Effect of neighboring seeds associated with habitats on the seed removal of two coexisting myrmecochorous plants in central China

摘要: Abstract Although neighboring plants can influence animal-seed dispersal interactions, little is known about the effect of seeds and habitat on seed by ants. Here we investigated removal in two coexisting myrmecochorous species (Epimedium pubescens Helleborus thibetanus) from temperate deciduous forests Qinling Mountains, central China, examining (1) potential role ants rodents (2) whether differed between forest edge interior. We found that, presence higher-ESMR (elaiosome: mass ratio) E. did not significantly affect lower-ESMR H. thibetanus. By contrast, thibetanus decreased rates pubescens, with only a significant rodent exclusion (ant alone) rather than both ant (rodent full access (rodent + ant). Moreover, that those effects were different interior, which may be attributed to similar pattern overall seed-dispersing abundance habitats. This suggested could focal plant depending absence rodents; when present, interaction rendered no removal. Our results show neighborhood was regulated dispersers predators, this context-dependent at small spatial scale. study highlights importance understand shared seed-removing animals context assess plant-animal interactions.