Distribution of Western Juniper Seeds Across an Ecotone and Implications for Dispersal

Dimitri, Lindsay A.; Longland, William S.

doi:10.3398/064.077.0209

Cited by 14 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Pinyon pine may have a particular advantage dispersing into burned areas because its seeds are extensively transported and cached by corvids (jays and nutcrackers) and rodents, who by burying seeds facilitate seedling emergence (Vander Wall and Balda 1981, Chambers 2001, Hollander and Vander Wall 2004). However, secondary dispersal by birds and rodents has also been observed for Jeffrey pine and western juniper and is therefore not unique to pinyon pine at our sites (Vander Wall 2008, Briggs et al 2009, Dimitri and Longland 2017).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

Rain‐shadow forest margins resilient to low‐severity fire and climate change but not high‐severity fire

Harris

Taylor

2020

Ecosphere

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

Rain‐shadow forest margins resilient to low‐severity fire and climate change but not high‐severity fire

Harris

Taylor

2020

Ecosphere

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“…Instead of physically obstructing seeds, L . tridentata could be increasing seedbank through animal-mediated dispersal, such as acting as perch site for birds [37] or rodent cache [4] which are independent of shrub size. Alternatively, E .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We have identified dominant plants as a significant factor mediating seedbank dynamics through a series of direct and indirect mechanisms. Shrubs can also affect seed viability because of differences in microclimate [47] and mediate seed dispersal by animals [4,37], but we did not explore these mechanisms. Future research should empirically test shrub effects on animal-mediated dispersal, seed viability, and the mechanisms within this study to construct a structural equation model that better quantifies the direct and indirect effects of shrubs on seedbanks.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shrubs indirectly increase desert seedbanks through facilitation of the plant community

et al. 2019

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The mechanisms supporting positive ecological interactions are important. Foundation species can structure desert biodiversity by facilitating seedbanks of annual plants, but the direct and indirect mechanisms of shrub effects on seedbank have not been experimentally decoupled. We conducted the first test of shrubs increasing seedbank densities through direct effects on the seedbank (i.e. shrub seed-trapping, animal-mediated dispersal) and indirect effects by facilitating the annual plant community (i.e. seed deposition, annual seed-trapping). Two distinct desert ecosystems were used to contrast transient seedbank densities in shrub and open microsites by manipulating annual plant density and the presence of the persistent seedbank. We measured transient seedbank densities at the end of the growing season by collecting soil samples and extracting seeds from each respective treatment. Transient seedbank densities were greatest in shrub canopies and with relatively higher annual plant densities. The persistent seedbank contributed to transient seedbank densities only in one desert and in the open microsite. Shrubs indirectly increased seedbank densities by facilitation the seed production of the annual plants. Therefore, shrubs are increasing seedbank independently of the annual plant community, likely through trapping effects, and dependently by facilitating seed production of the annuals. These findings provide evidence for a previously undescribed mechanism that supports annual seedbanks and thus desert biodiversity. We also identify shrubs as being significant drivers of desert plant communities and emphasize the need to consider multiple mechanisms to improve our ability to predict the response of ecosystems to change.

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“…Several studies have successfully documented Juniperus spp. seed dispersal by animals that ingest the berry-resembling cones and subsequently deposit viable seeds on the landscape (frugivory), [24][25][26]; or transport and dispersal of seeds that have been previously deposited on the landscape by animals (diplochory) [27,28].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The full process of ingestion, transport, and deposition of a seed is referred to as endozoochory [33]. Zootransport and diplochory of juniper seeds by small mammals can also be a method of juniper seed transport [26,28]. The dispersal pattern of seeds is fundamental to the ultimate location of tree establishment in juniper woodlands [25,34].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dispersal Patterns of One-Seed Juniper Seeds Contained in Mammal Scats and Bird Pellets

Stricklan

Cibils

Saud

et al. 2022

Forests

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We conducted a two-year study in New Mexico, USA, to determine the role of birds, lagomorphs, mesocarnivores, and porcupines in one-seed juniper (J. monosperma (Englem.] Sarg.) seed dispersal. We established random plots: (1) around cone-bearing juniper trees in the woodland; (2) around non-cone-bearing juniper trees in the woodland; (3) in woodland/grassland transition zones; and in (4) grassland habitats near juniper woodlands. We estimated seed density and tallied the number of plots with seeds deposited by each disperser group. Birds deposited the highest number of seeds/ha under the canopy of cone-bearing trees. Mesocarnivores were responsible for the highest average seed deposition in all other habitats. In juniper cone-bearing tree habitats, birds deposited seeds in 100% of plots under-canopy and 93% of plots outside-canopy. Seeds deposited by lagomorphs were observed in plots across all sampled habitats. Overall, seed deposition was greatest around cone-bearing juniper trees, followed by non-cone-bearing juniper trees, woodland-grassland transition zones, and grassland habitats. Birds deposited seeds primarily under cone-bearing tree perch sites. Lagomorphs deposited seeds widely in relatively high numbers across all habitats and are likely responsible for the greatest number of one-seed juniper seeds deposited on the soil surface at our research site.

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Distribution of Western Juniper Seeds Across an Ecotone and Implications for Dispersal

Cited by 14 publications

References 35 publications

Rain‐shadow forest margins resilient to low‐severity fire and climate change but not high‐severity fire

Rain‐shadow forest margins resilient to low‐severity fire and climate change but not high‐severity fire

Shrubs indirectly increase desert seedbanks through facilitation of the plant community

Dispersal Patterns of One-Seed Juniper Seeds Contained in Mammal Scats and Bird Pellets

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