Evaluating the potential for weed seed dispersal based on waterfowl consumption and seed viability
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Abstract
BACKGROUND
Migratory waterfowl have often been implicated in the movement of troublesome agronomic and wetland weed species. However, minimal research has been conducted to investigate the dispersal of agronomically important weed species by waterfowl. The two objectives for this project were to determine what weed species are being consumed by ducks and snow geese, and to determine the recovery rate and viability of 13 agronomic weed species after passage through a duck's digestive system.
RESULTS
Seed recovered from digestive tracts of 526 ducks and geese harvested during a 2‐year field study had 35 020 plants emerge. A greater variety of plant species emerged from ducks each year (47 and 31 species) compared to geese (11 and 3 species). Viable seed from 11 of 13 weed species fed to ducks in a controlled feeding study were recovered. Viability rate and gut retention times indicated potential dispersal up to 2900 km from the source depending on seed characteristics and variability in waterfowl dispersal distances.
CONCLUSIONS
Study results confirm that waterfowl are consuming seeds from a variety of agronomically important weed species, including Palmer amaranth, which can remain viable after passage through digestive tracts and have potential to be dispersed over long distances by waterfowl.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Evaluating the potential for weed seed dispersal based on waterfowl consumption and seed viability |
| Series title | Pest Management Science |
| DOI | 10.1002/ps.4710 |
| Volume | 73 |
| Issue | 12 |
| Year Published | 2017 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Wiley |
| Contributing office(s) | Coop Res Unit Atlanta |
| Description | 12 p. |
| First page | 2592 |
| Last page | 2603 |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |