Data from: Local distribution patterns of fleshy-fruited woody plants – examining the orchard hypothesis

This is the data from the article Local distribution patterns of fleshy-fruited woody plants – examining the orchard hypothesis (DOI: 10.1111/ecog.05359) Matilda Arnell, Johan Ehrlén and Ove Eriksson The study was carried out in the Tullgarn nature reserve (17°33'45E 58°57'56 N) in the province of Södermanland in Sweden. In the study area we established 15 sites. The sites were chosen to cover a range of potential habitats for fleshy-fruited woody species, and included those that were a priori expected as favourable habitats, e.g. forest edges, and less favourable habitats, e.g. within forests dominated by coniferous species (Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris). At the 15 sites we established three plots per site (45 plots) and at each plot we established subplots for the seedling recruitment experiment. Study design In 50 m radius circles at one of the three plots at each site we mapped all individuals of the local guild of fleshy-fruited woody trees and shrubs and recorded their height (or diameter at breast height) and reproductive status. This data is found in “spatial data_Arnell et al 2020.csv”. Please consult the readme-file for further details. In 50 m radius circles surrounding all three plots at each site we recorded presence/absence of reproductive individuals (displaying flowers or fruits) for the species included in the seedling recruitment experiment. This data is found in “plot scale data_Arnell et al 2020.csv”. Please consult the readme-file for further details. Seedling recruitment experiment At each plot, in subplots of 50 × 50 cm, we sowed 50 seeds of each of ten species of the local guild (figure 2A). The species were: Crataegus laevigata, Frangula alnus, Juniperus communis, Lonicera xylosteum, Prunus avium, Prunus padus, Prunus spinosa, Ribes alpinum, Rubus idaeus and Sorbus aucuparia. The seeds were gathered from fruits collected in the peak of the fruiting season of each species (mainly July-August, but October for J. communis, S. aucuparia and P. spinosa). We removed the pulp and allowed the seeds to dry in room temperature. The experiment was initiated in the autumn of 2015. In 2016 and 2017, we recorded seedlings on three occasions each year, between early June and early September. In 2018, we recorded seedlings and small juveniles once in June. At each occasion, the location of all seedlings was noted and used to identify individual recruits, and allowing us to identify new seedlings. All recruits were followed throughout the survey period. At all occasions, we also searched for seedlings of the study species in control plots (where no seeds were added) located adjacent to the sowing plots. The data from the seedling recruitment experiment is found in “plot scale data_Arnell et al 2020.csv”. Please consult the readme-file for further details. Spatially explicit patterns of associations Using the mapped positions of all individuals from the 50 m radius circles (spatial data_Arnell et al 2020.csv), we investigated distribution patterns by performing four different point pattern analyses. The analyses were performed in the software PROGRAMITA (Wiegand and Moloney 2014). Data reconfigured to be compatible with PROGRAMITA can be found in “data_PROGRAMITA.zipÖppnas i en ny tabb”. Please contact Matilda Arnell (matilda.arnell@su.seÖppnas i en ny tabb) for information or collaboration. Please cite also the original article when using these data (DOI: 10.1111/ecog.05359).