Biotic processes in a coastal dunefield: An assessment of seed removal, with non-native seed removal experiments |
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Authors: | J Guy Castley Graham I H Kerley Anton McLachlan |
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Institution: | (1) Terrestrial Ecology Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Port Elizabeth, P.O. Box 1600, 6000 Port Elizabeth, South Africa;(2) South African National Parks, Humewood 6013, P.O. Box 20419, Port Elizabeth, South Africa;(3) College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, 123 Al Khod, Sultanate of Oman |
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Abstract: | The impact of granivores on coastal dune seed reserves may be high, increasing along a landward gradient from the littoral
zone as the structural complexity of the habitat increases. Seasonal removal rates of non-native seeds by nocturnal and diurnal
vertebrates and ants from experimental seed trays in two habitats within the Alexandria Coastal Dunefield, South Africa, were
determined. Overall, seed removal was higher in the dune-field bush-pocket habitat than the landward thicket habitat. Nocturnal
vertebrates were the most important seed removers within bush-pockets. The importance of nocturnal vertebrates decreased in
the thicket and there was a shift in the dominant seed removers to diurnal vertebrates. Seed removal by ants and diurnal vertebrates
did not differ significantly between the bush-pockets and thicket while that of nocturnal vertebrates showed a significant
change. This can be ascribed to the abundance of the omnivorous murid rodentGerbillurus paeba exilis in the bush-pockets which is absent from thicket vegetation. |
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Keywords: | Alexandria Coastal Dunefield Ant Bird Granivore Rodent |
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