Figure 3. The effects of social status on seed dispersal may
have important implications for the movement and recruitment of plants
in the Anthropocene. A) Since subordinate individuals typically
have larger home ranges and disperse beyond the territories of
conspecifics, subordinate individuals are more likely to provide
long-distance seed dispersal services. Since long-distance seed
dispersal is critical for many plants to expand range boundaries,
subordinate individuals may facilitate plant movement to track changing
climate. B) Subordinate individuals are more likely to disperse
into urban habitats. Subordinates may therefore facilitate plant species
dispersal and persistence urban habitats. C) Since subordinate
individuals have larger home ranges and are more likely to disperse
beyond current conspecific territories, they may be more likely to use
corridors. The movement of subordinate individuals through corridors
likely facilitates plant movement through corridors, promoting plant
establishment in otherwise isolated habitat patches.