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Research Article

The Fate of Seeds Dispersed by Golden Lion Tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia) in an Atlantic Forest Fragment, Brazil [ 266-281 ]

Marina Janzantti Lapenta and Paula Procópio-de-Oliveira

Abstract
Frugivores, as seed dispersers may influence the spatial patterns of adult and juvenile plants, but a large portion of the potential recruitment of plant populations is lost to seed predators. The majority of seeds dispersed by primates are killed by seed predators or moved by secondary dispersers. Little is known about post-dispersal seed-predation and seedling distribution of exploited plant species. This study iinvestigated the survival and establishment of seedlings from seeds defecated by the golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia), a frugivorous endemic primate of the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. Two groups of golden lion tamarins were studied in the União Biological Reserve from April 2003 to March 2004. Seeds from fruits consumed by tamarins and collected from their feces were evaluated with respect to the following: germination success, seed disappearance or secondary dispersal on the forest floor, seed predation, and seedling establishment and survival for the length of the study period. The tamarin groups consumed 88 fruit species. Of these, 38 were used to run 107 experiments which indicated that more than 50% of the seeds disappeared, about 15% died before germinating and seeds of 22 species reached the seedling stage. At the end of the study, only 15 of these species still had surviving seedlings. Studies on seed fate are important for understanding the role of the golden lion tamarind in the natural process of forest regeneration in the lowland Atlantic Forest of the state of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

Animais frugívoros, como dispersores de sementes, podem influenciar os padrões espaciais de plantas jovens e adultas, mas uma grande parte do recrutamento potencial de populações vegetais é perdida para os predadores de sementes. A maioria das sementes dispersadas por primatas nas florestas é morta por predadores de sementes ou movida por dispersores secundários. Pouco se sabe sobre a predação de sementes pós-dispersão e a distribuição das plântulas das espécies exploradas. Esta pesquisa é a primeira a considerar a sobrevivência e estabelecimento das plântulas provenientes de sementes defecadas por micos-leões-dourados (Leontopithecus rosalia), espécie de primata frugívoro e endêmico da Mata Atlântica, estudando a importância destes como dispersores de sementes. Dois grupos de micos-leõesdourados foram estudados na Reserva Biológica União de abril de 2003 a março de 2004. Sementes dos frutos consumidos pelos micos e coletadas nas suas fezes foram avaliadas no que se refere à germinação, desaparecimento ou dispersão secundária, predação, mortalidade ou sobrevivência, e estabelecimento das plântulas. Durante o período de estudo os grupos de micos consumiram 88 espécies de frutos, e 107 experimentos foram conduzidos com sementes de 38 espécies de frutos. Mais de 50% das sementes desapareceu durante os experimentos, e cerca de 15% morreu antes de germinar. Sementes de 22 espécies sobreviveram até o estágio de plântulas, mas no final do estudo, somente 15 dessas espécies ainda apresentavam plântulas sobreviventes. Estudos sobre o destino das sementes são importantes para a conservação dos micos-leões-dourados e seu habitat, a Mata Atlântica de baixada costeira do estado do Rio de Janeiro, um dos mais ameaçados ecossistemas do mundo.


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    English: Animals that feed on fruits can be important seed dispersers, and may influence the distribution of adult and juvenile plants in the forests. But a large portion of the seeds dipersed is lost to predators which feed on seeds. The majority of seeds deposited by primates in forests are killed by seed predators or moved to other places by secondary dispersers (beetles, ants, and other animals), but little is known about the fate of seeds after dispersal. The golden lion tamarins are small primates that only occur in the Atlantic Forest, and feed on fruits, dispersing the seeds. The main threat to the species is the deforestation and fragmentation of the forests. This research is the first to consider the survival and establishment of seeds defecated by tamarins, by studying their importance as seed dispersers. Two groups of golden lion tamarins were studied in the União Biological Reserve-Brazil from April 2003 to March 2004. Seeds from fruits consumed by tamarins and seeds from their feces were evaluated with respect to germination, seed disappearance or secondary dispersal by other animals, predation, mortality or survival, and establishment of the plants. During the study, the tamarin groups consumed 88 fruit species and 38 species were used in the experiments. More than 50% of the seeds disappeared during the experiments, and about 15% died before germinating. Seeds from 22 species germinated until juvenile stage during the study, but at the end of the research, only 15 of these species were still surviving. Studies on seed fate are important for the conservation of golden lion tamarins and their habitat, the lowland Atlantic Forest of the state of Rio de Janeiro, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world.

    Español: Destino de las semillas dispersadas por el Golden Lion Tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) en un fragment de vegetacion en la selva Atlantica de Brasil. Los animales que se alimentan de frutos pueden ser dispersores de semillas, influyendo de modo importante en la distribución de plantas juveniles y adultas en selvas tropicales. Una proporción alta de de las semillas dispersadas se pierden por la actividad de depredadores que se alimentan de estas. Asimismo, una proporción de semillas dispersadas son movidas lejos de su lugar de deposición por dispersores secundarios como escarabajos, hormigas, roedores y otros animales. Sin embargo, es poco lo que se conoce sobre el reclutamiento de algunas semillas en las poblaciones de plántulas. El tamarino león dorado es uno de los primates mas pequeños del Neotrópico y ocurre en la selva Atlántica de Brasil y consume gran cantidad de frutos cuyas semillas dispersa a través de sus heces. Una de las amenazas principales sobre este primate es la perdida y fragmentación del hábitat y su extinción local puede tener consecuencias graves para la regeneración de la vegetación. El presente estudio documenta aspectos de la dispersión de semillas en dos grupos de tamarinos león dorados durante un año (Abril 2003-Marzo 2004). Las semillas dispersadas por estos primates y semillas control fueron comparadas con respecto a sus tasas de germinación y experimentalmente se evaluaron los patrones de desaparición de estas en el piso de la selva así como el establecimiento de otras como plántulas y su persistencia en el suelo de la selva por la duración del estudio. Los tamarinos cosumieton los frutos de 88 especies de plantas durante el periodo de estudio y las semillas de 38 de estas fueron usadas para los experimentos. Estos indicaron que mas del 50% de las semillas experimentales desaparecieron, 15% nunca germinaron y que las semillas de 22 especies germinaron y crecieron hasta la etapa juvenil. Sin embargo, al final del estudio, solamente las plántulas de 15 de las 22 especies aun sobrevivían, sugiriendo que la dispersión de semillas por los tamarinos león dorados tiene un impacto importante en la regeneración de la selva en la existen.
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   Tropical Conservation Science is an open-access e-journal that publishes research relating to conservation of tropical forests and other tropical ecosystems.

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