Literaturdatenbank
Literaturdatenbank |
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Jordan, W. J. (2004). Eastern box turtle (terrapene c. carolina) as a dispersal vector of seeds and spores. Unpublished thesis , Eastern Illinois University.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich (06 Jul 2014 16:11:43 UTC) |
| Resource type: Thesis/Dissertation BibTeX citation key: anon2004v View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Ernährung - nutrition, Habitat - habitat, Nordamerika - North America, Schildkröten - turtles + tortoises Creators: Jordan Publisher: Eastern Illinois University |
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| URLs http://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/1084 |
| Abstract |
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Terrapene carolina carolina Box turtles show great potential for dispersing seeds and spores. The quantity of seeds dispersed by box turtles is appreciably lower than the quantity that birds disperse. However, there is the potential for an increase in the quality of dispersal based on the low densities of seeds deposited and the exploitation of different habitats. This is the first time box turtles have been documented in dispersing fungal propagules. They dispersed large quantities of spores and must be considered important fungal spore dispersers within fragmented landscapes. Though not numerically the most important dispersal vectors of spores and seeds, box turtles are important as complementary dispersers and may serve an important role in maintaining community structure and dynamics. Unfortunately, turtle numbers have been declining over the last half-century (Stickel 1978, Williams and Parker 1987, Schwartz and Schwartz 1991, Dodd and Franz 1993). This decline may not only represent the potential loss of a species, but also the degeneration of a subtle plant-animal interaction in a system already challenged by habitat fragmentation.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich |