title: Understanding strategies for seed dispersal by wind under contrasting atmospheric conditions.
abstract: Traits associated with seed dispersal vary tremendously among sympatric wind-dispersed plants. We used two contrasting tropical tree species, seed traps, micrometeorology, and a mechanistic model to evaluate how variation in four key traits affects seed dispersal by wind. The conceptual framework of movement ecology, wherein external factors (wind) interact with internal factors (plant traits) that enable movement and determine when and where movement occurs, fully captures the variable inputs and outputs of wind dispersal models and informs their interpretation. We used model calculations to evaluate the spatial pattern of dispersed seeds for the 16 factorial combinations of four traits. The study species differed dramatically in traits related to the timing of seed release, and a strong species by season interaction affected most aspects of the spatial pattern of dispersed seeds. A rich interplay among plant traits and seasonal differences in atmospheric conditions caused this interaction. Several of the same plant traits are crucial for both seed dispersal and other aspects of life history variation. Observed traits that limit dispersal are likely to be constrained by their life history consequences.
authors.affiliation: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Box 0843-03092, Balboa, Panama. wrightj@si.edu
authors.forename: S Joseph
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trakhtenbrot
authors.forename: Gil
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bohrer
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Detto
authors.forename: Gabriel G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Katul
authors.forename: Nir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Horvitz
authors.forename: Helene C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Muller-Landau
authors.forename: Frank A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nathan
mesh_terms: D004463:Ecology / Q000379:methods*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012621:Seasons; D012639:Seeds / Q000502:physiology*; D029663:Tabebuia / Q000254:growth & development*; D014329:Tropical Climate; D014919:Wind