Abstract

DELLAFIORE, Claudia M. ¿Afecta el zorro (Lycalopex gymnocercus) la germinación de piracanta (Pyracantha atalantoides) rosaceae?. Mastozool. neotrop. [online]. 2018, vol.25, n.1, pp.53-58. ISSN 0327-9383.

Endozoochory is a key process for many exotic plant species, given that it can be the main mechanism of invasion and naturalization. Endozoochory allows exotics to reach places open to colonization and, in some cases, may play a fundamental role in the germination and establishment of seedlings. In the hills of Córdoba, Argentina, Pampas foxes disperse large quantities of firethorn seeds. This exotic species is native of China, Asia Minor and Europe and has attractive fruits for foxes. However, fruit consumption by foxes does not necessarily imply that viable seeds are dispersed (legitimate dispersion) because the passage through the digestive tract may adversely affect the seeds, either mechanically or affecting their viability. The aim of this study was to know if the seeds of P. atalantoides suffer damage when passing through the foxes' digestive tract and if this passage affects the germinative power, germination speed, germination timing and rate. Two independent studies were carried out, one based on samples obtained from a wild population of foxes and the other from captive animals. In both cases, the germination of the seeds obtained from fruits was compared with the germination of seeds from fox feces. According to the results, the foxes act as legitimate dispersers of the seeds of P. atalantoides, which retain for long periods the positive effect of passage through the digestive tract.

Keywords : Lycalopex gimnocercus; Pampas fox; Pyracantha atalantoides; Seed dispersal; Viability.

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