Endozoochory and Seed Dispersal by Herbivores

Endozoochory—the transport of viable seeds through the digestive tract of herbivorous animals—constitutes a pivotal mechanism for plant colonisation, community dynamics and gene flow across ecosystems. As herbivores forage, they ingest a diversity of diaspores, which later survive gut passage and are deposited in faeces at locations often distant from parent plants. The efficacy of this process depends on seed traits such as size, shape and coat hardness, as well as on herbivore digestive physiology, retention time and movement patterns. In grasslands, forests and rangelands worldwide, dung seed banks enrich local soil seed reservoirs and foster microsite heterogeneity around deposition sites. By mediating long-distance dispersal, large mammals can facilitate range shifts under changing climates, assist in habitat restoration and, conversely, contribute to the spread of invasive species. Understanding the interplay between animal behaviour, seed trait filtering and post-deposition germination conditions is thus essential for both conservation planning and sustainable land management.

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Endozoochory and Seed Dispersal by Herbivores publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in endozoochory and seed dispersal by herbivores across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Endozoochory: Seed dispersal via ingestion by animals, followed by excretion of viable seeds.

Dung Seed Bank: Viable seeds contained within herbivore faeces that contribute to local soil seed reserves.

Retention Time: Duration that seeds remain in the digestive tract before being excreted.

Long-distance Dispersal (LDD): Movement of seeds over distances exceeding typical local dispersal ranges, often facilitated by mobile vectors.

References

1. Plant biomass and seed production of the legumes Aeschynomeme histrix and Stylosanthes hamata and the potential of endozoochory by cattle and sheep in semi-arid native pastures. Heliyon (2023).
2. Short-term study on the yak dung seed bank on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: effects of grazing season, seed characteristics and forage preferences. Plant and Soil (2021).
3. The importance of individual movement and feeding behaviour for long-distance seed dispersal by red deer: a data-driven model. Movement Ecology (2020).