Gut Retention Times of Experimental Pseudoseeds by Emus

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Abstract
Pseudoseeds (buttons and beads of a specific gravity within the range of real seeds) were retained in the digestive tract of captive emus very commonly for 1-2 d, but a considerable numbe were held for over 1 wk (and up to several wk). These retention times are similar to those of several other large, fruit-eating vertebrates that often disperse the seeds of the fruits eaten. Retention time did not vary consistently with pseudoseed dimensions but did differ greatly among birds and trials. Many of the ingested pseudoseeds were deposited at nightly camp sites. Long retention times and patchy deposition patterns have several possible but undocumented consequences for seed shadows.