<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Pre-dispersal acorn predation in mixed oak forests: interspecific differences are driven by the interplay among seed phenology, seed size and predator size</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Journal of Ecology</style></secondary-title></titles><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2009</style></year></dates><publisher><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Blackwell Publishing Ltd</style></publisher><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">97</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1416-1423</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1. Pre-dispersal seed predation (PSP) often occurs in multi-host–predator systems (e.g. several plant species exposed to a common array of granivorous insects). However, whether the interaction among seed phenology, seed size and predator size accounts for interspecific differences in PSP remains elusive. 2. We studied PSP in a mixed-oak forest with two oaks (the larger-seeded Quercus humilis and the smaller-seeded Q. ilex), both depredated by two acorn weevils (the smaller Curculio glandium and the larger C. elephas). We intensively monitored acorn production and infestation phenology and we identified the weevil species depredating acorns by means of DNA taxonomy. 3. The minimum acorn size required for infestation was lower for C. glandium than for C. elephas, in accordance with their different body sizes. This resulted in an earlier infestation phenology in C. glandium and the ability of this species to infest both smaller and larger acorns. Above a minimum acorn size threshold, no selection for larger acorns by weevils was observed. 4. Initial acorn crop size was similar in the two oaks. Nonetheless, the earlier acorn phenology and the production of larger acorns in Q. humilis favoured the earlier infestation by C. glandium and the predation by both small and large weevils. Smaller acorns of Q. ilex almost excluded infestation by the larger C. elephas. 5. Although larger acorns of Q. humilis could better survive infestation (preserve the embryo), higher PSP in this species finally resulted in a lower mature acorn crop size than in Q. ilex. 6. Synthesis. In a multi-host–predator system, smaller-seeded species may benefit from a reduced PSP because they exclude larger granivorous insects, but also by means of a ‘free-rider effect’, if larger-seeded heterospecifics earlier reach a critical size to be depredated. These results also highlight the benefits of a small body size in granivorous insects to depredate seeds earlier and to forage on a wider range of seed sizes. Whether the advantage of ‘being small’ in this antagonistic plant–animal interaction is offset by other processes, or whether it results in a pressure towards seed and insect size reduction, deserves further attention.</style></abstract></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ESPELTA, JOSEP M.</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Bonal, Raul</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Sánchez-Humanes, Belén</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Pre-dispersal acorn predation in mixed oak forests: interspecific differences are driven by the interplay among seed phenology, seed size and predator size</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Journal of Ecology</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Curculio elephas</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Curculio glandium</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Mediterranean oak forests</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">multi-host–predator system</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quercus humilis</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quercus ilex</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">seed ecology</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">seed satiation</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">species coexistence</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2009</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2009///</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2009.01564.x</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">97</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1416 - 1423</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1. Pre-dispersal seed predation (PSP) often occurs in multi-host–predator systems (e.g. several plant species exposed to a common array of granivorous insects). However, whether the interaction among seed phenology, seed size and predator size accounts for interspecific differences in PSP remains elusive. 2. We studied PSP in a mixed-oak forest with two oaks (the larger-seeded Quercus humilis and the smaller-seeded Q. ilex), both depredated by two acorn weevils (the smaller Curculio glandium and the larger C. elephas). We intensively monitored acorn production and infestation phenology and we identified the weevil species depredating acorns by means of DNA taxonomy. 3. The minimum acorn size required for infestation was lower for C. glandium than for C. elephas, in accordance with their different body sizes. This resulted in an earlier infestation phenology in C. glandium and the ability of this species to infest both smaller and larger acorns. Above a minimum acorn size threshold, no selection for larger acorns by weevils was observed. 4. Initial acorn crop size was similar in the two oaks. Nonetheless, the earlier acorn phenology and the production of larger acorns in Q. humilis favoured the earlier infestation by C. glandium and the predation by both small and large weevils. Smaller acorns of Q. ilex almost excluded infestation by the larger C. elephas. 5. Although larger acorns of Q. humilis could better survive infestation (preserve the embryo), higher PSP in this species finally resulted in a lower mature acorn crop size than in Q. ilex. 6. Synthesis. In a multi-host–predator system, smaller-seeded species may benefit from a reduced PSP because they exclude larger granivorous insects, but also by means of a ‘free-rider effect’, if larger-seeded heterospecifics earlier reach a critical size to be depredated. These results also highlight the benefits of a small body size in granivorous insects to depredate seeds earlier and to forage on a wider range of seed sizes. Whether the advantage of ‘being small’ in this antagonistic plant–animal interaction is offset by other processes, or whether it results in a pressure towards seed and insect size reduction, deserves further attention.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">6</style></issue><notes><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">The following values have no corresponding Zotero field:&lt;br/&gt;publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd</style></notes></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Masting mediated by summer drought reduces acorn predation in mediterranean oak forests</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ECOLOGY</style></secondary-title></titles><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2008</style></year></dates><publisher><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ECOLOGICAL SOC AMER</style></publisher><pub-location><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1990 M STREET NW, STE 700, WASHINGTON, DC 20036 USA</style></pub-location><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">89</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">805-817</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Temporally variable production of seed crops by perennial plants (masting) has been hypothesized to be a valuable mechanism in the reduction of seed predation by satiating and starving seed consumers. To achieve these benefits, coexisting species subjected to the same predator would benefit from a similar pattern of seeding fluctuation over time that could lead to a reduction in predation at the within-species level. We tested for the existence of an environmental factor enforcing synchrony in acorn production in two sympatric Mediterranean oaks ( Quercus ilex and Q. humilis) and the consequences on within-species and between species acorn predation, by monitoring 15 mixed forests (450 trees) over seven years. Acorn production in Q. ilex and Q. humilis was highly variable among years, with high population variability (CVp) values. The two species exhibited a very different pattern across years in their initial acorn crop size ( sum of aborted, depredated, and sound acorns). Nevertheless, interannual differences in summer water stress modified the likelihood of abortion during acorn ripening and enforced within-and, particularly, between-species synchrony and population variability in acorn production. The increase in CVp from initial to mature acorn crop ( after summer) accounted for 33% in Q. ilex, 59% in Q. humilis, and 60% in the two species together. Mean yearly acorn pre-dispersal predation by invertebrates was considerably higher in Q. humilis than in Q. ilex. Satiation and starvation of predators was recorded for the two oaks, and this effect was increased by the year-to-year variability in the size of the acorn crop of the two species combined. Moreover, at a longer time scale ( over seven years), we observed a significant reduction in the mean proportion of acorns depredated for each oak and the variability in both species' acorn production combined. Therefore, our results demonstrate that similar patterns of seeding fluctuation over time in coexisting species mediated by an environmental cue ( summer drought) may contribute to the reduction of the impact of seed predation at a within-species level. Future research should be aimed at addressing whether this process could be a factor assisting in the coexistence of Q. ilex and Q. humilis.</style></abstract></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Espelta, Josep Maria</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Cortés, Pilar</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Molowny-Horas, Roberto</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Sánchez-Humanes, Belén</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Retana, Javier</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Masting mediated by summer drought reduces acorn predation in mediterranean oak forests</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ECOLOGY</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Curculio spp.</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">fruit abortion</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">fruiting synchrony</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Mediterranean mixed-oak forests</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">oaks</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">predator satiation</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quercus humilis</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quercus ilex</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">resource matching</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2008</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2008///</style></date></pub-dates></dates><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">89</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">805 - 817</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Temporally variable production of seed crops by perennial plants (masting) has been hypothesized to be a valuable mechanism in the reduction of seed predation by satiating and starving seed consumers. To achieve these benefits, coexisting species subjected to the same predator would benefit from a similar pattern of seeding fluctuation over time that could lead to a reduction in predation at the within-species level. We tested for the existence of an environmental factor enforcing synchrony in acorn production in two sympatric Mediterranean oaks ( Quercus ilex and Q. humilis) and the consequences on within-species and between species acorn predation, by monitoring 15 mixed forests (450 trees) over seven years. Acorn production in Q. ilex and Q. humilis was highly variable among years, with high population variability (CVp) values. The two species exhibited a very different pattern across years in their initial acorn crop size ( sum of aborted, depredated, and sound acorns). Nevertheless, interannual differences in summer water stress modified the likelihood of abortion during acorn ripening and enforced within-and, particularly, between-species synchrony and population variability in acorn production. The increase in CVp from initial to mature acorn crop ( after summer) accounted for 33% in Q. ilex, 59% in Q. humilis, and 60% in the two species together. Mean yearly acorn pre-dispersal predation by invertebrates was considerably higher in Q. humilis than in Q. ilex. Satiation and starvation of predators was recorded for the two oaks, and this effect was increased by the year-to-year variability in the size of the acorn crop of the two species combined. Moreover, at a longer time scale ( over seven years), we observed a significant reduction in the mean proportion of acorns depredated for each oak and the variability in both species' acorn production combined. Therefore, our results demonstrate that similar patterns of seeding fluctuation over time in coexisting species mediated by an environmental cue ( summer drought) may contribute to the reduction of the impact of seed predation at a within-species level. Future research should be aimed at addressing whether this process could be a factor assisting in the coexistence of Q. ilex and Q. humilis.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">3</style></issue><notes><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">The following values have no corresponding Zotero field:&lt;br/&gt;pub-location: 1990 M STREET NW, STE 700, WASHINGTON, DC 20036 USA&lt;br/&gt;publisher: ECOLOGICAL SOC AMER</style></notes></record></records></xml>