File(s) under permanent embargo
Special delivery: scavengers direct seed dispersal towards ungulate carcasses
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-21, 11:32 authored by Steyaert, SMJG, Frank, SC, Puliti, S, Badia, R, Arnberg, MP, Jack BeardsleyJack Beardsley, Okelsrud, A, Blaalid, RCadaver decomposition islands around animal carcasses can facilitate establishment of various plant life. Facultative scavengers have great potential for endozoochory, and often aggregate around carcasses. Hence, they may disperse plant seeds that they ingest across the landscape towards cadaver decomposition islands. Here, we demonstrate this novel mechanism along a gradient of wild tundra reindeer carcasses. First, we show that the spatial distribution of scavenger faeces (birds and foxes) was concentrated around carcasses. Second, faeces of the predominant scavengers (corvids) commonly contained viable seeds of crowberry, a keystone species of the alpine tundra with predominantly vegetative reproduction. We suggest that cadaver decomposition islands function as endpoints for directed endozoochory by scavengers. Such a mechanism could be especially beneficial for species that rely on small-scale disturbances in soil and vegetation, such as several Nordic berry-producing species with cryptic generative reproduction.
History
Publication title
Biology LettersVolume
14Issue
8Article number
20180388Number
20180388Pagination
1-4ISSN
1744-9561Department/School
School of Geography, Planning and Spatial SciencesPublisher
The Royal Society PublishingPlace of publication
United KingdomRights statement
Copyright 2018 The Author(s)Repository Status
- Restricted