Abstract

HENRIQUEZ, Erica B; DIAZ ISENRATH, Gabriela B; CONA, Mónica I  and  CAMPOS, Claudia M. Endozoochorous dispersal by Lepus europaeus (Lagomorpha, Leporidae) in the Monte-Patagonia ecotone, Argentina. Mastozool. neotrop. [online]. 2014, vol.21, n.2, pp.211-217. ISSN 0327-9383.

Endozoochorous dispersal involves the dispersal of seeds through feces after being ingested by animals. This work assesses the role of the European hare, Lepus europaeus, as a legitimate seed dispersal in an environment of the Monte-Patagonia ecotone in the province of Mendoza. Sampling was conducted between March and April 2010. In 43 of the 200 feces analyzed, a total of 129 seeds was found which corresponded to 8 different plant taxa. Nearly 60% of them belonged to the family Poaceae, whereas the only exotic plant species found was Polygonum aviculare. However, the possibility of this leporid dispersing some other exotic monocots cannot be ruled out because some of them could not be determined. All seeds of P. aviculare and of species of the family Amaranthaceae were damaged, whereas the seeds of Prosopis sp. were undamaged. Our results indicate that the European hare is an endozoochorous seed disperser, mostly of Poaceae, in the Monte-Patagonia ecotone.

Keywords : Disperser; European hare; Exotic species; Mendoza; Seeds.

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