colombia. We collected dispersed seeds from feces and control seeds from the parental trees and washed them for germination trials. For the majority of plants, dispersed seeds germinated as well or better than control seeds did. Although spider monkeys depend more heavily on fruits than the other monkey species do, they were not more efficient than howlers or woolly monkeys at improving germination rates. A considerable proportion of the seeds dispersed by howlers and woolly monkeys showed reduced latency periods to germination, but spider monkeys showed less effect on reducing germination time. This result may be related to longer gut retention times, but such a trend has not been observed in other primate species. We conclude that, like many other primates, ateline monkeys are effective seed dispersers in terms of their effects on the seeds they swallow because they rarely decrease their germination rates. We discuss problems that make interspecific comparisons difficult, such as inappropriate control seeds and differences associated with germination substrates, and we stress the importance of studying other components of seed dispersal effectiveness.     

文峪河上游华北落叶松林的种子雨、种子库与幼苗更新

华北落叶松林下更新不良,为探究其制约因素,开展了山西省文峪河上游5个华北落叶松林分的种子雨、土壤种子库和幼苗更新的研究。结果表明:(1)华北落叶松种子主要集中于9—10月散落。2011年为华北落叶松种子丰年:种子产量高,种子雨密度达(961.93±377.40)粒/m2;种子质量高,完整种子占(89.31±16.13)%。2012年为种子平年,种子产量低,种子雨密度为(252.73±115.12)粒/m2。华北落叶松种子雨主要源于毗邻树木,华北落叶松纯林和落叶松云杉林的种子雨密度显著高于其他3个针阔混交林。(2)土壤种子库主要由上年种子雨组成,2012年4月的土壤种子库密度为(695.18±297.23)粒/m2,完整种子占(59.73±9.56)%。种子自然萌发前,约(78.98±24.76)粒/m2具发芽力,基本可满足更新需要。但种子活力保持期少于2 a,只能形成短期持久土壤种子库。(3)华北落叶松更新不良,种子年后仍难以实现幼苗建成,当年生幼苗的出现频度平均为1.6%,且林下难以存活。幼苗发生与种子储量关联性不强,种源条件不是制约华北落叶松更新的主要因素。     

Triacylglycerol biosynthesis in developing seeds of Tropaeolum majus L. and Limnanthes douglasii R. Br.

Triacylglycerols of both Tropaeolum majus L. and Limnanthes douglasii R. Br. are predominantly esterified with very long-chain acyl groups at each position of the glycerol backbone. In order to elucidate whether these acyl groups are directly chanelled into the triacylglycerols via the stepwise acylation of glycerol-3-phosphate, seed oil formation has been investigated in developing embryos of both plant species. [1-¹⁴C]Acetate labelling experiments using embryos at different stages of development, as well as the determination of the properties of the microsomal acyl-CoA:sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.15) and acyl-CoA:sn-1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.51), revealed differences between the two plant species, especially with respect to the incorporation of very longchain acyl groups into the C2 position of the triacylglycerols. In microsomal fractions of developing embryos of L. douglasii both a glycerol-3-phosphate and a 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase were detected which utilize very long-chain acyl-CoA thioesters as substrates. Thus, in seeds of L. douglasii very long-chain acyl groups can enter not only the C1, but also the C2 position of the triacylglycerols in the course of de-novo biosynthesis. A comparison of the properties of the acyltransferases of developing embryos with those of the corresponding activities of leaves indicates an embryo specific expression of an erucoyl-CoA-dependent microsomal 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase in L. douglasii. The microsomal glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase of developing embryos of T. majus displayed properties very similar to those of the corresponding activity of L. douglasii. On the other hand, the microsomal 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferases of the two plant species showed strikingly different substrate specificities. Irrespective of the acyl groups of 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate and regardless of whether acyl-CoA thioesters were offered separately or in mixtures, the enzyme of T. majus, in contrast to that of L. douglasii, was inactive with erucoyl-CoA. These results of the enzyme studies correspond well with those of the [1-¹⁴C]acetate labelling experiments and thus indicate that T. majus has developed mechanisms different from those of L. douglasii for the incorporation of erucic acid into the C2 position of its triacylglycerols.Abbreviations GPAT acyl-CoA:sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.15) - LPAT acyl-CoA:sn-1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.51) This work was supported by the Bundesministerium für Forschung und Technologie (Förderkennzeichen 0316600A).     

Amino acids,polyamines and proteins during seed germination of two species of Dipterocarpaceae

Summary Amino acid, polyamine and protein concentrations in seeds and their evolution during seed germination of two dipterocarp species, Hopea odorata and Dipterocarpus alatus, were determined with the help of a multianalytical system. Glutamic acid and glutamine were the major amino compounds present. Hopea seeds also contain high levels of aspartic acid/asparagine, serine, threonine, arginine and alanine, while those of Dipterocarpus contain high levels of alanine, arginine and threonine. These species were quite different in their germination behavior and thus in their protein and amine metabolism rates. In Hopea, polyamines increased during the first 3 days of germination and reached a maximum by the 3rd day, 1 day before maximum germination rate. In Dipterocarpus polyamines reached their maximum at the 6th day while maximum germination rate is observed by the 7th day. This suggests that polyamine compounds could play a role in the early part of the germination process in Hopea and Dipterocarpus seeds. The possibility that control of polyamine biosynthesis could be used for the establishment of biochemical methods to improve seed storage and to control germination of these recalcitrant seeds is discussed.     

Dropping rates of elaiosome-bearing seeds during transport by ants (Formica polyctena Foerst.): Implications for distance dispersal

In a deciduous forest, foraging ants collect elaiosome-bearing seeds and carry them to their nests. Some of the seeds reach the nest and are concentrated there. Others may be dropped by ants during transport. The dropped seeds enter the soil seed pool. However, they might be repeatedly removed by other ant individuals and carried again in the direction of the nest. Rates of seed dropping and repeated removals must be known to evaluate the effect of ant workers on dispersal distance of seeds. The rate of seed dropping is predicted to depend on size of seeds and of elaiosomes, both of which vary among plant species, and on the size of the ant workers. Mark-recapture experiments were used to evaluate dropping rates of seeds of five myrmecochorous and diplochorous plants (Chelidonium majus L., Asarum europaeum L., Viola matutina Klok., V. mirabilis L., V. hirta L.) during their transport by the ant Formica polyctena Foerst. In the series of species A. europaeum – V. hirta – V. mirabilis – Ch. majus – V. matutina, the dropping rate increased. Small workers dropped seeds of A. europaeum more often than did large ones, while seeds of V. hirta were dropped by ants of different size classes with the same frequency. Across species, dropping rates of seeds were negatively correlated with the rate at which ants removed them from the depot. The number of seeds which reach the nests is the other important parameter of seed dispersal. This parameter depends on dropping rates: seeds with lower dropping rates have higher chances of being deposited in nests. Diplochores usually produce many small seeds, which are characterised by low removal rates and high dropping rates during transport by ants. Obligate myrmecochores produce rather few large seeds, which have high removal rates and low dropping rates. To analyse the significance of seed dropping in the dispersal distance of seeds, a computer simulation based on two factors [(i) seed number produced by a plant; (ii) dropping rate of seeds] is proposed.     

Multiplication of Antirrhinum majus L. by shoot-tip culture

Nine varieties of Antirrhinum majus L. have been used in a study of in vitro multiplication of plants using shoot-tip culture. Acceptable multiplication rates were obtained in several media with only variety Victory showing significantly lower rates of shoot production. Wounded shoots of this variety produced callus in the absence of added auxin and some of this callus produced prolific roots.     

Avian Seed Dispersal of an Invasive Shrub

The incorporation of an animal-dispersed exotic plant species into the diet of native frugivores can be an important step to that species becoming invasive. We investigated bird dispersal of Lonicera maackii, an Asian shrub invasive in eastern North America. We (i) determined which species of birds disperse viable L. maackii seeds, (ii) tested the effect of gut passage on L. maackii seeds, and (iii) projected the seed shadow based on habitat use by a major disperser. We found that four native and one exotic bird species dispersed viable L. maackii seeds. Gut passage through American robins did not inhibit germination, but gut passage through cedar waxwings did. American robins moved mostly along woodlot edges and fencerows, leading us to project that most viable seeds would be defecated in such habitats, which are very suitable for L. maackii. We conclude that L. maackii has been successfully incorporated into the diets of native and exotic birds and that American robins preferentially disperse seeds to suitable habitat.     

Seed handling behaviours of native and invasive seed‐dispersing ants differentially influence seedling emergence in an introduced plant

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Assessing the damage potential of the stem-boring weevil Lixus aemulus for the biological control of Chromolaena odorata

In a damage trial in pots, Lixus aemulus, a stem-boring weevil imported from Brazil, caused 66.6% mortality of the stems and reduced the dry mass of infested Chromolaena odorata stems by 46.6%. There was a 94.4% reduction in the number of achenes produced on the infested branches. These results indicate that L. aemulus has potential to have impact as a biological control agent of C. odorata.     

Response of ants to human‐altered habitats with reference to seed dispersal of the myrmecochore Corydalis giraldii Fedde (Papaveraceae)

Anthropogenic habitat disturbance has potential consequences for ant communities. However, there is limited information on the effects of ant responses on associated ecological processes such as seed dispersal. We investigated the effect of disturbance on the abundance, richness, and composition of ant communities and the resulting seed‐dispersal services for a herbaceous myrmecochore, Corydalis giraldii (Papaveraceae), in an undisturbed habitat (forest understory), moderately disturbed habitat (abandoned arable field), and highly disturbed habitat (road verge) on Qinling Mountains, China. In total, we recorded 13 ant species, and five out of these were observed to transport seeds. The community composition of dispersers was significantly different amongst habitats. The richness of the dispersers did not differ among the habitats, but their total abundance varied significantly across habitats and was 21% lower in the road verge than in the abandoned arable fields. The major seed‐dispersing ant species in both the forest understory and the abandoned arable field were large‐bodied (Myrmica sp. and Formica fusca, respectively), whereas the major seed‐dispersing ants found in the road verge were the small‐bodied Lasius alienus. This difference resulted in lower seed removal rates and dispersal distances in the road verge than in the other two habitats. The different dispersal patterns were attributed primarily to differences in dispersing ant abundance and identity, most likely in response to habitats with different degree of anthropogenic disturbance. The possible influence of disturbance on the ecological specialization of ant‐seed dispersal interaction is also discussed.     

Indirect effects of alternative food resources in an ant–plant interaction

The seeds of many plant species present a food body that is consumed by animal dispersers. In theory, if the animals are polyphagous, the availability of alternative food resource other than the diaspore itself may influence its dispersal and survival. We used the myrmecochore Helleborus foetidus L. (Ranunculaceae), the seeds of which are attached to a lipid-rich elaiosome that is attractive to ants, as a model system to investigate (1) whether alternative foods that are present along with the plant affect ant foraging behavior and diaspore removal and (2) whether food availability in an ant nest affects seed predation and germination. In a field experiment, artificial diaspore depots were offered together with either sugar, insect corpses, seed, or no food (control). Contrary to the prediction that ants would rather concentrate their foraging effort on the highly rewarding alternative foods only, many workers, attracted by the sugar, switched to the hellebore diaspores, which significantly enhanced removal rate. Results obtained in the laboratory further indicated that the larvae of Aphaenogaster iberica (a major seed disperser) predated more on the H. foetidus embryos when no alternative food was available. This, in turn, slightly reduced seed germination. Overall, these results shed light, for the first time, on the potential indirect effects of alternative resources on the fate of diaspores adapted for ant dispersal.     

Seed dispersal and predation by Yakushima macaques, Macaca fuscata yakui, in a warm temperate forest of Yakushima Island, southern Japan

The relationships between fruit morphology and the foraging behavior of the Yakushima macaque, Macaca fuscata yakui were studied during a 9-month field study and series of laboratory experiments on Yakushima Island, southern Japan. These relationships may affect seed germination traits through seed dispersal. The macaques foraging behavior was observed in order to obtain data concerning the treatment of pulp and seeds. Seeds in feces and spat seeds were collected and analyzed. A linear discriminant analysis of the data led to the following results: (i) an increase in the relative flesh volume of a fruit was one of the potential factors which increased the probability of seed dispersal by the macaques; and (ii) seed size was an important parameter in relation to the type of seed dispersal (by defecation or spitting out). The germination test was conducted in a laboratory, then the germination rates and delays of dispersed seeds were compared with those of seeds collected directly from trees. The germination of dispersed seeds of Ficus thunbergii, Eurya japonica, and Vaccinium bracteatum, was significantly enhanced by passage through the macaques gut. The enhanced germination behavior was not seen in larger seeds, such as those of Psychotria serpens, Myrsine seguinii, Diospyros morrisiana, and Neolitsea sericea. The germination enhancement in small-seeded plants could be due to a sorting effect from the passage through the gut, which selects seeds with a narrower range of germination traits.     

Impact of seed abundance on seed processing and dispersal by the red ant Myrmica rubra

1. Myrmecochory sensu stricto is an ant–plant mutualism in which non‐granivorous ants disperse plant diaspores after feeding on their nutrient‐rich seed appendage, the elaiosome. Phenological traits associated with the diaspore can influence the behaviour of ants and thus their ultimate efficiency as seed dispersers. 2. This study investigated how a contrasting availability of seeds (20 vs. 200 seeds) from the diplochorous Chelidonium majus (Papaveraceae, Linnaeus) plant species influences the behaviour of Myrmica rubra (Formicidae, Linnaeus) ants, from the retrieval of seeds until their dispersal outside the ant nest. 3. Regardless of seed abundance, the ants collected the first diaspores at similar rates. Then, seed retrieval sped up over time for large seed sources until satiation took place with only one‐third of the tested colonies wholly depleting abundant seed sources. 4. No active recruitment by trail‐laying ants was triggered, even to an abundant seed source 5. In both conditions of seed abundance, the majority of the diaspores retrieved inside the nest were discarded with the elaiosome removed and were dispersed at similar distances from the nest. 6. The paper concludes with a discussion of how the quantity of seeds released by a plant with a dual mode of dispersal can potentially influence the behaviour of ant dispersers and hence the dispersal efficiency derived from myrmecochory.     

Genetic control of chlorophyll biosynthesis by the plastome in some Oenothera species (subgenus Munzia)

Reciprocal differences in the rates of chlorophyll (Chl) formation during early stages of greening are observed in hybrid seedlings with identical genomes derived from reciprocal crosses between Oenothera berteriana (=villaricae) and Oe. odorata (=picensis), subgenus Munzia. In the presence of levulinic acid (LA), a competitive inhibitor of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) dehydratase, ALA accumulated in the cotyledons and chlorophyll production was reduced in a stoichometric ratio. Accumulation of both Chl in untreated tissue and of ALA in seedlings incubated with LA is much more rapid in cotyledons with berteriana plastids than in those with odorata plastids. No difference was found between the inhibitor constants for LA of ALA dehydratase extracted from seedlings with either berteriana or odorata plastids. ALA formation is not limited by the availability of possible precursors. ALA dehydratase and the porphobilinogenase complex (PBGase) are present in abundance and in equal amounts in cotyledons with either berteriana or odorata plastids. It is concluded that the different capacities of the ALA synthesizing system fully account for the different rates of Chl formation in the seedlings with identical genomes and different plastid types.Abbreviations Chl chlorophyll - ALA 5-aminolevnlinic acid - ALAD 5-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase - LA levulinic acid - PBG porphobilinogen - PBGase porphobilinogenase - Oe Oenothera - bert berteriana - od odorata - Pl plastids     

The potential of seed‐eating birds to spread viable seeds of weeds and other undesirable plants

The potential for seed‐eating birds to spread viable seeds was investigated using captive‐feeding trials to determine seed preference, passage time through the gut, and viability of passed seeds for bronzewing pigeons (Phaps chalcoptera), peaceful doves (Geopelia striata), crested pigeons (Ocyphaps lophotes), Senegal doves (Streptopelia senegalensis), zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), black ducks (Anas superciliosa) and wood ducks (Chenonetta jubata). Test seeds were bladder clover (Trifolium spumosum), crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum), gorse (Ulex europaeus), canola (Brassica napus) and red panicum (Setaria italica). Their consumption was compared with that of commercial seed mixes. Although all test seeds were recognizable foods, their consumption usually decreased in the presence of other foods, except for canola, where consumption rates were maintained. Hard‐seeded bladder clover was the only species where viable seeds were passed by obligate seedeaters. In contrast, viable seeds of canola and gorse were passed by seed‐eating omnivorous/herbivorous ducks, although the germination of passed seeds (42%) was reduced significantly compared with that of untreated control seed (67%). Field validation with wild, urban bronzewings and Australian magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen) offered canola and commercial seed yielded similar outcomes, with a range of viable seeds recovered from magpie soft pellets. Mean seed passage time in captive birds ranged from 0.5 to 4.3 h for all test seeds and commercial seed mixes, suggesting that these bird species may potentially disperse seed over moderate distances. Despite the low probability of individual birds spreading viable seed, the high number of birds feeding in the wild suggests that the potential for granivorous and seed‐eating omnivorous birds to disperse viable seeds cannot be discounted, particularly if exozoochorous dispersal is also considered.