DOI: 10.5061/dryad.j0zpc86t1
title: Data files and R scripts from: Associations of dispersal traits with fecundity and clonal expansion among Japanese ant-dispersed sedges

description: Dispersal syndrome, a covariation of dispersal traits with other traits,
 is an important aspect of any organism because it provides clues for
 potential selection pressures or constraints imposed by other traits. In
 plants, fecundity and clonal expansion are the two least empirically
 explored reproductive traits in terms of their association with dispersal
 traits, despite theoretical predictions for their existence. This study
 examined the associations of two dispersal traits (elaiosome size,
 autochorous distance) with two reproductive traits (fecundity, clonal
 expansion) among 40 sedge species (Carex spp.) that disperse seeds through
 autochory through postfloral stalk bending and growth, followed by
 myrmecochory. Of the two dispersal traits, larger elaiosomes are known to
 result in longer dispersal distances through attraction of large ants,
 while longer autochorous distances are expected to reduce local seed
 clumping by facilitating an independent discovery of sibling seeds by ant
 workers from multiple nests. Through the comparative analyses, I found the
 negative associations of elaiosome size with both reproductive traits. The
 result is consistent with either the functional redundancy of the traits
 in risk spreading or the fecundity cost of producing larger elaiosomes.
 After verifying the use of stalk length as a surrogate for autochorous
 distance, I found the positive association of stalk length with fecundity
 largely driven from the contrast between four species with extremely short
 stalks and rest of species with normal stalks. These results are among the
 first to show an existence of dispersal syndromes among myrmecochorous
 plants involving dispersal and reproductive traits.
description: # Associations of dispersal traits with fecundity and clonal expansion
 among Japanese ant-dispersed sedges Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.j0zpc86t1](10.5061/dryad.j0zpc86t1) ## Description of the
 data and file structure Data on the two dispersal traits (elaiosome size,
 stalk length) and other traits (fecundity, clonal expansion, etc) of 40
 *Carex* species were measured and averaged from images of herbarium
 specimens, books, and websites (when necessary, I got permissions to use
 the images). Digital photos taken in this study, used for the analysis of
 the correlation between stalk length and autochorous distance, were also
 included. Source of all images is listed in the supporting information of
 the published manuscript. ### Files and variables #### File:
 Dispersal_syndrome_Carex_Dryad.csv **Description:** A data file for
 comparative analyses (LM) on the association of dispersal traits with
 fecundity and clonal expansion. Empty cells denote missing values. #####
 Variables * PL: Median maximum stalk length (cm) * LL: Median maximum leaf
 length (cm) * rPL: PL/LL * negiwa: species with extremely short stalks
 relative to leaf length (y) or species with normal stalks (n) *
 nodia.spikelet: Number of seeds per female spikelet * nospikelet.ped:
 Number of spikelets per flower stalk * nodia.ped: Number of seeds per
 stalk = nodia.spikelet x nospikelet.ped * noped.Katsu: Number of flower
 stalks counted from photos from Katsuyama (2005) * noped.Hoshi: Number of
 flower stalks counted from photos from Hoshino (2023) * noped.ex: Mean
 value of noped.Katsu and noped.Hoshi * dia.plant.ex: Estimated number of
 seeds per plant calculated by the product of noped.ex and nodia.ped *
 clonal: species with higher (1) and lower (0) degree of clonal expansion.
 The former and the latter corresponds with guerrilla and phalanx species,
 respectively * dia, el, body: Area (mm2) of diaspore, elaiosome, and seed
 body, respectively * lat, alt: Median latitude and altitude of all
 herbarium specimens of focal species * dia2014, el2014: Mean diaspore and
 elaiosome mass measured in 2014 (Tanaka, unpublished) * grassland, forest,
 rocky: Occurrence in each habitat referring to Katsuyama (2005) #### File:
 Dispersal_syndrome_Carex2.csv **Description:** A data set examining the
 correlation between stalk length and autochorous distance ##### Variables
 * no.plant: Number of plants used for estimation of autochorous distance
 and stalk length * maxinf: Median maximum stalk length (cm) * minf: Median
 mean autochorous distance (cm) * mode: Seed dispersal mode (myr:
 myrmecochorous, bar: barochorous) * dataset2: Subset of data excluding one
 of closely related or morphologically very similar species 
 
 #### File: Dispersal_syndrome_Carex_Dryad.R **Description:** R scripts
 used in the analyses 
 
 #### File: IMG_1489.JPG, IMG_1490.JPG, IMG_1491.JPG, IMG_1492.JPG,
 IMG_1497.JPG, IMG_1498.JPG, IMG_1499.JPG, IMG_1500.JPG, IMG_1510.JPG,
 IMG_1511.JPG **Description:** Photo images of *Carex leucochlora* used for
 the analysis of correlation between stalk length and autochorous distance.
 
 
 #### File: IMG_1501.JPG, IMG_1502.JPG, IMG_1503.JPG, IMG_1508.JPG,
 IMG_1509.JPG, IMG_1512.JPG **Description:** Photo images of *Carex
 candolleana* used for the analysis of correlation between stalk length and
 autochorous distance. 
 
 #### File: IMG_1487.JPG, IMG_1488.JPG, IMG_1493.JPG, IMG_1494.JPG,
 IMG_1495.JPG, IMG_1496.JPG, IMG_1504.JPG, IMG_1505.JPG, IMG_1506.JPG,
 IMG_1507.JPG **Description:** Photo images of *Carex mitrata* var.
 *aristata* used for the analysis of correlation between stalk length and
 autochorous distance. 
 
 #### File: RIMG4972.JPG, RIMG4973.JPG, RIMG4974.JPG, RIMG4975.JPG,
 RIMG4976.JPG, RIMG4977.JPG, RIMG4978.JPG, RIMG4979.JPG, RIMG4980.JPG,
 RIMG4981.JPG **Description:** Photo images of *Carex ischnostachya* used
 for the analysis of correlation between stalk length and autochorous
 distance. 
 
 #### File: RIMG4951.JPG, RIMG4952.JPG, RIMG4953.JPG, RIMG4954.JPG,
 RIMG4955.JPG, RIMG4956.JPG, RIMG4958.JPG, RIMG4959.JPG, RIMG4960.JPG,
 RIMG4965.JPG, RIMG4968.JPG, RIMG4969.JPG, RIMG4970.JPG, RIMG4971.JPG
 **Description:** Photo images of *Carex transversa* used for the analysis
 of correlation between stalk length and autochorous distance. ##
 Code/software R version 4.3.1 was used to run files. Loaded packages are
 included in the Rscript submitted.