Search results for "Seed predation"

Determination of fatty acids content, global antioxidant activity and energy value of weed seeds from agricultural fields in France.

2016

18 pages; International audience; The ecological consequences of seed size variation have been studied extensively in plants. Curiously, little attention has been paid to the qualitative and quantitative variation of the seed-stored molecules and on their ecological significance. Here, we analysed the oil content and oil composition of ca. 200 weed seed species from agricultural fields in France based on single seed accessions, concentrating on interspecies differences and ignoring within-species variation. The relationships between seed weight, oil %, fatty acids (FAs) and the energetic value of the seed and its antioxidant properties were also investigated. The antioxidant activity could …

Bush pig (Potamochoerus porcus) seed predation of bush mango (Irvingia gabonensis) and other plant species in Democratic Republic of Congo.

2012

4 pages; International audience

Skylarks trade size and energy content in weed seeds to maximize total ingested lipid biomass

2014

International audience; tThe trade-off between forage quality and quantity has been particularly studied in herbivore organisms,but much less for seed eating animals, in particular seed-eating birds which constitute the bulk of win-tering passerines in European farmlands. The skylark is one of the commonest farmland birds in winter,mainly feeding on seeds. We focus on weed seeds for conservation and management purposes. Weedseeds form the bulk of the diet of skylarks during winter period, and although this is still a matter fordiscussion, weed seed predation by granivorous has been suggested as an alternative to herbicides usedto regulate weed populations in arable crops. Our objectives wer…

Key carabid species drive spring weed seed predation of Viola arvensis

2020

Toward a better understanding of in-field weed regulation by carabid beetles, and their functional characteristics, in European arable landscapes

2019

For future arable agriculture, there is a need for more sustainable methods to manage weeds that are less reliant on herbicides and maintain food production. Control of weeds by natural enemies is an agro-ecological alternative to reduce the use of herbicides. While strong evidence points to carabid beetles exerting a regulatory effect on certain weed species, it is difficult to predict whether a particular assemblage of carabid species or functional groups will drive the function of weed seed predation in field conditions. There are also uncertainties about which key local and landscape-scale factors affect the function of weed seed predation, and the functional characteristics of carabid …

Plant-animal interactions in fire-prone ecosystems

2018

SÍNTESIS Estudiar cómo responden las interacciones ecológicas a las perturbaciones es clave para abordar la creciente pérdida de biodiversidad en diferentes ecosistemas. En la Tierra existen especies que han evolucionado ante la presencia recurrente de perturbaciones naturales, como ocurre en ecosistemas con incendios frecuentes. En ellos el fuego se originó poco después de la aparición de las primeras plantas terrestres y también algunos de los patrones de incendios característicos que todavía permanecen. Sin embargo, las actividades humanas están alterando los patrones naturales de incendios, lo que puede suponer una amenaza incluso para las especies que presentan una rápida recuperación …

Tree visitation and seed dispersal of wild cherries by terrestrial mammals along a human land-use gradient

2010

Abstract The role of terrestrial mammals as seed dispersers of fleshy-fruited plants has only rarely been investigated in temperate regions although recent studies underline the importance of these animals for long-distance seed dispersal. Here we examine the potential role of mammals as seed dispersers of wild cherry (Prunus avium L.) along a gradient of human land-use intensity. We placed camera traps at 21 wild cherry trees to identify the mammal species that visited the trees. We conducted feeding trials to test if the recorded species were legitimate seed dispersers or seed predators and to assess gut passage times. We tested the influence of human land-use intensity by quantifying hab…

A stochastic model of seed dispersal pattern to assess seed predation by ants in annual dry grasslands

2005

A combined field experiment and modelling approach has been used to provide evidence that ants may be responsible for an observed lower patchiness and higher plant diversity in the neighbourhood of ant nests, within Mediterranean dry grasslands belonging to the phytosociological class Tuberarietea guttatae. The hypothesis was that seeds occurring in clumps may have an higher probability to be harvested than seeds having a scattered distribution. In order to test this hypothesis, four analysis steps have been performed. First, the seed productivity and dispersal pattern was recorded for four plant species found, either more abundant beside the ant nests (Tuberaria guttata, Euphorbia exigua) …

Does Forest Fragmentation and Selective Logging Affect Seed Predators and Seed Predation Rates of Prunus africana (Rosaceae)?

2007

Forest fragmentation and selective logging can influence the life cycle of tropical tree species at several levels, e.g., by lowering pollination, by limiting seed dispersal, and by increasing seed predation. Understanding human-induced modifications in ecosystem processes such as seed predation is essential for conservation management of threatened species. We studied the impact of forest fragmentation and selective logging on seed predation of the endangered tree Prunus africana in the tropical rain forest of Kakamega, Kenya. We quantified the activity of seed predators in the main forest, forest fragments, and in sites of different logging intensity in the dry and rainy seasons of 2003 a…

Toward a better prediction of in-field weed regulation by carabid beetles in European arable landscapes

2019

International audience; Arable agriculture is still highly reliant on herbicides to manage weeds. As part of the necessary shift towards a reduction in pesticide use, the regulatory effect of seed-eating carabid beetles on weeds has received increasing attention in agroecological research. While strong evidence points to carabids exerting a regulatory effect on certain weed species, it is difficult to predict whether a particular assemblage of carabid species will drive the function of weed seed predation in field conditions. There are also uncertainties about which key local and landscape-scale factors affect the function of weed seed predation. In this paper, we report on specific researc…