Coyote and porcupine spread Russian olive seeds through endozoochory |
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Authors: | Joshua W Campbell Natalie M West |
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Institution: | USDA-ARS Pest Management Research Unit, Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory, Sidney, MT, 59270 USA |
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Abstract: | Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) is an invasive tree that has spread throughout much of the western United States. The mode of seed dispersal occurs by hydrochory and possibly by birds. Seed dispersal by frugivorous mammals has not been investigated. Between 15 October and 4 November 2020, we walked through Russian olive windbreaks in western North Dakota, USA, and surveyed for mammal scat, and found 10 coyote (Canis latrans) and 54 porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) scats that contained intact Russian olive seeds. We subsequently evaluated the viability, germination frequency, and time to germination of seeds ingested by coyote and porcupine relative to un-ingested control seeds harvested from trees at sites where we collected scat. Overall, Russian olive seeds that passed through mammal intestinal tracts had similar viability and equivalent (porcupine) or higher (coyote) germination frequency compared to controls. Additionally, coyote-ingested seeds germinated earlier (time to germination was low) than controls, but porcupine-ingested seeds were similar to controls. Thus, our data supports the idea that mammals may be agents of regional Russian olive seed dispersal. |
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Keywords: | Canis latrans coyote Elaeagnus angustifolia Erethizon dorsatum germination mammals North Dakota porcupine Russian olive scat seed dispersal zoochory |
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