Dispersal of semi-fleshy fruits to rock crevices by a rock-restricted rodent

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dc.contributor.authorWhite, Joseph DM
dc.contributor.authorMidgley, Jeremy J
dc.date.accessioned2021-10-08T07:16:16Z
dc.date.available2021-10-08T07:16:16Z
dc.date.issued2017
dc.description.abstractSeed dispersal allows successive generations of plants to be mobile in space and time. Heeria argentea’s unusual fruit and its ubiquity in extremely rocky habitats, suggests that this tree requires a specialist disperser. We therefore investigated the dispersal ecology of H. argentea and Hartogiella schinoides. We found M. namaquensis rapidly removed H. argentea and H. schinoides fruits, moving them short distances within and between rock outcrops, and consumed only the pericarps. Birds were observed consuming H. schinoides, but not H. argentea fruits, suggesting M. namaquensis is its sole, specialist disperser. Most H. argentea seeds (65%) with removed pericarps germinated successfully, while intact fruits did not. We show rock outcrops represent fire refugia, allowing H. argentea trees to grow to large sizes, with small stems and a co-occurring, wind-dispersed tree, Widdringtonia nodiflora found away from these sites. This rodent–tree mutualism is perhaps the clearest global example of directed dispersal and shows that these endemic trees are highly adapted for survival in the southwestern Cape habitat and are not tropical relicts.
dc.identifier.apacitationWhite, J. D., & Midgley, J. J. (2017). Dispersal of semi-fleshy fruits to rock crevices by a rock-restricted rodent. <i>South African Journal of Science</i>, 113(43416), 174 - 177. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34806en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationWhite, Joseph DM, and Jeremy J Midgley "Dispersal of semi-fleshy fruits to rock crevices by a rock-restricted rodent." <i>South African Journal of Science</i> 113, 43416. (2017): 174 - 177. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34806en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationWhite, J.D. & Midgley, J.J. 2017. Dispersal of semi-fleshy fruits to rock crevices by a rock-restricted rodent. <i>South African Journal of Science.</i> 113(43416):174 - 177. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34806en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0038-2353
dc.identifier.issn1996-7489
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - White, Joseph DM AU - Midgley, Jeremy J AB - Seed dispersal allows successive generations of plants to be mobile in space and time. Heeria argentea’s unusual fruit and its ubiquity in extremely rocky habitats, suggests that this tree requires a specialist disperser. We therefore investigated the dispersal ecology of H. argentea and Hartogiella schinoides. We found M. namaquensis rapidly removed H. argentea and H. schinoides fruits, moving them short distances within and between rock outcrops, and consumed only the pericarps. Birds were observed consuming H. schinoides, but not H. argentea fruits, suggesting M. namaquensis is its sole, specialist disperser. Most H. argentea seeds (65%) with removed pericarps germinated successfully, while intact fruits did not. We show rock outcrops represent fire refugia, allowing H. argentea trees to grow to large sizes, with small stems and a co-occurring, wind-dispersed tree, Widdringtonia nodiflora found away from these sites. This rodent–tree mutualism is perhaps the clearest global example of directed dispersal and shows that these endemic trees are highly adapted for survival in the southwestern Cape habitat and are not tropical relicts. DA - 2017 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town IS - 43416 J1 - South African Journal of Science LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2017 SM - 0038-2353 SM - 1996-7489 T1 - Dispersal of semi-fleshy fruits to rock crevices by a rock-restricted rodent TI - Dispersal of semi-fleshy fruits to rock crevices by a rock-restricted rodent UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34806 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/34806
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationWhite JD, Midgley JJ. Dispersal of semi-fleshy fruits to rock crevices by a rock-restricted rodent. South African Journal of Science. 2017;113(43416):174 - 177. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34806.en_ZA
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biological Sciences
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Science
dc.sourceSouth African Journal of Science
dc.source.journalissue43416
dc.source.journalvolume113
dc.source.pagination174 - 177
dc.source.urihttps://dx.doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2017/20170159
dc.subject.otherseed dispersal
dc.subject.otherdirected dispersal
dc.subject.otherHeeria argentea
dc.subject.otherrock outcrops
dc.subject.otherfire refugia
dc.titleDispersal of semi-fleshy fruits to rock crevices by a rock-restricted rodent
dc.typeJournal Article
uct.type.publicationResearch
uct.type.resourceJournal Article
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