Seed dispersal distances by ant partners reflect preferential recruitment patterns in two ant-dispersed sedges

Phenological specialisation of two ant‐dispersed sedges in relation to requirements for qualitative and quantitative dispersal effectiveness

“…Our previous study also revealed that C. lanceolata adults suppressed the growth and reproduction of adjacent conspecific seedlings, but C. tristachya did not, which strongly suggests that C. lanceolata attracts the high-quality ant to enhance the probability of seedling isolation from conspecific adults (Tanaka and Tokuda 2016). Although seeds of C. lanceolata are highly attractive to F. japonica, they also attract low-quality ants such as P. noda and C. osakensis (Tanaka and Tokuda 2016). Notably, F. japonica is behaviourally subordinate to low-quality ants in the field (Tanaka and Suzuki 2016), so seeds discovered and recruited to earlier ants other than F. japonica generally become unavailable to F. japonica.…”

“…This study focused on two perennial ant-dispersed sedges, Carex lanceolata Boott and C. tristachya Thunb (Cyperaceae), and examined their phenological specialisations in relation to dispersal requirements. These sedges are sympatrically distributed and both have elaiosomes facilitating seed dispersal by ants (Tanaka and Suzuki 2016;Tanaka and Tokuda 2016). However, the two sedges have different seed traits: seeds of C. lanceolata have larger elaiosomes and are more frequently dispersed by a high-quality ant species Formica japonica for a longer distance than those of C. tristachya (Tanaka and Tokuda 2016).…”

“…These sedges are sympatrically distributed and both have elaiosomes facilitating seed dispersal by ants (Tanaka and Suzuki 2016;Tanaka and Tokuda 2016). However, the two sedges have different seed traits: seeds of C. lanceolata have larger elaiosomes and are more frequently dispersed by a high-quality ant species Formica japonica for a longer distance than those of C. tristachya (Tanaka and Tokuda 2016). In contrast, seeds of C. tristachya are frequently dispersed by ants such as Pheidole noda and Crematogaster osakensis, which remove the seeds but transport them for much shorter distances than F. japonica (Tanaka and Tokuda 2016).…”

“…However, the two sedges have different seed traits: seeds of C. lanceolata have larger elaiosomes and are more frequently dispersed by a high-quality ant species Formica japonica for a longer distance than those of C. tristachya (Tanaka and Tokuda 2016). In contrast, seeds of C. tristachya are frequently dispersed by ants such as Pheidole noda and Crematogaster osakensis, which remove the seeds but transport them for much shorter distances than F. japonica (Tanaka and Tokuda 2016). Our previous study also revealed that C. lanceolata adults suppressed the growth and reproduction of adjacent conspecific seedlings, but C. tristachya did not, which strongly suggests that C. lanceolata attracts the high-quality ant to enhance the probability of seedling isolation from conspecific adults (Tanaka and Tokuda 2016).…”

“…In contrast, seeds of C. tristachya are frequently dispersed by ants such as Pheidole noda and Crematogaster osakensis, which remove the seeds but transport them for much shorter distances than F. japonica (Tanaka and Tokuda 2016). Our previous study also revealed that C. lanceolata adults suppressed the growth and reproduction of adjacent conspecific seedlings, but C. tristachya did not, which strongly suggests that C. lanceolata attracts the high-quality ant to enhance the probability of seedling isolation from conspecific adults (Tanaka and Tokuda 2016). Although seeds of C. lanceolata are highly attractive to F. japonica, they also attract low-quality ants such as P. noda and C. osakensis (Tanaka and Tokuda 2016).…”