Data from: How far do Neotropical primates disperse seeds?

Seed dispersal distance (SDD) is a vital component of vertebrate-mediated seed dispersal process: the average distance at which seeds are deposited away from the parent plant represents the starting template of plant regeneration. We present a simple model to explain and predict observed measures of SDD and we hypothesize that it is a consequence of how long seeds are retained in the disperser’s gut, how rapidly the disperser moves per unit time and how twisted the animal’s travel path is relative to the straight-line distance moved away from the seed source. We illustrate this model with comparative data on Neotropical primates; we used gut transit time as a proxy of seed residence time, the disperser’s daily path length as proxy of movement speed, and home range area (relative to daily path length) as a correlate of path twisting. These three variables explained 92% of the variation in the average SDD. Path analysis indicates that additional variables exerted only indirect effects. Our model can be applied to primate populations for which detailed feeding data are missing, and help evaluate conservation priorities for primate species according to their seed dispersal effectiveness.