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Frugivory and seed dispersal: ecological and evolutionary aspects pp 31–55Cite as

The population-dynamic functions of seed dispersal

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Part of the book series: Advances in vegetation science ((AIVS,volume 15))

Abstract

We summarize some of the population-dynamic consequences of the mosaic structure of plant populations for the evolution of seed dispersal. A fairly elaborated set of theoretical ideas exist regarding the evolution of dispersal and we have synthesized some of them in an attempt to make them more accessible to field ecologists. We consider the relationship of these general theoretical ideas to our understanding of fruit and seed dispersal.

We develop three related models to describe the similarities and differences in how dispersal functions for risk reduction(bet hedging), escaping the negative consequences of crowding, and escaping high concentrations of relatives. We also briefly discuss directed dispersal as a fourth population-dynamic aspect of dispersal. Dispersal can have a risk-reducing function only when there is global (metapopulation) temporal variance. Dispersal to escape the negative consequences of crowding requires only spatial and local temporal environmental variation. Dispersal for escaping high concentrations of relatives requires no environmental variation, but does require genetic population structure. Directed dispersal, defined as non-random into particular patch types contingent in the expectation of local success, is always valuable when possible and represents and advantage independent the others which can occur with random dispersal.

In an effort to accomodate for the differences between simple mathematical models and the behavior of complex natural fruit and seed dispersal systems we have discussed the following issues: actual patterns of patch structure and dispersal structures; and the impact of the detailed nature of density dependence, breeding systems, and genetic structure. We briefly compare the population-dynamic functions of dispersal presented here with the widely cited functions of colonization, escape and directed dispersal. Finally, we suggest how the theoretical models can be used with field data to estimate the fitness consequences of dispersal.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ, 85721, USA

    D. L. Venable

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois, Box 4348, Chicago, IL, 60680, USA

    J. S. Brown

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  1. D. L. Venable
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  2. J. S. Brown
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T. H. Fleming A. Estrada

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© 1993 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Venable, D.L., Brown, J.S. (1993). The population-dynamic functions of seed dispersal. In: Fleming, T.H., Estrada, A. (eds) Frugivory and seed dispersal: ecological and evolutionary aspects. Advances in vegetation science, vol 15. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1749-4_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1749-4_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-4767-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-1749-4

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