The domestic goat as a potential seed disperser ofMimosa luisana(Leguminosae, Mimosoideae) in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, Mexico

Domestic goats play a significant role as seed dispersers for Mimosa luisana in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, Mexico. The study found that goats preferentially deposit seeds in open areas, enhancing their survival and germination rates. Seeds ingested by goats exhibited higher germination (47.5%) compared to controls (5.83%), with faster initial and mean germination times. This suggests that goat-mediated endozoochory could be an efficient natural mechanism for seed dispersal of this ecologically important species, which creates favorable microsites for other plants.

Giordani, L., Baraza, E., Camargo-Ricalde, S. L., & Moe, S. R. (2014). The domestic goat as a potential seed disperser ofMimosa luisana(Leguminosae, Mimosoideae) in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, Mexico. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 31(1), 91–94. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0266467414000510