Dispersal by cattle of salt-marsh and dune species into salt-marsh and dune communities

Seed dispersal via ingestion and defecation by large herbivores (endozoochory) plays a potentially important role in structuring plant communities. In the present study we tested whether cattle disperse seeds between different plant communities in a heterogeneous coastal habitat. We surveyed the seed contents of cattle dung collected from two habitat types within a grazing system, one in dunes and the other in salt-marsh. The dunes are characterized by sandy soil, and infrequent inundation by the sea, whereas the salt-marsh features clay deposited during inundations. Seeds of both salt-marsh and dune species were dispersed into salt-marsh and dune habitats. The seed content of cattle dung collected in salt-marsh and dunes was similar with respect to species composition and seed density. However, dispersal of dune species into salt-marsh and vice-versa did not result in establishment in those communities. Seed traits per se did not differ between dune species and salt-marsh species. Species abundance in the established vegetation and seed density in dung were positively correlated. Seed abundance for most species found in dung was consistent with the availability of viable seeds during the growing season. Seed mass, seed ‘roundness’ and seed release height were all negatively correlated with seed numbers in dung. An indirect factor, namely, forage quality of the plant, and hence attractiveness for herbivores, could explain the higher likelihood of seed dispersal of salt-marsh species than of dune species. The salt-marsh harbours species with higher forage quality than the dune species, as derived from Ellenberg nitrogen indicator values.