References and Acknowledgements Rite of passage: determining elephant-mediated seed shadows from ground-truth gut passage data Chris Beirne 1 , Chase L. Nuñez 1 , Melissa Baldino 1 , Seokmin Kim 1 , Julia Knorr 1 , Taylor Minich 1 , Lingrong Jin 2 , Alina Xiao 2 , Walter Mbamy 3 , Guichard Ndzeng Obiang 3 , Juliana Masseloux 1 , Tanguy Nkoghe 3 , Médard Obiang Ebanega 3 , Colin Rundel 4 , Justin P. Wright 1,2 , John R. Poulsen 1 1 Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 2 Department of Biology, Duke University, 3 Département de Géographie, Université Omar Bongo, Libreville, Gabon, 4 Department of Statistical Science, Duke University Introduction Field Methods Results Gut passage sensors Elephant follow Baiting Sensor collection from elephant dung Stat Methods The role of forest elephants as seed dispersers has been underestimated and underappreciated Baiting Historical movement Moving window Conclusions Future Directions § Impacts of elephant ingestion on seed germination, seedling growth & survival § Effects of seed predation in elephant dung on post- dispersal seed survivorship • African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) are important seed dispersers in tropical forests and influence the floral community structure • Seed dispersal pattern is determined by: 1) gut passage time (GPT) and 2) movement patterns of the seed dispersers We developed novel GPT measuring methods, obtained the first GPT data in wild forest elephants, and modeled elephant-mediated seed dispersal shadows based on GPT and elephant movement data. Dung Tracking Seed shadows GPT • 99% of seeds fall within 15 km • The continued loss of forest elephants will be detrimental to tropical forest structure 4-15 km Scan to see references and acknowledgements! Fig. adapted from Cuadra & Grullon (2017) Fig. adapted from Cuadra & Grullon (2017) (km) (km)

Rite of Passage: Determining Elephant-mediated Seed ......Rite of Passage: Determining Elephant-mediated Seed Shadows from Ground-truth Gut Passage Data Author Chris Beirne, Chase

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Page 1: Rite of Passage: Determining Elephant-mediated Seed ......Rite of Passage: Determining Elephant-mediated Seed Shadows from Ground-truth Gut Passage Data Author Chris Beirne, Chase

ReferencesandAcknowledgements

Riteofpassage:determiningelephant-mediatedseedshadowsfromground-truthgutpassagedata

ChrisBeirne1,ChaseL.Nuñez1,MelissaBaldino1,Seokmin Kim1,JuliaKnorr1,TaylorMinich1,Lingrong Jin2,AlinaXiao2,WalterMbamy3,GuichardNdzeng Obiang3,JulianaMasseloux1,TanguyNkoghe3,MédardObiangEbanega3,ColinRundel4,JustinP.Wright1,2,JohnR.Poulsen1

1NicholasSchooloftheEnvironment,DukeUniversity,2DepartmentofBiology,DukeUniversity,3DépartementdeGéographie,Université OmarBongo,Libreville,Gabon,4DepartmentofStatisticalScience,DukeUniversity

Introduction

FieldMethods

Results

Gut passage sensors

Elephant followBaitingSensor collection

from elephant dung

StatMethodsTheroleofforestelephantsas

seeddispersershasbeenunderestimatedandunderappreciated

Baiting

Historicalmovement

Movingwindow

Conclusions

FutureDirections

§ Impactsofelephantingestiononseedgermination,seedlinggrowth&survival

§ Effectsofseedpredationinelephantdungonpost-dispersalseedsurvivorship

• Africanforestelephants(Loxodontacyclotis) areimportantseeddispersersintropicalforestsandinfluencethefloralcommunitystructure

• Seeddispersalpatternisdeterminedby:1)gutpassagetime(GPT)and2)movementpatternsoftheseeddispersers

We developed novel GPT measuring methods, obtained the first GPT datain wild forest elephants, and modeled elephant-mediated seed dispersalshadows based on GPT and elephant movement data.

Dung Tracking

Seedshadows

GPT

• 99%ofseedsfallwithin15km

• Thecontinuedlossofforestelephantswillbedetrimentaltotropicalforeststructure

4-15km

Scantoseereferencesandacknowledgements!

Fig.adaptedfromCuadra &Grullon (2017)

(km)