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Animal Biodiversity and Conservation. Volume 43.2 (2020) Pages: 197-208

Preferencias de los granívoros con respecto al tamaño y la calidad de las bellotas en un bosque de Quercus en la zona centroseptentrional de México

Gamboa, A., Barragán, F.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32800/abc.2020.43.0197

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Abstract

Acorns of the species of the genus Quercus are highly appreciated by a diverse group of animals. It remains unclear whether the choice to move an acorn is related to the intrinsic characteristics of the fruit. In this work, we aimed to determine whether the size and quality of acorns (healthy or damaged) influenced their removal. We found that Q. affinis was the species with the largest acorns but the lowest removal rate, and Q. eduardii was the species with the smallest acorns but highest removal rates. Two groups of vertebrates carried out this removal, and this activity occurred at two clearly separate times. Jays Aphelocoma spp. carried out their activity during the day, and rodents Peromyscus spp. removed acorns at night. Size and quality only had a significant influence on the removal of Q. affinis. Our results suggest that absence of large animals could put the establishment of species with large acorns (such as Q. affinis) at risk.

Keywords

Acorns, Dispersion, Oaks, Wildlife cameras, Zoochory

Cite

Gamboa, A., Barragán, F., 2020. Preferencias de los granívoros con respecto al tamaño y la calidad de las bellotas en un bosque de Quercus en la zona centroseptentrional de México. Animal Biodiversity and Conservation, 43: 197-208, DOI: https://doi.org/10.32800/abc.2020.43.0197

Reception date:

19/07/2019

Acceptation date:

04/05/2020

Publication date:

20/05/2020

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