# Choose your oak wisely: drivers of tree selection by acorn-harvesting jays

Arndt Hampe, Gabriel Gerzabek

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## To cite this version:

Arndt Hampe, Gabriel Gerzabek. Choose your oak wisely: drivers of tree selection by acorn-harvesting jays. 14. MEDECOS & 13. AEET meeting. Human driven scenarios for evolutionary and ecological changes, Jan 2017, Séville, Spain. 268 p. hal-02733559

HAL Id: hal-02733559

https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-02733559

Submitted on 2 Jun 2020

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Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
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XIV MEDECOS
&
XIII AEET meeting

Human driven scenarios for evolutionary and ecological changes

Abstract book

31st January - 4th February 2017

Seville, Spain

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XIV MEDECOS &
XIII AEET meeting

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A E E T

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ASOCIACIÓN ESPAÑOLA
DE ECOLOGÍA TERRESTRE

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Estación
Biológica
Doñana
CSIC

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EXCELENCIA
SEVERO
OCHOA

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Abstract book of the XIV MEDECOS & XIII AEET meeting,
Seville, Spain, 31st January - 4th February 2017

Issued in Open Access, under the terms of Commons attribution Non Commercial License
Doi.: 10.7818/MEDECOSandAEETCongress.2017

Editorial deadline: 20th December, 2016.

Publisher: Asociación Española de Ecología Terrestre (AEET)
C/ Tulipán s/n, 28399, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain

Layout: Imprenta Sand, S.L. Seville. Spain.
Sp.20-5-Oral

The role of dispersal by granivorous and omnivorous waterbirds in MTEs

Green, A.J.¹, Sánchez, M.I.², Lovas-Kiss, A.³

(1) Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC). (2) Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC). (3) University of Debrecen, Hungary

Correspondence e-mail: [ajgreen@ebd.csic.es]()

Whereas most attention is paid to frugivory, we must not overlook the importance of omnivorous, granivorous and herbivorous waterbirds as vectors of a broad range of native and alien plants in natural and artificial Mediterranean ecosystems. We exemplify their importance by illustrating the role of ducks, geese, shorebirds and gulls in dispersing terrestrial and aquatic plants within and between ricefields, salinas and natural wetlands. Endozoochory is more important than epizoochory, and is a dispersal mechanism for plants classically assumed to have no or other means of dispersal (i.e. for plants not assigned to the "endozoochory syndrome"). Hence the capacity for long-distance dispersal is widely underestimated for these plants. The role of migratory granivorous waterbirds is likely to be extremely important both in the spread of alien plants within MTEs and in allowing native plants to keep pace with climate change. Seed dispersal disruptions are occurring in MTEs through the loss of natural wetlands, declines of vector populations and short-stopping (contraction of migration routes) in response to global change.

Sp.20-6-Oral

Choose your oak wisely: drivers of tree selection by acorn-harvesting jays

Hampe, A.¹, Gerzabek, G.²

(1) INRA. (2) INRA

Correspondence e-mail: [arndt.hampe@pierroton.inra.fr]()

Seed-dispersing animals can strongly influence plant reproductive success and resulting population structures. Few studies have adopt a novel approach to investigate which tree features guide foraging decisions of the principal disperser of acorns in a mixed oak stand and resulting tree reproductive success. We genotyped a seedling cohort (n = 825) and performed Bayesian parentage analysis to estimate the acorn dispersal success of all trees in the stand (n = 254). We then modelled this estimate as a function of several tree characteristics. Individual dispersal success was best predicted by fruit crop size and to a lesser extent by the abundance of adult oaks in the neighbourhood, whereas neither the oak species nor acorn size or shape played a role. Our findings contrast with results from experimental studies and suggest that jays, despite being scatter-hoarders, behave much like frugivores of fleshy-fruited species. Their foraging behaviour should exacerbate the relevance of large, prolific trees for the dynamics and genetic composition of naturally regenerating oak stands.