Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Restoration Ecology
Abstract
Promoting regeneration of native trees, like Quercus spp., is a priority for land managers given the ecological and economic importance of oak woodlands. Although direct seeding may promote recruitment of Quercus spp., the effectiveness of direct seeding may be greatly reduced in environments where the activity of granivorous rodents is high. Importantly, the activity of granivorous rodents may be highest in environments where oak restoration is most desired, such as habitats invaded by non-native woody shrubs. Implementing chemical deterrents to granivory should promote direct seeding success; yet it is essential to understand if those deterrents are effective in challenging restoration situations (e.g. areas with dense invasive shrub cover). Moreover, it is important to determine whether chemicals that deter granivory have undesired effects on beneficial ecological interactions, such as animal-mediated seed dispersal. We used multi-field site experiments in shrub-invaded and shrub-cleared forest plots to compare the removal and dispersal of Quercus rubra acorns with seed coats treated with a pepper-based capsaicin extract versus acorns treated with control solutions (i.e. water and ethanol). Seed removal was quantified for 37 days, and seed survival and dispersal were quantified by relocating nail-tagged acorns after 8 weeks. We found that capsaicin-treated seeds had a significantly higher probability of survival compared to seeds treated with control solutions; the presence of the invasive shrub Rhamnus cathartica increased post-dispersal seed consumption regardless of seed-coat treatment; capsaicin did not affect acorn dispersal distance; and the concentration of capsaicin coatings on acorns declined over time in the field.
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DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.70042
Volume
33
Publication Date
2025
Keywords
capsaicin, invasive shrubs, Quercus rubra, Rhamnus cathartica, seed dispersal, seed predation
Disciplines
Biology
ISSN
1061-2971
Recommended Citation
Fuka, M.E., Connolly, B. and Orrock, J.L. (2025), Promoting acorn survival using capsaicin seed coatings is strengthened by the removal of invasive shrubs. Restor Ecol, 33: e70042. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.70042
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