Association of Juniperus deppeana (Cupressaceae: Pinales) seeds with Mexican cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus cunicularius; Leporidae: Lagomorpha) latrines |
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| Authors: | Ernesto Lezama-Delgado Pilar Sainos-Paredes Jorge López-Portillo Guillermo Angeles Jordan Golubov |
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| Institution: | 1. Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, México;2. Red de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Xalapa, México;3. Laboratorio de Ecología, Sistemática y Fisiología Vegetal, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco, México City, México |
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| Abstract: | Seed aggregation in latrines of rabbits is a little-studied process that may contribute substantially to seed dispersal and survival. We located Juniperus deppeana trees and the latrines used by the endemic Mexican cottontail rabbit Sylvilagus cunicularius within a 1 ha fragment of J. deppeana-dominated forest and evaluated their patterns of aggregation as microhabitats used by cottontail rabbits to consume the J. deppeana galbulus (fleshy cones) or to deposit their pellets with defecated seeds. Based on mean latrine area, we marked a 2 m × 2 m plot centred on the base of every tree or latrine within the study site. We counted all pellets within each plot and analysed them for the presence of seeds of Juniperus or any other species. We found seeds in 13% of all pellets, mainly those deposited in the latrines. If seeds are scarified by passing through the intestinal tract, seed germination in latrines may increase the probability of survival and establishment. Thus, the community structure and density could change in time as rabbits are changing the places where they place their latrines. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:372FEED4-5DFF-4144-A384-4FB30F480A26 |
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| Keywords: | Endozoochory rabbits lagomorphs seed aggregation Juniper galbulus |
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