Frugivory and seed dispersal in the endemic cactus Eulychnia acida: extending the anachronism hypothesis to the Chilean Mediterranean ecosystem

Abstract Background: Eulychnia acida is an endemic Chilean cactus species whose fruits show several traits that, taken as a whole, are compatible with a seed dispersal syndrome by large herbivore vertebrates. Since only a few large native mammals exist in Chile at present, cactus fruit consumption...

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Autores principales:	Cares,Rocío A., Sáez-Cordovez,Consuelo, Valiente-Banuet,Alfonso, Medel,Rodrigo, Botto-Mahan,Carezza
Lenguaje:	English
Publicado:	Sociedad de Biología de Chile 2018
Materias:	Eulychnia acida Seed dispersal Frugivory Seeds Goats Lama guanicoe Octodon degus Anachronism
Acceso en línea:	http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0716-078X2018000100401
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spelling	oai:scielo:S0716-078X20180001004012018-10-19Frugivory and seed dispersal in the endemic cactus Eulychnia acida: extending the anachronism hypothesis to the Chilean Mediterranean ecosystemCares,Rocío A.Sáez-Cordovez,ConsueloValiente-Banuet,AlfonsoMedel,RodrigoBotto-Mahan,Carezza Eulychnia acida Seed dispersal Frugivory Seeds Goats Lama guanicoe Octodon degus Anachronism Abstract Background: Eulychnia acida is an endemic Chilean cactus species whose fruits show several traits that, taken as a whole, are compatible with a seed dispersal syndrome by large herbivore vertebrates. Since only a few large native mammals exist in Chile at present, cactus fruit consumption and seed dispersal may be coopted by introduced mammals as predicted by Janzen and Martin's (1982) hypothesis for tropical ecosystems. Findings: We describe the current frugivore species of E. acida in a protected semiarid-Mediterranean ecosystem using field measurements and feeding experiments. In addition, to examine a potential role as seed dispersers of the cactus species, we offered fruits and performed germination tests on seeds defecated by Lama guanicoe and the introduced goat Capra a. hircus under captivity conditions. Our data indicate that while fruits of E. acida are pecked by the Chilean tinamou, Nothoprocta perdicaria, and the Chilean mockingbird, Mimus thenca, and eaten by the brush-tailed rodent, Octodon degus, none of these species could be considered a legitimate seed disperser. Unlike L. guanicoe, the goat C. a. hircus did not reduce seed germination, having a neutral effect. Conclusions: Results from this study indicate that introduced C. a. hircus was the only species showing a potential role in the seed dispersal process of E. acida. In the absence of native frugivore species, goats might play an important role in population recruitment of the endemic cactus. These results extend Janzen and Martin's(1982) anachronism hypothesis to the Chilean Mediterranean ecosystem.info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessSociedad de Biología de ChileRevista chilena de historia natural v.91 20182018-01-01text/htmlhttp://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0716-078X2018000100401en10.1186/s40693-018-0079-4
institution	Scielo Chile
collection	Scielo Chile
language	English
topic	Eulychnia acida Seed dispersal Frugivory Seeds Goats Lama guanicoe Octodon degus Anachronism
spellingShingle	Eulychnia acida Seed dispersal Frugivory Seeds Goats Lama guanicoe Octodon degus Anachronism Cares,Rocío A. Sáez-Cordovez,Consuelo Valiente-Banuet,Alfonso Medel,Rodrigo Botto-Mahan,Carezza Frugivory and seed dispersal in the endemic cactus Eulychnia acida: extending the anachronism hypothesis to the Chilean Mediterranean ecosystem
description	Abstract Background: Eulychnia acida is an endemic Chilean cactus species whose fruits show several traits that, taken as a whole, are compatible with a seed dispersal syndrome by large herbivore vertebrates. Since only a few large native mammals exist in Chile at present, cactus fruit consumption and seed dispersal may be coopted by introduced mammals as predicted by Janzen and Martin's (1982) hypothesis for tropical ecosystems. Findings: We describe the current frugivore species of E. acida in a protected semiarid-Mediterranean ecosystem using field measurements and feeding experiments. In addition, to examine a potential role as seed dispersers of the cactus species, we offered fruits and performed germination tests on seeds defecated by Lama guanicoe and the introduced goat Capra a. hircus under captivity conditions. Our data indicate that while fruits of E. acida are pecked by the Chilean tinamou, Nothoprocta perdicaria, and the Chilean mockingbird, Mimus thenca, and eaten by the brush-tailed rodent, Octodon degus, none of these species could be considered a legitimate seed disperser. Unlike L. guanicoe, the goat C. a. hircus did not reduce seed germination, having a neutral effect. Conclusions: Results from this study indicate that introduced C. a. hircus was the only species showing a potential role in the seed dispersal process of E. acida. In the absence of native frugivore species, goats might play an important role in population recruitment of the endemic cactus. These results extend Janzen and Martin's(1982) anachronism hypothesis to the Chilean Mediterranean ecosystem.
author	Cares,Rocío A. Sáez-Cordovez,Consuelo Valiente-Banuet,Alfonso Medel,Rodrigo Botto-Mahan,Carezza
author_facet	Cares,Rocío A. Sáez-Cordovez,Consuelo Valiente-Banuet,Alfonso Medel,Rodrigo Botto-Mahan,Carezza
author_sort	Cares,Rocío A.
title	Frugivory and seed dispersal in the endemic cactus Eulychnia acida: extending the anachronism hypothesis to the Chilean Mediterranean ecosystem
title_short	Frugivory and seed dispersal in the endemic cactus Eulychnia acida: extending the anachronism hypothesis to the Chilean Mediterranean ecosystem
title_full	Frugivory and seed dispersal in the endemic cactus Eulychnia acida: extending the anachronism hypothesis to the Chilean Mediterranean ecosystem
title_fullStr	Frugivory and seed dispersal in the endemic cactus Eulychnia acida: extending the anachronism hypothesis to the Chilean Mediterranean ecosystem
title_full_unstemmed	Frugivory and seed dispersal in the endemic cactus Eulychnia acida: extending the anachronism hypothesis to the Chilean Mediterranean ecosystem
title_sort	frugivory and seed dispersal in the endemic cactus eulychnia acida: extending the anachronism hypothesis to the chilean mediterranean ecosystem
publisher	Sociedad de Biología de Chile
publishDate	2018
url	http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0716-078X2018000100401
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Frugivory and seed dispersal in the endemic cactus Eulychnia acida: extending the anachronism hypothesis to the Chilean Mediterranean ecosystem

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