Who dispersed the seeds? The use of DNA barcoding in frugivory and seed dispersal studies

1. Assessing dispersal events in plants faces important challenges and limitations. A methodological issue that limits advances in our understanding of seed dissemination by frugivorous animals is identifying ‘which species dispersed the seeds’. This is essential for assessing how multiple frugivore species contribute distinctly to critical dispersal events such as seed delivery to safe sites, long-distance dispersal, and the colonization of non-occupied habitats. 2. Here we describe DNA barcoding protocols successfully applied to bird-dispersed seeds sampled in the field. Avian DNA was extracted from the surface of defecated or regurgitated seeds, allowing the identification of the frugivore species that contributed each dispersal event. Disperser species identification was based on a 464-bp mitochondrial DNA region (COI: cytochrome c oxidase subunit I). 3. We illustrate the possible applications of this method with bird-dispersed seeds sampled in the field. DNA barcoding provides a no...