Embryo size as a tolerance trait against seed predation: Contribution of embryo-damaged seeds to plant regeneration

Seedlings from intact seeds performed better (greater plant biomass and higher chlorophyll and nitrogen index) than those from embryo-damaged seeds. However, seedlings from embryo-damaged seeds showed higher anthocyanin content, a possible response to seed damage. Intact and embryo-damaged acorns showed similar dispersal patterns by rodents (e.g. seed caching behavior and dispersal distances). Importantly, seed retrieval by rodents was significantly lower for embryo-damaged seeds, allowing greater seed survival and supporting the expectation that embryo excision behavior is a strategy to store seeds for longer periods. We conclude that tolerance to embryo damage is an important reproductive strategy that enables plant recruitment. Embryo size could play a crucial role in the evolutionary and ecological responses of seeds to animal predation.