Seed dispersal by Martu peoples promotes the distribution of native plants in arid Australia

This study investigates the ecological role of human seed dispersal by Martu Aboriginal people in arid Australia. Using ecological surveys and ethnographic observations, the researchers examined how seed dispersal and landscape burning by Martu people affect the distribution of three preferred plants (*Solanum diversiflorum*, *Eragrostis* spp., and *Scaevola parvifolia*) and one control species. Information theoretic analysis revealed that the three preferred plants show evidence of human dispersal, with the strongest evidence supporting anthropogenic dispersal for the wild bush tomato, *Solanum diversiflorum*. Martu seed dispersal processes significantly impacted the distribution of *S. diversiflorum* and *Eragrostis*, while *S. centrale* presence depended on landscape fire legacies. The study highlights the significant, often unintentional, impact of human activities on plant distributions, even in the absence of agriculture.

Rebecca Bliege Bird, Douglas W. Bird, Christopher T. Martine, Chloe McGuire, Leanne Greenwood, Desmond Taylor, Tanisha M. Williams, Peter M. Veth