<?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><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Muñoz, Alberto</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Bonal, Raul</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Espelta, Josep Maria</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Acorn – weevil interactions in a mixed-oak forest: Outcomes for larval growth and plant recruitment</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Forest Ecology and Management</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">acorn</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Host specificity</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Larval development</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Seedling recruitment</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Weevil</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2014</style></year></dates><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Weevils are the most important pre-dispersal acorn predators in the Mediterranean region, where oaks often form mixed forests and different weevil species can coexist. The performance of weevil larvae depends in great extent on their feeding activities inside the infested acorns that, in turn, are known to reduce the viability of acorns. In this paper, we have analysed the interactions among the weevil community and four oak species (Quercus pyrenaica, Quercus suber, Quercus faginea and Quercus ilex) coexisting in a Mediterranean mixed-oak forest. DNA sequencing of weevil larvae revealed four different weevil species (Curculio elephas, Curculio glandium, Curculio pellitus and Curculio venosus) infesting the acorns of the four oak species. Oak species differed in acorn size, and weevil species also differed in body size. Weevil species showed some degree of specificity among the four oak species, but specificity was not related to variations in acorn size. By contrast, larval development and seedling recruitment were mostly driven by inter-specific differences in larval and acorn size. Larger seeded species suffered less seed damages by weevils (i.e. embryo predation and cotyledon consumption), thus reducing the impacts of acorn infestation in seedling emergence and seedling size. Larval development for the largest weevil species C. elephas was constrained by cotyledon depletion in all acorn species. Yet, this pattern was not observed for other weevil species. Larval size of the same weevil species also varied among different oak species after controlling for the amount of cotyledon eaten by larvae, thus, variation of other acorn traits among acorn species (e.g. chemical composition) may also have consequences for the performance of weevil larvae. It is likely that other variables operating at population level, such as temporal and spatial changes in acorn production or phenological variations of weevils and oaks, are also implicated in the complex functioning of these outstanding mixed-oak forests where natural regeneration seems to be threatened.</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%">Sunyer, Pau</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Espelta, Josep Maria</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Bonal, Raul</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Muñoz, Alberto</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Seeding phenology influences wood mouse seed choices: the overlooked role of timing in the foraging decisions by seed-dispersing rodents</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">acorn</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Apodemus sylvaticus</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">dispersal</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quercus</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">seed</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">seed traits</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2014</style></year></dates><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">68</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1205-1213</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Scatter-hoarding rodents influence the population dynamics of plants by acting as seed predators and dispersers. Therefore, rodent foraging preferences for certain seed traits (species, size, condition) have been extensively studied. However, to what extent these preferences are fixed or they track the temporal changes on seed characteristics due to phenological differences has been seldom explored.We stud- ied the temporal variability in seed preferences by wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), according to phenological changes in seed characteristics of two co-occurring oaks (Quercus ilex and Quercus pubescens). The phenology of acorn abundance and the acorn predation/dispersal patterns by rodents were monitored over an entire seeding season. Results revealed temporal changes in rodent preferences for acorns of the two oaks, matching their different seeding phe- nology (earlier in Q. pubescens and later in Q. ilex). On the other hand, whatever the species considered, rodents preferred larger and sound acorns along the entire season, although the dispersal of infested ones increased slightly during the peaks of acorn drop. The observed influence of seeding phenology on seed choices by rodents warns about inferring definite conclusions regarding their foraging behavior when arising from short-term experiments. Indeed, this study reveals that foraging preferences may be highly dynamic and context- dependent for some seed traits (e.g., species and condition), rather than fixed behavioral patterns. Plasticity in rodent for- aging choices may allowthem to successfully exploit different oaks with uncoupled seeding phenologies, while potentially favoring their coexistence.</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%">Muñoz, Alberto</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Bonal, Raul</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Espelta, Josep Maria</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Responses of a scatter-hoarding rodent to seed morphology: links between seed choices and seed variability</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Animal Behaviour</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">acorn</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Algerian mouse</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">animal-plant interaction</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">handling cost</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">hoarding behaviour</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Holm oak</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Mus spretus</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quercus ilex</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">seed caching</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">small rodent</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2012</style></year></dates><publisher><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Elsevier Ltd</style></publisher><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">84</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1435-1442</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Seed preferences of scatter-hoarding granivores may inﬂuence the evolution of seed traits in plants. However, there is little evidence linking the granivores’ responses to speciﬁc seed traits to the variability of seeds in a single plant species. This information is essential for understanding how the decisions of granivores can shape plant life histories. We analysed how seed morphology (size and shape) of the Holm oak, Quercus ilex, inﬂuences seed choices of the seed-disperser, the Algerian mouse, Mus spretus. We studied the seed variability of the oak and whether the frequency of seed phenotypes matched the seed choices of the disperser. The probabilities of seed removal decreased as the seeds became larger and more bullet-shaped, so that seeds that were simultaneously large and bullet-shaped had the lowest probabilities of being dispersed. These seeds are probably refused by rodents because they impose higher handling and transport costs. The size and shape of the Holm oak seeds were highly variable between trees, but extraordinarily consistent within a single tree over different years. However, the analysis of seed variability revealed a disproportionately low frequency of large bullet-shaped phenotypes, which are those barely removed by rodents. Seed preferences of dispersers of species with high seed variability between trees can lead to differences in the chances of seeds produced by different trees being dispersed. Those seed phenotypes preferred by dispersers could make a higher contribution to the next generation, which could inﬂuence the evolution and variability of seeds in a plant species</style></abstract></record></records></xml>