Editor’s Choice (112:09): How do yellow-necked mice & common oaks navigate a dynamic mutualism?

The editor’s choice for our September issue is ‘Scatterhoarder abundance and advantages of seed burial drive dynamics of a tree–rodent interaction‘, by Rafał Zwolak et al.: 

This study examines how density-dependent foraging decisions and abiotic conditions jointly influence mutualistic benefits.

The results show that mutualistic interactions between yellow-necked mice and common oaks are highly influenced by mouse abundance and environmental stress. High mouse densities increase seed removal and dispersal but also lead to more seed consumption, degrading dispersal quality. Seedling recruitment depends more on seed burial by mice during dry conditions, showing the context-dependent dynamics of plant–animal interactions.

These findings illustrate how the interplay between population density and abiotic factors jointly dictate the costs and benefits of mutualistic interactions.

Read the full article online: Scatterhoarder abundance and advantages of seed burial drive dynamics of a tree–rodent interaction