02870nas a2200325   4500008004100000245011800041210006900159260000800228300001200236490000700248520193000255653001302185653002202198653002102220653002302241653001402264653001702278653003002295653001902325653000802344653001802352653002702370653001902397653000902416653001402425653002602439653002502465100002002490856003402510       2002                        eng d00aPrimary seed dispersal by red howler monkeys and the effect of defecation patterns on the fate of dispersed seeds0 aPrimary seed dispersal by red howler monkeys and the effect of d  cJun  a261-2720 v343 aThe effectiveness of a seed disperser depends on the quantity and quality of dispersal. The quality of dispersal depends in large part on factors that affect the post-dispersal fate of seeds, and yet this aspect of dispersal quality is rarely assessed. In the particular case of seed dispersal through endozoochory the defecation pattern produced has the potential of affecting the fate of dispersed seeds and consequently, dispersal quality and effectiveness. In this study, I assessed the effects of dung presence and dung/seed densities on seed predation by rodents and seconclary dispersal by dung beetles. In particular, I compared seed fates in clumped defecation patterns, as those produced by howler monkeys, with seed faces in scattered defecation patterns, as those produced by other frugivores. I also determined the prevalence of red howler monkeys (Alouatta seniculus) as seed dispersers at the plant community level in Central Amazonia by determining the number of species they dispersed in a 25-month period. I found chat dung presence and a-mount affected rodent and dung beetle behavior. Seed predation rates were higher when dung was present, and when it was in higher densities. The same number of seeds was buried by dung beetles, in clumped versus scattered defecation patterns, but more seeds were buried when they were inside large dung-piles versus small piles. Seed density had no effect on rodent or dung beetle behavior. Results indicate that caution should be taken when categorizing an animal as a high or low quality seed disperser before carefully examining the factors that affect the fate of dispersed seeds. Red howler monkeys dispersed the seeds of 137 species during the study period, which is the highest yet reported number for an Alouatta species, and should thus be considered highly prevalent seed dispersers at the plant community level in Central Amazonian terra firme rain forests.10aAlouatta10aalouatta-palliata10aCentral Amazonia10adefecation pattern10adispersal10aDung beetles10adung beetles scarabaeidae10ahowler monkeys10alos10apostdispersal10aprimary seed dispersal10asecondary seed10aseed10aseed fate10atropical moist forest10atropical rain-forest1 aAndresen, Ellen  u<Go to ISI>://00017658700000802540nas a2200253   4500008004100000245006800041210006800109300001200177520185000189653001302039653001502052653001602067653001402083653001802097653001602115653001102131653003002142653001702172653000902189653002502198100001602223700001302239856003402252       2002                        eng d00aEffects of forest fragmentation on the activity of dung beetles0 aEffects of forest fragmentation on the activity of dung beetles  a165-1793 aThe effect of seed burial by dung beetles on seed survival and seedling establishment in Tetragastris altissima (Burseraceae) was measured on 3 sites of continuous forest and 7 islands in the man-inundated rain forest of Saint-Eugene, French Guiana. Experiments using a total of 250 seeds were performed using wire enclosures open to dung beetles but excluding terrestrial seed predators. Fragmentation had no effect on the rate of dung disappearance at 12, 24 and 48 h because there was a high variability between sites. On average, 24 % of seeds were buried by dung beetles after 72 h, Overall, there was no effect of fragmentation due to variation between sites. Dung burial rates were positively correlated with rarefaction of the dung beetle samples collected on the different sites. They were also positively correlated with weighted abundances of large diurnal tunnellers after 12 h and to total tunnellers after 24 h. Seed burial was positively correlated to weighted abundance of large nocturnal tunnellers and of total tunnellers. The species diversity and abundance were positively related to area that did not involve a correlation between seed burial rates and area. After 72 h, survival rate of protected seeds at ground surface was significantly larger (78 %) than for non protected seeds (22 %), which were attacked by rodents. There was no difference between continuous forest and islands. Eight percent of buried seeds emerged, i.e. 2 % of all seeds deposited. Burial depth significantly affected the rate of emergence of buried seeds. Ninety percent of seeds at surface germinated versus 0 % at 10 and 15 cm. The effects of seed burial by dung beetles on early recruitment of T altissima was low and highly variable between sites in relation with the structure of the community of Scarabaeidae and intensity of seed predation.10aAmazonia10aCOLEOPTERA10acommunities10adispersal10afrench-guiana10alos-tuxtlas10aMexico10amonkeys alouatta-palliata10aScarabaeidae10aseed10atropical rain-forest1 aHingrat, Y.1 aFeer, F.  u<Go to ISI>://00017928480001102891nas a2200337   4500008004100000245006000041210005700101260000800158300001200166490000700178520199700185653003002182653003102212653001202243653001802255653001502273653001802288653002502306653003102331653001202362653001902374653001902393653000902412653002502421653001402446653001602460653001102476100001302487700001902500856003402519       2002                        eng d00aSpatio-temporal, variations in post-dispersal seed fate0 aSpatiotemporal variations in postdispersal seed fate  cDec  a555-5660 v343 aThe post-dispersal fate of Chrysophyllum lucentifolium (a canopy tree; Sapotaceae) seeds was analyzed in French Guiana over three consecutive years. Experiments using 750 thread- marked seeds were performed to investigate seed removal, predation, and caching by terrestrial vertebrates on howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus) defecation sites, where clumps of intact C lucentifolium seeds were observed. Year-to-year variations in seed fare during the peak fruiting period were considered in relation to overall fruit and seed resource availability estimated by a raked-trail survey. The effect of two forest areas, which differed in soil and floristic composition, was examined with conspecific fruiting tree density as a covariant. Exclosure versus open treatment was used to discriminate small rodents (not larger than a spiny rat) from other vertebrates. The presence of fresh howler dung did not affect seed fate after 20 days as shown by comparisons between defecation sites and control during the first year. There was a significant effect of year on the percentage of seeds remaining after 20 days. Low seed removal in 1995 and 1996 (compared to 1997) corresponded to higher overall fruiting and higher fruiting of C lucentifolium, or the presence of alternative resources for rodents. All effect of forest area was observed on the seed removal rate, which varied with years and protection. Comparatively, an effect of forest area on the percentage of seeds lost was observed in 1996 and an effect of treatment on the percentage of seeds eaten was seen in 1995. The mode of seed caching Suggested that spiny rats were the main seed remover. Results of this study suggest that greater seedling recruitment may Occur when large fruit crop and high howler dispersal co-occur with a lower impact of rodents (i.e., when rodents are saturated by abundant and diversified fruit resources such as in 1995). Such event synchrony, however, is highly unpredictable after only three years of study.10aamericana caesalpiniaceae10aChysophyllum lucentifolium10adensity10aFrench Guiana10afrench-gui10ahowler monkey10ajanzen-connell model10amonkeys alouatta-seniculus10arodents10aseed dispersal10aseed predation10atree10atropical rain-forest10avariation10avouacapoua-10ayearly1 aFeer, F.1 aForget, P., M.  u<Go to ISI>://00018053980000802525nas a2200385   4500008004100000245011700041210006900158260000800227300001400235490000700249520145400256653001301710653002201723653002101745653001701766653001201783653001201795653001801807653001001825653002101835653002601856653002501882653001901907653001601926653001301942653001901955653001401974653000801988653002501996100002202021700002402043700002002067700001702087856003502104       2002                        eng d00aEffects of seed dispersal by three ateline monkey species on seed germination at Tinigua National Park, Colombia0 aEffects of seed dispersal by three ateline monkey species on see  cDec  a1187-12040 v233 aWe examined the effect of seed ingestion by three ateline primates: woolly monkeys, Lagothrix lagothricha; spider monkeys, Ateles belzebuth; and, red howler, Alouatta seniculus on germination rates and latency periods of seeds of several plant species in Tinigua National Park, Colombia. We collected dispersed seeds from feces and control seeds from the parental trees and washed them for germination trials. For the majority of plants, dispersed seeds germinated as well or better than control seeds did. Although spider monkeys depend more heavily on fruits than the other monkey species do, they were not more efficient than howlers or woolly monkeys at improving germination rates. A considerable proportion of the seeds dispersed by howlers and woolly monkeys showed reduced latency periods to germination, but spider monkeys showed less effect on reducing germination time. This result may be related to longer gut retention times, but such a trend has not been observed in other primate species. We conclude that, like many other primates, ateline monkeys are effective seed dispersers in terms of their effects on the seeds they swallow because they rarely decrease their germination rates. We discuss problems that make interspecific comparisons difficult, such as inappropriate control seeds and differences associated with germination substrates, and we stress the importance of studying other components of seed dispersal effectiveness.10aAlouatta10aalouatta-palliata10aAteles belzebuth10aDung beetles10aecology10afeeding10afrench-guiana10afruit10agermination rate10aLagothrix lagothricha10aLAGOTHRIX-LAGOTRICHA10alatency period10alos-tuxtlas10aprimates10aseed dispersal10aseniculus10aTRE10atropical rain-forest1 aStevenson, P., R.1 aCastellanos, M., C.1 aPizarro, J., C.1 aGaravito, M.  u<Go to ISI>://000179360100003 