JORDAN IV, W.J.*; MEINERS, S.J.; Indiana State Univ., Terre Haute; Eastern Illinois Univ., Charleston: The Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene c. carolina) as a Dispersal Vector of Seeds and Spores in Central Illinois

Eastern Box Turtles are omnivorous terrestrial reptiles found throughout much of the Eastern United States. Turtles are known to eat many types of wild fleshy fruits and fungi. However, the extent in which they are dispersing seeds and spores is relatively unknown. Our objectives were 1) to determine the ecological function of box turtles as seed and spore dispersers by capturing wild turtles and collecting fecal samples to quantify the number of seeds and spores passing through the digestive tract of the turtles, and 2) to determine temporal relationships of seed and spore dispersal events. We collected a total of 38 fecal samples between April and September 2003. Of the 38 samples collected 37% contained seeds. The numbers of seeds found in the samples varied from 2 to 1024 seeds, and were from at least 6 different plant species. Spores were found in the fecal samples and numbered in the millions. A temporal shift due to availability was found in the dispersal of seeds. However, spores were ubiquitous through the sample period with no clear temporal variance. We conclude that turtles function as seed and spore dispersers and temporal shifts are present in seed dispersal events in Central Illinois.