Secondary seed dispersal by ants of Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae) in the Atlantic forest in southeastern Brazil: Influence on seed germination

dc.creatorMartins, VF
dc.creatorGuimaraes, PR
dc.creatorda Silva, RR
dc.creatorSemir, J
dc.date2006
dc.date2014-11-17T16:47:28Z
dc.date2015-11-26T17:40:29Z
dc.date2014-11-17T16:47:28Z
dc.date2015-11-26T17:40:29Z
dc.date.accessioned2018-03-29T00:22:09Z
dc.date.available2018-03-29T00:22:09Z
dc.identifierSociobiology. Calif State Univ, v. 47, n. 1, n. 265, n. 274, 2006.
dc.identifier0361-6525
dc.identifierWOS:000234465300020
dc.identifierhttp://www.repositorio.unicamp.br/jspui/handle/REPOSIP/71279
dc.identifierhttp://www.repositorio.unicamp.br/handle/REPOSIP/71279
dc.identifierhttp://repositorio.unicamp.br/jspui/handle/REPOSIP/71279
dc.identifier.urihttp://repositorioslatinoamericanos.uchile.cl/handle/2250/1286739
dc.descriptionSome seeds rely on fleshy lipid-rich appendages as attractants to ants. By carrying those seeds to their nest, ants play a major role as seed dispersers and can provide suitable conditions for seed germination. Ricinus communis (the commonly known castor) seeds are primarily dispersed by autochory but probably present secondary dispersal by ants, once they bear a lipid-rich elaiosome. The following questions were addressed: (1) are ants legitimate dispersers of castor seeds?; (2) which ant species interact with the seeds?; and (3) is germination success higher in a predicted scenario met by seeds discarded from ant nest? We compared the removal of seeds with and without elaiosome and we determined which ant species interact with castor seeds and whether there was seed predation by ants. We performed experiments under controlled conditions to evaluate seed germination responses to light, temperature and elaiosome. Seeds with elaiosome were removed preferentially and no predation was found, indicating that ants are legitimate seed dispersers. A large coterie of ants (20 species) interacts with castor seeds, especially Myrmicinae species. Elaiosome removal enhanced germination success, as well as alternated temperatures and absence of light. Such conditions arc a mixture of two of the three scenarios we assumed for castor seed germination, and are met by seeds discarded from ant nest, but covered by a thin layer of litter, or eventually abandoned inside the nest, but in shallow depths. Therefore, by discarding seeds without elaiosome on the pile mound, ants may submit castor seeds to conditions that enhance germination.
dc.description47
dc.description1
dc.description265
dc.description274
dc.languageen
dc.publisherCalif State Univ
dc.publisherChico
dc.publisherEUA
dc.relationSociobiology
dc.relationSociobiology
dc.rightsaberto
dc.sourceWeb of Science
dc.subjectants nest
dc.subjectcastor
dc.subjectelaiosome
dc.subjectforest edge
dc.subjectmamona
dc.subjectmyrmecochory
dc.subjectlight
dc.subjecttemperature
dc.subjectRain-forest
dc.subjectRemoval
dc.subjectTree
dc.subjectMyrmecochory
dc.subjectMarantaceae
dc.subjectFormicidae
dc.subjectCaruncle
dc.subjectPlants
dc.subjectFeces
dc.titleSecondary seed dispersal by ants of Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae) in the Atlantic forest in southeastern Brazil: Influence on seed germination
dc.typeArtículos de revistas


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