RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 The role of the brown bear Ursus arctos as a legitimate megafaunal seed disperser
A1 García Rodríguez, Alberto
A1 Albrecht, Jörg
A1 Szczutkowska, Sylwia
A1 Valido, Alfredo
A1 Farwig, Nina
A1 Selva, Nuria
A2 Sanidad Animal
K1 Sanidad animal
K1 Ursus arctos
K1 Brown bear
K1 Megafaunal frugivores
K1 Seed disperser
K1 Megafaunal
K1 3109 Ciencias Veterinarias
AB [EN] Megafaunal frugivores can consume large amounts of fruits whose seeds may be dispersed over long distances, thus, affecting plant regeneration processes and ecosystem functioning. We investigated the role of brown bears (Ursus arctos) as legitimate megafaunal seed dispersers. We assessed the quantity component of seed dispersal by brown bears across its entire distribution based on information about both the relative frequency of occurrence and species composition of fleshy fruits in the diet of brown bears extracted from the literature. We assessed the quality component of seed dispersal based on germination experiments for 11 fleshy-fruited plant species common in temperate and boreal regions and frequently eaten by brown bears. Across its distribution, fleshy fruits, on average, represented 24% of the bear food items and 26% of the total volume consumed. Brown bears consumed seeds from at least 101 fleshy-fruited plant species belonging to 24 families and 42 genera, of which Rubus (Rosaceae) and Vaccinium (Ericaceae) were most commonly eaten. Brown bears inhabiting Mediterranean forests relied the most on fleshy fruits and consumed the largest number of species per study area. Seeds ingested by bears germinated at higher percentages than those from whole fruits, and at similar percentages than manually depulped seeds. We conclude that brown bears are legitimate seed dispersers as they consume large quantities of seeds that remain viable after gut passage. The decline of these megafaunal frugivores may compromise seed dispersal services and plant regeneration processes.
PB Nature Research
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10612/18924
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10612/18924
NO García Rodríguez, A., Albrecht, J., Szczutkowska, S., Valido, A., Farwig, N., & Selva, N. (2021). The role of the brown bear Ursus arctos as a legitimate megafaunal seed disperser. Scientific Reports, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/S41598-020-80440-9
NO © Te Author(s) 2021
DS BULERIA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de León
RD 30-may-2024