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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Conservation Biology
  • Forest Science

Background:

  • Human-caused disruptions to seed-dispersal mutualisms elevate extinction risks for plants and animals.
  • Large-seeded plants, like whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis), are especially vulnerable due to specialized dispersal and limited regeneration strategies.
  • Whitebark pine obligately depends on Clark's Nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) for seed dispersal, while nutcrackers are sensitive to energy availability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the minimum whitebark pine cone production required for Clark's Nutcracker seed dispersal.
  • To assess how forest structure and health influence whitebark pine cone production.
  • To identify thresholds for effective management of whitebark pine ecosystems.

Main Methods:

  • Quantified forest conditions and nutcracker-whitebark pine interactions across three Rocky Mountain ecosystems with varying rust infection levels.
  • Analyzed the relationship between nutcracker occurrence, seed dispersal probability, and whitebark pine cone production.
  • Modeled the influence of live basal area, tree mortality, and rust infection on cone yield.

Main Results:

  • Nutcracker occurrence and seed dispersal probability strongly correlated with whitebark pine cone production.
  • Cone production showed a positive linear association with live whitebark pine basal area and a negative association with tree mortality and rust infection.
  • An estimated threshold of approximately 1000 cones/ha is needed for a high likelihood of seed dispersal, achievable with live basal area > 5.0 m²/ha.

Conclusions:

  • Whitebark pine forests in northernmost Montana fall below critical thresholds for cone production, leading to reduced nutcracker activity, seed dispersal, and regeneration.
  • Management strategies can utilize identified cone production thresholds to prioritize restoration efforts, distinguishing between sites needing planting versus those supporting natural dispersal.
  • Maintaining adequate live whitebark pine basal area is crucial for supporting cone production and ensuring the integrity of this keystone species' seed-dispersal mutualism.