Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
Abstract
Endozoochory is one of the seed dispersal modes through animal’s digestive systems transmission and the increases rate germination and plant establishment. The aim of this study, investigated the relationship between seed characteristics and the passage through the digestive tract of livestock and domestic animals (cattle, sheep and goats) in the 7 species perennial grass 8 species perennial forbs and 3 species annuals forbs in semi-steppe rangelands of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari. The first, morphological seeds characteristics including: seed weight, length, width and shape of the seeds measured, and Seeds were fed to the livestock (animal treatments) and the excreta collected to order records germination success of plant species in a greenhouse during a four months experiment. Using multiple regression models the relationship between seed characteristics and success germination was evaluated and compared for different animals. Simple linear regression showed that the percentage of germination after passing through the digestive tract of livestock and properties measured, there is no communication and seed size, weight, length and width of the seed does not affect the animal through the gastrointestinal tract. The logarithmic regression showed that for perennial grasses between seed length and germination, exists direct relationship in all animal treatments. The results of this study showed that, there is no Correlation between morphological characteristics of seeds and passing through the digestive tract of livestock.
Keywords
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