DOI: 10.5061/dryad.56cn4
title: Data from: Wind dispersal is predicted by tree, not diaspore, traits in comparisons of neotropical species

description: 1. The seed shadow created by wind dispersal around parent trees may be
 affected by functional traits, as well as wind conditions and surrounding
 vegetation. 2. This study of one mature tree each of 12 Neotropical
 species determined the extent to which species variation in diaspore
 traits vs. tree height and crop size explains (1) rate of diaspore descent
 in still air, (2) distributions of diaspores dispersed from a 40-m tower
 in the forest, and (3) natural seed shadows around the parent tree. 3. A
 model of diaspore wing-loading to a fitted power explained 66.9% of the
 variation among species in the geometric mean rate of descent in still
 air. For a subset of four species, expected dispersal distance was not
 correlated with actual dispersal distance from the forest tower. For a
 subset of seven species, variation in wing-loading1/2 of individual
 diaspores explained ≤4.3% of the dispersal distance from the parent tree.
 4. Measured seed shadows, particularly their distribution edges and area,
 differed significantly among the 12 species (range in maximum tree height
 19–42 m), and were best fit by 12 separate anisotropic dispersal kernels
 and surveyed fecundities. Measured mean distance was highly correlated
 with simulated distances from the kernels. 5. The best models, explaining
 57.6% of the variation among species in shadow area, and 59.6, 61.6, and
 61.7% of variation in mean, median and maximum distances, included maximum
 tree height, either alone or in combination with crop size, and not
 diaspore rate of descent. 6. Among 10 species, seed shadow area was not
 related to rank of seedling shade tolerance. In their highly skewed
 distributions, most seeds were much closer than the distance of greatest
 seedling recruitment and in very high density, thus enhancing later
 density- and/or distance-related seedling mortality. 7. Tree functional
 traits, rather than the historically emphasized diaspore traits, explain
 distance distributions of these wind-dispersed species. Additional
 exploration of diaspore abscission in relation to wind and the influence
 of wind patterns after release are needed.
description: Description of Data and
 R code FilesThis file contains meta
 information of the four data files and one file with R scripts used for
 data analysis and making Figures.Data File 1. Diaspore
 traitsFor each of the
 study's tree species, mass, area, and descent rate for 15 individual
 diaspores.Data File 2. Measured
 dispersal distancesFor each of the
 study's tree species, the number of seeds found at each distance,
 measured in transects from the parent trunk (all transects
 combined).Data File 3. Parent tree
 informationFor each of the
 study's tree species, information of location, DBH, maximum height,
 median height, crown area, crop size, and seed shadow area of the
 tree.Data File 4. Transect
 dataFor each of the
 study's tree species, the number of seeds found in each quadrat at
 each distance in each of six (eight) directions from the parent trunk.
 Area of quadrat is provided.File 5. R
 scriptsR scripts 1) to make
 Figures 2 and 5; 2) to fit alternative models to explain variation among
 diaspores in the rate of descent in still air (results from this analysis
 are in Tables 2 and 3); and 3) to fit alternative models to explain
 variation among species in seed shadow characteristics using tree and
 diaspore traits (results from this analysis are included in Tables 4 and
 S11).