Invasive Ants Generate Heterogeneity in Patterns of Seed Survival

Chandler, Jennifer L.; Orrock, John L.; Resasco, Julian

doi:10.1674/0003-0031-176.2.289

Cited by 5 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Importantly, the study-specific variation in the effect of scat on seeds suggests that scat effects may be context-specific and that future studies are needed to evaluate how the strength of scat effects may be modified by local variation in abiotic and biotic conditions. For example, S. invicta was the only ant species that we visually detected foraging in our study (Appendix S3); however, research in habitats containing more diverse ant communities found that competitive displacement of other ant species by S. invicta generates spatial variation in Rubus seed removal, contingent on distance to S. invicta mounds (Chandler et al 2016). Spatial patterns in scat deposition relative to S. invicta mounds may be important in the nature of seed removal from scat when multiple ant species are present.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…Other plant species commonly found in the study area included Chaemacrista fasciculata , Lespedeza spp., Desmodium spp., Vitis spp., Diospyros virginiana , Rubus cuneifolius , and Toxicodendron pubescens . The study area is habitat for vertebrate species (e.g., old‐field mouse, Peromyscus polionotus ) and numerous arthropod species (e.g., Solenopsis spp., Pogonomyrmex badius , and coleopterans) that are important post‐dispersal seed predators (Orrock and Damschen 2005, Orrock et al 2006, Craig et al 2011, Chandler et al 2016). Coyotes are widespread, omnivorous mesopredators that were first documented at SRS in 1989 (Cothran et al 1991, Gulsby et al 2017).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Understanding patterns of seed predation is therefore important for understanding plant demography (Hobbs 1985, Hulme 1998, Crawley 2000, Orrock et al 2006), patterns in plant communities (Inouye et al 1980, Ostfeld et al 1997, Howe and Brown 2000, Paine and Beck 2007, Larios et al 2017), plant responses to climate change (Brown and Vellend 2014), and outcomes of biological invasions (Wolfe et al 2004, Nuñez et al 2008, Pearson et al 2011, Orrock et al 2015). Understanding the factors that affect granivore foraging provides an important means to understand seed survival because variation in granivore activity and behavior can generate spatiotemporal variation in seed predation (Orrock et al 2003, Bricker et al 2010, Lichti et al 2014, Chandler et al 2016, Brehm et al 2019). For example, seeds consumed by granivores may depend critically on the presence of other nearby resources in the environment that serve to attract or distract foraging granivores (Veech 2001, Ostoja et al 2013, Lichti et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To our knowledge, no research has compared the roles of different granivore guilds (e.g., rodents vs. arthropods) in post‐dispersal predation of seeds deposited in mesopredator scat. Since rodents and arthropods are known to prefer seeds of different sizes (i.e., arthropods prefer smaller seeds than those preferred by rodents; Orrock et al 2003, 2006, Orrock and Damschen 2005, Chandler et al 2016), the effects of mesopredator scat on seed survival may vary with seed size. These potentially important effects of mesopredator scat and its composition for post‐dispersal seed fate are largely unexplored because they require intensive experiments that measure seed predation in the presence and absence of mesopredator scat across a gradient of dietary composition.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An omnivorous mesopredator modifies predation of omnivore‐dispersed seeds

Bartel

Orrock

2021

Ecosphere

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Post-dispersal seed predation is an important determinant of plant recruitment. Although many plant species are dispersed following consumption by omnivorous vertebrates, the potential for these dispersal agents to indirectly affect seed fate by modifying seed predator behavior is poorly understood. We evaluated the hypothesis that the scat of an omnivorous vertebrate (coyote, Canis latrans), which is also a rodent predator, would reduce seed predation by rodent granivores. We also hypothesized that scat would lead to increased removal by arthropod seed predators by providing a resource that attracts ants and other arthropods. We examined the role of omnivore deposition on seed predation of two animaldispersed species that differed in size: Larger Prunus serotina seeds are attacked only by rodents, whereas smaller Rubus allegheniensis seeds are attacked by arthropods and rodents. Using an experiment that manipulated the presence of coyote scat and access by different granivore guilds, we found that scat reduced the total number of seeds removed from full-access depots by 12%, but it increased the total number of seeds removed from arthropod-only depots by 43%. Rodent removal of P. serotina seeds was 21% lower in the presence of scat. Scat composition was also important in affecting rodent seed predation, with seed predation 50% lower in the presence of meat-rich scat compared with mixed or fruit-rich scat. Arthropod removal of R. allegheniensis seeds was 43% higher in the presence of scat. Prunus serotina seeds were generally removed at greater rates than R. allegheniensis seeds in full-access trays; however, scat reduced this difference in removal rates from 37% more P. serotina seeds removed to 18% more P. serotina seeds removed. These findings illuminate a new pathway through which omnivores may influence plant populations by modifying post-dispersal seed predation by arthropods and rodents. Moreover, our results indicate that the ultimate effect of vertebrate omnivores on seed survival in a given region may depend upon omnivore diet, dominant seed predator guilds, and differences in granivore seed preference.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An omnivorous mesopredator modifies predation of omnivore‐dispersed seeds

Bartel

Orrock

2021

Ecosphere

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“…A previous study demonstrated that the presence of the Argentine ant could prevent seed predation by local Messor species (Oliveras et al 2007). Similarly, Solenopsis invicta creates heterogeneity in seed survival by reducing seed predation by arthropods in the vicinity of their nest (Chandler and Orrock 2016). Among seed predators, harvester ants are considered primary seed consumers (Beattie and Hughes 2002).…”

Section: Comparisons Of Seed Dispersion Rates Betweenmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interaction between a threatened endemic plant (Anchusa crispa) and the invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile)

Blight

Orgeas

Menn

et al. 2018

Arthropod-Plant Interactions

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Seed dispersal mutualisms are essential to ensure the survival of diverse plant species and communities worldwide. Here we investigated whether the invasive Argentine ant can replace native ants by fulfilling their functional role in the seed dispersal of the rare and threatened endemic myrmecochorous plant, Anchusa crispa, in Corsica (France). Our study addressed the potential of Linepithema humile to disperse elaisome-bearing seeds of A. crispa, examining L. humile's effects on (1) the composition of communities of ants removing seeds, (2) the number of seed removals, (3) seed preference, (4) the distance of seed dispersion, and (5) seed germination. We caught seven native species at the control site, but only the Argentine ant at invaded sites. L humile removed A. crispa seeds in greater numbers than did native ants, respectively 66% and 23%, probably due to their higher worker density. The invader was similar to native ants with respect to distance of seed transport. Finally, rates of seed germination were not significantly different between seeds previously in contact with either Argentine ants or not. Taken all together, these results suggest that the Argentine ant is unlikely to pose a threat to A. crispa population. These results have important implications for the management of this rare and threatened endemic plant and provide an example of non-negative interactions between invasive and native species.

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