Effects of Litter, Distance, Density and Vegetation Patch Type on Postdispersal Tree Seed Predation in Old Fields

Abstract

Because the fate of seed rain is critical to understanding the invasion of old fields by trees, we investigated spatial and temporal variation and difference among six tree species in seed predation. Very few Juniperus virginiana seeds were lost to predation but predation for all other test species was reduced by additions of Quercus litter and solidago litter. Carya tomentosa seed predation was also reduced by increasing distance from the forest edge. In addition to litter and distance effects, differing starting densities of Acer rubrum seeds significantly affected predation rates but Fraxinus americana rates were not affected (...)