Abstract
Abstract The dependence of mistletoes on few dispersers and the directed dispersal they provide is well known, yet no recent work has quantified either the effectiveness of these ‘legitimate’ dispersers, or the extent of redundancy among them. Here, I use the seed dispersal effectiveness ( SDE ) framework to analyze how birds ( Mionectes striaticollis and Zimmerius bolivianus ) contribute to mistletoe ( Struthanthus acuminatus and Phthirusa retroflexa ) infection in traditional mixed plantations within a humid montane forest in Bolivia. I calculated SDE for each bird–mistletoe pair and for the disperser assemblage, by estimating both the quantity and the quality of dispersal. The quantity of dispersal was measured as: (1) disperser abundance; (2) frequency of visits; and (3) number of seeds dispersed per visit, and the quality of dispersal was measured as: (1) germination percentage and speed of germination of seeds regurgitated by birds; and (2) the concordance of deposited seeds and seedling distribution patterns with adult mistletoe distribution at three scales (habitat, host, and microhabitat). Dispersers were not redundant: the more generalist species M. striaticollis dispersed more seeds, but provided lower quality seed dispersal, whereas the mistletoe specialist Z. bolivianus provided low‐quantity and high‐quality seed dispersal. Whereas S. acuminatus benefited more from the SDE of Z. bolivianus , P. retroflexa benefited from the complementary seed dispersal provided by both birds. These results demonstrate how sympatric mistletoes that share the same disperser assemblage may develop different relationships with specific vectors, and describe how the services provided by two different dispersers (one that provides high‐quality and one that provides high‐quantity dispersal) interact to shape spatial patterns of plants.
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Claims 5
Claim · model-written summary
Mionectes striaticollis dispersed more seeds of mistletoes than Zimmerius bolivianus, though at lower seed quality.
- Taxon
- mistletoese0
- Interactor
- M. striaticollisMionectes striaticollise1other
- Outcome
- seedse1
- Direction
- moree1
Not reportedComparatorValue
Verbatim
e0“The dependence of mistletoes on few dispersers”
e1“the more generalist species M. striaticollis dispersed more seeds, but provided lower quality seed dispersal”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed dispersal by M. striaticollis was of lower quality than by Z. bolivianus.
- Taxon
- mistletoese0
- Interactor
- M. striaticollisMionectes striaticollise1other
- Outcome
- seed dispersale1
- Direction
- lowere1
- Qualifier
- qualitye1
Not reportedComparatorValue
Verbatim
e0“The dependence of mistletoes on few dispersers”
e1“the more generalist species M. striaticollis dispersed more seeds, but provided lower quality seed dispersal”
Claim · model-written summary
Z. bolivianus provided high-quality seed dispersal to mistletoes but low quantity.
- Taxon
- mistletoese0
- Interactor
- Z. bolivianus
Zimmerius bolivianuse2other - Outcome
- seed dispersale2
- Direction
- highe2
- Qualifier
- qualitye2
Not reportedComparatorValue
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The dependence of mistletoes on few dispersers”
e2“the mistletoe specialist Z. bolivianus provided low‐quantity and high‐quality seed dispersal”
Claim · model-written summary
S. acuminatus benefited more from the seed dispersal effectiveness of Z. bolivianus.
- Taxon
- S. acuminatuse3
- Treatment
- SDE of Z. bolivianuse3
- Interactor
- Z. bolivianusZimmerius bolivianuse3other
- Outcome
- benefite3
- Direction
- moree3
Not reportedValue
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The dependence of mistletoes on few dispersers”
e3“Whereas S. acuminatus benefited more from the SDE of Z. bolivianus”
Claim · model-written summary
P. retroflexa benefited from the complementary seed dispersal provided by both birds.
Not reportedComparatorValue
Verbatim
e0“The dependence of mistletoes on few dispersers”
e4“P. retroflexa benefited from the complementary seed dispersal provided by both birds”