Seed Dispersal by Mammals

Fieldwork for studies on mammalian seed dispersal (2006–2010)

conducted in NW Spain through transects where we characterized fleshy-fruited plant communities and assessed seed dispersal by searching for scats of carnivorous mammals, mainly foxes, martens and badgers. Besides observational studies, we offered experimental fruits containing artificial seeds to measure seed dispersal distances.

Study landscape with forests, heathlands and small villages

Study landscape with a mosaic of habitats

Hillside with forest expansion after land abandonment

Devesa da Rogueira, a mixed broadleaved forest

Forest understory

Atlantic pear (Pyrus cordata)

Blackberries (Rubus sp.)

Fruiting rowan tree (Sorbus aucuparia)

Rowan fruits (Sorbus aucuparia) in mammal scat

Rose (Rosa sp.) seeds in mammal scat

Cherry (Prunus avium) seeds in mammal scat

Yew (Taxus baccata) seeds in mammal scat

Alder buckthorn (Frangula alnus) seeds in mammal scat

Blackberry (Rubus sp.) seeds in mammal scat

Red-colored artificial seeds in mammal scat

Green-colored artificial seeds in mammal scat

Tray with experimental fruits offered in the field

The photos illustrate the fieldwork behind the following publications:

González-Varo JP, López-Bao JV & Guitián J (2017) Seed dispersers help plants to escape global warming. OIKOS 126:1600–1606 pdf
López-Bao JV, González-Varo JP & Guitián J (2015) Mutualistic relationships under landscape change: carnivorous mammals and plants after 30 years of land abandonment. BASIC AND APPLIED ECOLOGY 16:152–161 pdf
González-Varo JP, López-Bao JV & Guitián J (2013) Functional diversity among seed dispersal kernels generated by carnivorous mammals. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY 82:562–571 pdf
López-Bao JV & González-Varo JP (2011) Frugivory and spatial patterns of seed dispersal by carnivorous mammals in anthropogenic landscapes: a multi-scale approach. PLOS ONE 6(1) e14569 pdf