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Content archived on 2024-05-27

Closing the seed-dispersal loop: How does seed-dispersal affect plant population structure at the global, regional and local scales?

Objective

Seed-dispersal is an important ecosystem function with important consequences for the dynamics of plant and animal populations. This project will cover four related objectives which will evaluate different aspects of seed dispersal at the global (biogeographic), regional (national) and local (community) scales deepening the current knowledge on seed dispersal and its consequences. Early botanists identified sets of fruit-traits – i.e. dispersal syndromes – which improve the likelihood of propagules attaining seed-dispersal by specific dispersal mechanisms. Such syndromes have been at the centre of several important inferences regarding the long-distance dispersal of seed (LDD) and the colonization of new habitats by plants, although such inferences have been often speculative. By comparing the characteristics of the Azorean and the European floras, I will evaluate which, if any, syndrome has been favoured for the colonization of the Azores islands by plants. Simultaneously I will evaluate for the first time whether dispersal syndromes are a solid base to infer actual seed-dispersal mechanisms and thus colonization vectors for seeds. At a regional scale I will use historical data on plant and bird distributions in the UK and the Netherlands to determine the possible consequences of historical bird declines – and hence seed-dispersal – on plants bearing different dispersal syndromes. Finally I will be applying a complex-network approach at a local scale to evaluate the inter-year variability and estimating the effect of sampling effort on the main descriptors of seed-dispersal networks in a scenario of plant invasions in central Portugal.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

FP7-PEOPLE-2012-CIG
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MC-CIG - Support for training and career development of researcher (CIG)

Coordinator

UNIVERSIDADE DE COIMBRA
EU contribution
€ 100 000,00
Address
PACO DAS ESCOLAS
3004-531 COIMBRA
Portugal

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

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