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Frequency-Dependent Seed Selection: How Relative Abundance and Seed Traits Jointly Mediate Foraging Preference in
Kun Guo1, Jinyu Zhang2, Zhiyun Lu3
1School of Resources and Environmental Engineering Anhui University Hefei Anhui China.
Ecology and Evolution
|May 1, 2026
Summary
Rodent seed removal depends on seed traits and their relative abundance. Large seeds are removed less often as they become more common, while small seeds are removed more often when rare.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Behavioral Ecology
- Plant-Animal Interactions
Background:
- Scatter-hoarding rodents are crucial for seed dispersal and plant recruitment.
- Rodent foraging decisions are influenced by individual seed traits and neighboring seed characteristics.
- The impact of relative seed frequency on foraging decisions is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how the relative frequency of seeds influences rodent foraging decisions.
- To examine the combined effects of seed traits (size, tannin content) and frequency on seed removal, caching, and dispersal.
Main Methods:
- A field experiment was conducted in a subtropical forest using 19,200 artificial seeds.
- Artificial seeds varied in size (0.5, 1.5, 2.5 cm) and tannin content (0%, 5%, 10%).
- Seeds were deployed in patches with five different frequency ratios (9:1 to 1:9) to assess removal, caching probability, and dispersal distance.
Main Results:
- Seed removal showed frequency-dependent patterns: large seeds were removed less as their frequency increased, while small seeds were removed more when rare.
- Tannin content also influenced removal in a frequency-dependent manner, with context-dependent effects.
- Caching probability and dispersal distance were not significantly affected by seed relative frequency.
Conclusions:
- Rodent foraging behavior is a complex interplay between seed traits and frequency-dependent processes, particularly during initial seed removal.
- Understanding frequency-dependent selection is vital for explaining context-dependent seed dispersal and plant community dynamics.
Keywords:
frequency‐dependent selectionplant community dynamicsscatter‐hoarding rodentsseed dispersalseed traitsMore Related Videos
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