The effect of samara wing presence on predation of Acer pseudoplatanus (Sapindaceae) seeds on the ground

Abstract

The key selective pressure shaping the morphology of samaras is seen as enhancing primary wind‐borne dispersal from the parent plant to the ground. However, the consequences of the samara wing of primarily wind‐dispersed tree species for post‐dispersal processes has not been well studied. We explored whether the presence of this wing in Acer pseudoplatanus either deters or promotes predation after dispersal, either by increasing the time and energy required to predate the seed or by increasing the seed's visibility to predators. We found that wing‐removed fruits were preferred, suggesting that the presence of samaras makes seed handling more expensive for granivores. Further, we found that fewer seeds were consumed from treatments that contained the most winged seeds, thus there was no evidence of the samaras making seed finding easier for granivores. We conclude that the presence of the wing may offer an anti‐predatory benefit as well as aiding primary dispersal.