Hypercarnivorous apex predator could provide ecosystem services by dispersing seeds

Autores
Sarasola, José Hernán; Zanón Martínez, Juan Ignacio; Costan, Andrea Silvina; Ripple, William
Año de publicación
2016
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Large ?hypercarnivorous? felids are recognized for their role as apex predators and hence as key elements in food webs and ecosystem functioning through competition and depredation. Here we show that cougars (Puma concolor), one of the largest and the most widely ranging apex felid predators with an strictly carnivorous diet, could be also effective secondary long distance seed dispersers, potentially establishing direct and non-herbivore mediated interactions with plant species at the bottom of the food web. Cougars accidently ingest and disseminate large amounts of seeds (31,678 seeds in 123 scats) of plant species initially consumed by their main prey, the Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata. The germination potential of seeds for three of the weedy/invasive plant species more abundantly found in cougar scats (19,570 seeds) was not significantly different from that observed in seeds obtained from dove gizzards, indicating that seed passage through cougar guts did not affect seed germination. Considering the estimated cougar density in our study area, dispersal of seeds by cougars could allow a mean, annual seed spread of ~5,000 seeds per km2. Our results demonstrate that strictly carnivorous, felid predators could have broad and overlooked ecological functions related to ecosystem structuring and functioning.
Fil: Sarasola, José Hernán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina
Fil: Zanón Martínez, Juan Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina
Fil: Costan, Andrea Silvina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina
Fil: Ripple, William. State University of Oregon; Estados Unidos
Materia
SECONDARY SEED DISPERSAL
APEX PREDATORS
LARGE FELIDS
COUGAR
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
Repositorio
CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Institución
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
OAI Identificador
oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/44204
Acceder
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network_name_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
spelling Hypercarnivorous apex predator could provide ecosystem services by dispersing seedsSarasola, José HernánZanón Martínez, Juan IgnacioCostan, Andrea SilvinaRipple, WilliamSECONDARY SEED DISPERSALAPEX PREDATORSLARGE FELIDSCOUGARhttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1Large ?hypercarnivorous? felids are recognized for their role as apex predators and hence as key elements in food webs and ecosystem functioning through competition and depredation. Here we show that cougars (Puma concolor), one of the largest and the most widely ranging apex felid predators with an strictly carnivorous diet, could be also effective secondary long distance seed dispersers, potentially establishing direct and non-herbivore mediated interactions with plant species at the bottom of the food web. Cougars accidently ingest and disseminate large amounts of seeds (31,678 seeds in 123 scats) of plant species initially consumed by their main prey, the Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata. The germination potential of seeds for three of the weedy/invasive plant species more abundantly found in cougar scats (19,570 seeds) was not significantly different from that observed in seeds obtained from dove gizzards, indicating that seed passage through cougar guts did not affect seed germination. Considering the estimated cougar density in our study area, dispersal of seeds by cougars could allow a mean, annual seed spread of ~5,000 seeds per km2. Our results demonstrate that strictly carnivorous, felid predators could have broad and overlooked ecological functions related to ecosystem structuring and functioning.Fil: Sarasola, José Hernán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Zanón Martínez, Juan Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Costan, Andrea Silvina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Ripple, William. State University of Oregon; Estados UnidosNature Publishing Group2016-01info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/44204Sarasola, José Hernán; Zanón Martínez, Juan Ignacio; Costan, Andrea Silvina; Ripple, William; Hypercarnivorous apex predator could provide ecosystem services by dispersing seeds; Nature Publishing Group; Scientific reports; 6; 1964; 1-2016; 1-72045-2322CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1038/srep19647info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://www.nature.com/articles/srep19647info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2025-09-03T09:55:46Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/44204instacron:CONICETInstitucionalhttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/oai/requestdasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:34982025-09-03 09:55:46.785CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Hypercarnivorous apex predator could provide ecosystem services by dispersing seeds
title Hypercarnivorous apex predator could provide ecosystem services by dispersing seeds
spellingShingle Hypercarnivorous apex predator could provide ecosystem services by dispersing seeds
Sarasola, José Hernán
SECONDARY SEED DISPERSAL
APEX PREDATORS
LARGE FELIDS
COUGAR
title_short Hypercarnivorous apex predator could provide ecosystem services by dispersing seeds
title_full Hypercarnivorous apex predator could provide ecosystem services by dispersing seeds
title_fullStr Hypercarnivorous apex predator could provide ecosystem services by dispersing seeds
title_full_unstemmed Hypercarnivorous apex predator could provide ecosystem services by dispersing seeds
title_sort Hypercarnivorous apex predator could provide ecosystem services by dispersing seeds
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Sarasola, José Hernán
Zanón Martínez, Juan Ignacio
Costan, Andrea Silvina
Ripple, William
author Sarasola, José Hernán
author_facet Sarasola, José Hernán
Zanón Martínez, Juan Ignacio
Costan, Andrea Silvina
Ripple, William
author_role author
author2 Zanón Martínez, Juan Ignacio
Costan, Andrea Silvina
Ripple, William
author2_role author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv SECONDARY SEED DISPERSAL
APEX PREDATORS
LARGE FELIDS
COUGAR
topic SECONDARY SEED DISPERSAL
APEX PREDATORS
LARGE FELIDS
COUGAR
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Large ?hypercarnivorous? felids are recognized for their role as apex predators and hence as key elements in food webs and ecosystem functioning through competition and depredation. Here we show that cougars (Puma concolor), one of the largest and the most widely ranging apex felid predators with an strictly carnivorous diet, could be also effective secondary long distance seed dispersers, potentially establishing direct and non-herbivore mediated interactions with plant species at the bottom of the food web. Cougars accidently ingest and disseminate large amounts of seeds (31,678 seeds in 123 scats) of plant species initially consumed by their main prey, the Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata. The germination potential of seeds for three of the weedy/invasive plant species more abundantly found in cougar scats (19,570 seeds) was not significantly different from that observed in seeds obtained from dove gizzards, indicating that seed passage through cougar guts did not affect seed germination. Considering the estimated cougar density in our study area, dispersal of seeds by cougars could allow a mean, annual seed spread of ~5,000 seeds per km2. Our results demonstrate that strictly carnivorous, felid predators could have broad and overlooked ecological functions related to ecosystem structuring and functioning.
Fil: Sarasola, José Hernán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina
Fil: Zanón Martínez, Juan Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina
Fil: Costan, Andrea Silvina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina
Fil: Ripple, William. State University of Oregon; Estados Unidos
description Large ?hypercarnivorous? felids are recognized for their role as apex predators and hence as key elements in food webs and ecosystem functioning through competition and depredation. Here we show that cougars (Puma concolor), one of the largest and the most widely ranging apex felid predators with an strictly carnivorous diet, could be also effective secondary long distance seed dispersers, potentially establishing direct and non-herbivore mediated interactions with plant species at the bottom of the food web. Cougars accidently ingest and disseminate large amounts of seeds (31,678 seeds in 123 scats) of plant species initially consumed by their main prey, the Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata. The germination potential of seeds for three of the weedy/invasive plant species more abundantly found in cougar scats (19,570 seeds) was not significantly different from that observed in seeds obtained from dove gizzards, indicating that seed passage through cougar guts did not affect seed germination. Considering the estimated cougar density in our study area, dispersal of seeds by cougars could allow a mean, annual seed spread of ~5,000 seeds per km2. Our results demonstrate that strictly carnivorous, felid predators could have broad and overlooked ecological functions related to ecosystem structuring and functioning.
publishDate 2016
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2016-01
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11336/44204
Sarasola, José Hernán; Zanón Martínez, Juan Ignacio; Costan, Andrea Silvina; Ripple, William; Hypercarnivorous apex predator could provide ecosystem services by dispersing seeds; Nature Publishing Group; Scientific reports; 6; 1964; 1-2016; 1-7
2045-2322
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/44204
identifier_str_mv Sarasola, José Hernán; Zanón Martínez, Juan Ignacio; Costan, Andrea Silvina; Ripple, William; Hypercarnivorous apex predator could provide ecosystem services by dispersing seeds; Nature Publishing Group; Scientific reports; 6; 1964; 1-2016; 1-7
2045-2322
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1038/srep19647
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://www.nature.com/articles/srep19647
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Nature Publishing Group
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Nature Publishing Group
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
reponame_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
collection CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname_str Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.name.fl_str_mv CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.mail.fl_str_mv dasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.ar
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score 13.13397

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