Advancing an interdisciplinary framework to study seed dispersal ecology

Beckman, Noelle G.; Aslan, Clare E.; Rogers, Haldre S.; Kogan, Oleg; Bronstein, Judith L.; Bullock, James M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0529-4020; Hartig, Florian; HilleRisLambers, Janneke; Zhou, Ying; Zurell, Damaris; Brodie, Jedediah F.; Bruna, Emilio M.; Cantrell, Robert Stephen; Decker, Robin R.; Efiom, Edu; Fricke, Evan C.; Gurski, Katherine; Hastings, Alan; Johnson, Jeremy S.; Loiselle, Bette A.; Miriti, Maria N.; Neubert, Michael G.; Pejchar, Liba; Poulsen, John R.; Pufal, Gesine; Razafindratsima, Onja H.; Sandor, Manette E.; Shea, Katriona; Schreiber, Sebastian; Schupp, Eugene W.; Snell, Rebecca S.; Strickland, Christopher; Zambrano, Jenny. 2020 Advancing an interdisciplinary framework to study seed dispersal ecology [in special issue: The role of seed dispersal in plant populations: perspectives and advances in a changing world] AoB Plants, 12 (2), plz048. 18, pp. https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plz048

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Abstract/Summary

Although dispersal is generally viewed as a crucial determinant for the fitness of any organism, our understanding of its role in the persistence and spread of plant populations remains incomplete. Generalizing and predicting dispersal processes are challenging due to context dependence of seed dispersal, environmental heterogeneity and interdependent processes occurring over multiple spatial and temporal scales. Current population models often use simple phenomenological descriptions of dispersal processes, limiting their ability to examine the role of population persistence and spread, especially under global change. To move seed dispersal ecology forward, we need to evaluate the impact of any single seed dispersal event within the full spatial and temporal context of a plant’s life history and environmental variability that ultimately influences a population’s ability to persist and spread. In this perspective, we provide guidance on integrating empirical and theoretical approaches that account for the context dependency of seed dispersal to improve our ability to generalize and predict the consequences of dispersal, and its anthropogenic alteration, across systems. We synthesize suitable theoretical frameworks for this work and discuss concepts, approaches and available data from diverse subdisciplines to help operationalize concepts, highlight recent breakthroughs across research areas and discuss ongoing challenges and open questions. We address knowledge gaps in the movement ecology of seeds and the integration of dispersal and demography that could benefit from such a synthesis. With an interdisciplinary perspective, we will be able to better understand how global change will impact seed dispersal processes, and potential cascading effects on plant population persistence, spread and biodiversity.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plz048
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Biodiversity (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	2041-2851
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	analytical models, demography, global change, individual-based models, long-distance seed dispersal, population models, seed dispersal
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	10 May 2020 21:23 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/527653

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