Leaf litter affects the survival and predation rates for large and small Pinus seeds in the Qinling Mountains, China
In: Israel Journal of Ecology and EvolutionNorthwest A & F University, Yangling District
Research Center for Zhongyuan Cultural Ecology, Henan Normal University
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Northwest A & F University, Yangling District
Search for other papers by Xiaoxiao Shi in
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It is generally accepted that leaf litter covers seeds, which may be beneficial for their survival, but it is unclear whether leaf litter contributes in different ways to the survival of plant seeds with contrasting sizes. In this study, we examined the effect of different levels of leaf litter coverage on seed predation and foraging/caching for small-seeded Pinus tabulaeformis and large-seeded Pinus armandii in the Qinling Mountains, China. Our results showed that leaf litter failed to protect P. armandii seeds from being removed by small rodents, whereas it improved seed survival for P. tabulaeformis. P. tabulaeformis were eaten in situ, whereas more P. armandii seeds were eaten in the high leaf litter coverage plots. Therefore, we propose that leaf litter affects the survival and predation rates for large and small Pinus seeds in the Qinling Mountains, China.
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Leaf litter affects the survival and predation rates for large and small Pinus seeds in the Qinling Mountains, China
In: Israel Journal of Ecology and EvolutionNorthwest A & F University, Yangling District
Research Center for Zhongyuan Cultural Ecology, Henan Normal University
Search for other papers by Fei Yu in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Northwest A & F University, Yangling District
Search for other papers by Xiaoxiao Shi in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Kailu Wei in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Dexiang Wang in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
It is generally accepted that leaf litter covers seeds, which may be beneficial for their survival, but it is unclear whether leaf litter contributes in different ways to the survival of plant seeds with contrasting sizes. In this study, we examined the effect of different levels of leaf litter coverage on seed predation and foraging/caching for small-seeded Pinus tabulaeformis and large-seeded Pinus armandii in the Qinling Mountains, China. Our results showed that leaf litter failed to protect P. armandii seeds from being removed by small rodents, whereas it improved seed survival for P. tabulaeformis. P. tabulaeformis were eaten in situ, whereas more P. armandii seeds were eaten in the high leaf litter coverage plots. Therefore, we propose that leaf litter affects the survival and predation rates for large and small Pinus seeds in the Qinling Mountains, China.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 514 | 103 | 24 |
| Full Text Views | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 11 | 0 | 0 |
