香果树(Emmenopterys henryi)种群种子雨、种子库及 实生苗数量的海拔梯度变化

香果树为我国Ⅱ级野生保护植物,由于原生境中香果树种群的数量迅速减少,目前已濒临灭绝,种群亟待恢复。研究了武夷山不同海拔的香果树种群种子雨、种子库及其幼苗存活现状,目的是阐明不同海拔地区的香果树种群自然更新的动态过程,寻找其更新脆弱的环节及其影响因素,为香果树自然种群的恢复提供理论依据。以分布于不同海拔高度（819、980、1 140及1 301 m）的香果树母树为中心,在其周围（东、南、西、北四个方位）布设种子雨收集框和土壤种子库样方,连续观测种子雨和种子库的动态,并对不同地表覆盖物中种子萌发及幼苗数量进行观测和记录。结果表明,武夷山香果树种群种子雨持续时间近2个月,尤其是11月底至12月中旬为种子雨高峰期;随着海拔的上升,香果树种子总密度以及虫蛀种子密度均显著降低,但千粒重以及饱满种子密度则有所增加;香果树土壤种子库为瞬时种子库,其水平分布以母树南侧和西侧种子密度较大,母树北侧种子密度最小。香果树种子的垂直分布主要集中于枯落物和苔藓层;3月时香果树土壤种子库中存留的饱满种子仅占种子散布后1.80%,而1年实生苗存活率为6.18%,土壤种子库的损耗是其种群自然更新困难的主要原因;不同地表覆盖物对香果树幼苗的存活产生显著影响,枯落物及苔藓层的幼苗死亡率显著高于土壤表面。建议清理林内枯落物及苔藓,增加林内裸露土壤的面积,减小地上草本的盖度,以减少种子霉烂、虫蛀的几率,增加香果树实生苗胚根与土壤接触的几率以及改善光照条件,促进香果树自然更新。     

不同年龄香果树种子雨和种子库及其更新特征

对宝天曼自然保护区香果树种子雨、土壤种子库进行了观测,并进行不同微生境播种实验,研究其种子萌发及幼苗生长动态。结果表明:(1)不同龄级香果树种子雨持续时间及其高峰期有所不同,种子雨强度存在极显著差异。(2)20~50龄级香果树的种子饱满率、土壤种子库中种子密度均显著低于其他龄级,但其不同类型种子的水平和垂直分布规律一致;大约80%的香果树种子在其萌发前消失,剩余种子中以霉烂种子密度最高(9.81粒·m-2),饱满种子密度最低(1.94粒·m-2)。(3)野外育苗实验表明,不同龄级香果树所产饱满种子的萌发率及幼苗存活率差异不显著,其种子萌发率约为16.93%,但仅有3.86%的幼苗寿命超过5个月;不同微生境对香果树幼苗存活率产生显著影响,林窗是其最适宜微生境。研究认为,人工采集香果树种子,于次年4月份在原生境下播种;清理母树冠下和冠缘的地被物,增加林缘空地地被物覆盖度,以减少香果树种子的损失,改善香果树种子萌发和幼苗生长的光照条件,以利于幼苗根系的生长,促进香果树的自然更新。     

The Role of Arboreal Seed Dispersal Groups on the Seed Rain of a Lowland Tropical Forest1

Most tropical plants produce fleshy fruits that are dispersed primarily by vertebrate frugivores. Behavioral disparities among vertebrate seed dispersers could influence patterns of seed distribution and thus forest structure. This study investigated the relative importance of arboreal seed dispersers and seed predators on the initial stage of forest organization–seed deposition. We asked the following questions: (1) To what degree do arboreal seed dispersers influence the species richness and abundance of the seed rain? and (2) Based on the plant species and strata of the forest for which they provide dispersal services, do arboreal seed dispersers represent similar or distinct functional groups? To answer these questions, seed rain was sampled for 12 months in the Dja Reserve, Cameroon. Seed traps representing five percent of the crown area were erected below the canopies of 90 trees belonging to nine focal tree species: 3 dispersed by monkeys, 3 dispersed by large frugivorous birds, and 3 wind‐dispersed species. Seeds disseminated by arboreal seed dispersers accounted for ca 12 percent of the seeds and 68 percent of the seed species identified in seed traps. Monkeys dispersed more than twice the number of seed species than large frugivorous birds, but birds dispersed more individual seeds. We identified two distinct functional dispersal groups, one composed of large frugivorous birds and one composed of monkeys, drop dispersers, and seed predators. These groups dispersed plants found in different canopy strata and exhibited low overlap in the seed species they disseminated. We conclude it is unlikely that seed dispersal services provided by monkeys could be compensated for by frugivorous birds in the event of their extirpation from Afrotropical forests.     

Seed Dynamics in Relation to Gaps in a Tropical Montane Rainforest of Hainan Island, South China： （I） Seed Rain

Seed dynamics is an important part of stand dynamics in forest ecosystems. In this paper, 26 gaps were randomly selected to study the influence of gaps on the spatial and temporal patterns of seed rains in a tropical montane rainforest of Hainan Island, South China. Three zones for each gap, including outside gap zone （Non-gap）, transitional gap zone （EG-CG）, and central gap zone （CG）, were designed, and fourseed traps （each lm x lm in size） were placed in each zone. Seed rains were collected by these traps every 10 days from June 2001 to May 2002. Seed rain varied greatly with season and generally exhibited a pattern of unimodal change during the study period： seed abundance and species richness were both greater in the wet season than in the dry season. Gaps significantly influenced the temporal patterns of both species richness and density of seed rains. Gaps had no significant influences on the spatial distribution patterns of seed rain species richness, but significantly affected the spatial distribution pattern of seed rain densities. Among the three different zones of gaps, the outside gap zone generally received more seeds inputs than the two other gap zones.     

Seed Rain Produced by Bats and Birds in Forest Islands in a Neotropical Savanna1

The high degree of isolation of forest “islands” relative to “continental” forested areas creates a naturally fragmented landscape in the savanna ecosystem. Because fragmentation can affect the intensity and quality of biological interactions (e.g., seed dispersal) we examined the abundance and species richness of seed rain produced by birds and bats in three different parts of forest islands (center, edge, and exterior) located at the Estación Biológica del Beni, Bolivia. Despite the fact that we found higher species density of seeds in the seed rain at the center of forest islands, when comparing species richness corrected for observed differences in density, species richness was higher at the edge of islands. The three parts of the islands did not differ in total number of seeds. Three genera (Byrsonima, Ficus, and Piper) contributed the most seeds to the seed rain. We found differences in the abundance of dispersed seeds probably because of the variation related with the disturbance line, where the savanna matrix interacts with the forest islands. Carollia perspicillata, Carollia brevicauda, and Sturnira lilium were the bats that contributed most to seed dispersal within forest islands, and Schistochlamys melanopis and Tyranneutes stolzmanni were the most important birds. The movement of seeds produced by bats and birds within forest islands of the savanna is crucial to assure the continuity of ecological process and dynamics of these forest islands.     

Genetic Diversity in Restoration Materials and the Impacts of Seed Collection in Colorado's Restoration Plant Production Industry

The ever increasing demand for native plants and seed for use in restoration and revegetation has created a sizable industry. The large‐scale production and planting of native plants have given rise to a suite of ecological concerns including collection impacts, genetic diversity, and provenance. This study examines the practices and beliefs of 12 restoration plant production companies in Colorado with regard to arising ecological issues and identifies where further research is needed. We found that native seed collection in Colorado was largely unregulated and unmonitored and impacts were unknown. Maintaining genetic diversity in restoration materials is costly and does not have universal support. The use of provenance material (or local ecotypes) was hotly contested with strong and sound arguments on both sides of the issue. Procurement of pure ecotypes was difficult because of the variety of institutions involved in production and complications such as artificial selection and cross‐pollination.     

青藏高原矮嵩草草甸种子库的初步研究

青藏高原矮嵩草草甸种子库的初步研究邓自发周兴民王启基（中国科学院西北高原生物研究所,西宁８１０００１）ＴｈｅＳｔｕｄｉｅｓｏｆＳｅｅｄＢａｎｋｏｆＫｏｂｒｅｓｉａｈｕｉｌｉｓＭｅａｄｏｗｉｎＱｉｎｇ＿ＺａｎｇＰｌａｔｅａｕ．ＤｅｎｇＺｉｆａ,Ｚｈｏｕ...     

Frugivory and Seed Dispersal by Four Species of Primates in Madagascar's Eastern Rain Forest1

In the unique faunal assemblage of the Malagasy rain forest, lemurs appear to play particularly important roles as seed-dispersing frugivores. A three-month study of feeding ecology and seed dispersal by four species of lemurs in Madagascar's eastern rain forest found that three species, Eulemur rubriventer, Eulemur fulvus, and Varecia variegata were seed dispersers, and the fourth, Propithecus diadema, was a seed predator. In germination trials, seeds passed by lemurs sprouted significantly faster and in greater numbers than those not passed by lemurs. Analysis of fruit morphologies of 69 local plant taxa producing fleshy fruits during the study period found that these fruits fell into two well-defined color categories that correlated significantly with fruit size. Seventy seven percent of fleshy fruits greater than 10 mm in diameter were colored green, brown, tan, purplish, or black, while all fruits less than 10 mm in diameter were colored red, yellow, orange, pink, blue, or white. Three introduced exotic plant species provided exceptions to this pattern, producing fruits which were larger than 10 mm and pink or orange. Fruits chosen by the primates in this study were usually larger than 10 mm in diameter and were in nearly all cases colored green, brown, tan, purplish, red, or some combination of these colors. Morphological traits shared by fruits of multiple plant taxa in the diets of seed-dispersing lemurs suggest possible coevolved relationships between Malagasy rain forest plants and lemurs.     

Seed Rain and Seed Limitation in a Planted Gallery Forest in Brazil

With seeds collected monthly during one year from 53 1‐m² seed traps, we investigated the seed rain and seed limitation in a gallery forest planted in 1994 in SE Brazil. Contrasting animal‐ (zoochorous) and wind‐dispersed (anemochorous) plants we investigated (1) which aspects of the composition and structure of the vegetation influence the abundance and species richness of the seed rain; (2) if such influences differ between zoochorous and anemochorous seeds; (3) if the abundance and richness of the seed rain sampled under zoochorous and nonzoochorous plant species differ; and (4) if seed limitation (given by the proportion of sites to which seeds were not dispersed) differs between zoochorous and anemochorous plant species, and also between species that have been planted and those that further colonized the area (colonists). Seed rain was intense and dominated by anemochorous species. The overall seed rain was not influenced by the vegetation parameters we analyzed (canopy height and cover, plant size, abundance, and richness) or by the plant species above the seed trap. The abundance and richness of zoochorous seeds in a given spot was influenced by the abundance and richness of zoochorous plants in its immediate vicinity. Seed limitation was higher for anemochorous than zoochorous species and higher for planted than for colonist species. We concluded with recommendations for the initial establishment of a planted forest, including the homogeneous distribution of zoochorous plants to permit a spatially homogeneous zoochorous seedfall, which will likely enhance the chances of survival and successful establishment of seeds.     

海南霸王岭陆均松种子雨和土壤种子库特征

为了解陆均松(Dacrydium pierrei)的自然更新能力,对海南霸王岭陆均松进行为期3年的种子雨、种子库及幼苗幼树观测,并分析其与环境因子的关系。结果表明,陆均松种子雨和种子库有效种子数量太少并存在季节性差异;其结实存在大小年现象;种子雨的扩散密度随着距母树距离的增加而逐渐减少;土壤种子库种子数量在枯枝落叶层所占比例最大,但有活力种子数量极少。幼苗幼树适宜生存的海拔范围为800~1 400 m,经度、纬度、坡度与幼苗幼树分布有明显相关性。因此,选择适宜季节采摘种子,提高种源数量和质量,清除林下枯枝落叶,增加种子萌发能力等以减少陆均松更新的限制条件的人工抚育措施应适当考虑。     

北京东灵山落叶阔叶林中辽东栎种子雨

在北京东灵山地区的一个落叶阔叶林中调查了辽东栎（Ｑｕｅｒｃｕｓ ｌｉａｏｔｕｎｇｅｎｓｉｓ Ｋｏｉｄｚ．）的种子雨。对于选定的４棵辽东栎中的３棵,树冠下的种子雨分布格局符合二次分布,具有很高的决定系数。由设置在树冠下的种子捕捉器收集的坚果数量来估计整棵树的种子雨。４棵树的种子雨中有活力的种子很少,变化范围从２６到２５９个。每棵树的树冠下的种子雨密度变化范围从０．７６到７．２６个／ｍ＾２。林中平均种     

Seed dynamics during forest succession in Costa Rica

Soil seed banks and current seed inputs each play a role in tropical succession. We compared the abundance and floristic composition of seeds from these two sources at a Costa Rican site by germinating seeds from the soil, measuring seed inputs for 3 yr, and monitoring the earliest colonists in a forest clearing.There were an estimated 6800 viable seeds/m² in the soil of 3.3-yr-old vegetation, 9500 seeds/m² in 11-yr-old vegetation, and 7000 seeds/m² in a 75-yr-old forest. An estimated 10100 seeds/m² fell on the soil surface of the young successional vegetation during 3 yr and 3700 seeds/m² fell during that same time in the forest.Locally produced seeds accounted for about 75% of the seed input to the soil surface early in succession. Seeds dispersed out of young successional vegetation increased the quantity and species richness of the seed input and storage in an adjacent forest. Much of the species richness of the young successional vegetation resulted from seeds dispersed there from other communities by animals.Deforestation stimulated germination of most seeds in the surface soil of the old forest, including seeds of the dominant canopy tree. The recruitment of seedlings from the soil seed bank numerically overwhelmed that from post-disturbance seed rain and sprouts.We evaluated patterns of soil seed storage during succession and predicted the ability of vegetation of differing ages to respond to disturbance. Immediately after disturbance the number of seeds in the soil plummeted due to mortality, low inputs, and germination. As the vegetation regrew, the soil seed bank increased to a peak after 4 to 7 yr, then gradually decreased to its pre-disturbance size. High-frequency pulses of disturbance should result in reduced species richness, dominance by species with long-lived seeds, and fast recovery by seedling recruitment from the soil seed bank.Journal series number 6459 from the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA.Reprint requests to J. J. E. at Florida.     

Primate and Dung Beetle Communities in Secondary Growth Rain Forests: Implications for Conservation of Seed Dispersal Systems

Conservation efforts are often aimed at one or a few species. However, habitat sustainability relies on ecological interactions among species, such as seed dispersal. Thus, a community-scale conservation strategy may be more valuable in some settings. We describe communities of primary (primates) and secondary (dung beetles) seed dispersers from 5 sites in the Brazilian Amazon. We estimate community biomass of these taxa and, using multivariate ordination, examine the potential for natural reforestation at each site, given the communities of seed dispersers present. Since disturbed habitat is increasingly common and increasingly the focus of conservation efforts, we also examine differences among seed disperser communities between primary forest and secondary growth at each site. Analyses of faunal biomass in different localities and habitats indicate that secondary growth receives nearly as much use by primates as primary forest; given the dominant groups of dung beetles in secondary growth, disturbed habitat should show a pattern of seed burial that is clumped and deep. Areas with high biomass of Alouatta spp. and the large nocturnal dung beetle species may have the greatest potential for natural reforestation of secondary growth particularly for large seeded species. The data suggest that knowledge of the biomass of primary and secondary dispersing fauna facilitates predictions for the likelihood of disturbed habitat to regenerate and comparisons of sites in broader geographical areas e.g., Neotropical vs. Paleotropical forests.     

江西三清山濒危植物天女花种子特性研究

研究了江西三清山天女花种子的特性,结果表明：(1)三清山天女花种群种子雨自10月初开始,10月末结束,10月中旬强度达高峰,玉京峰地段天女花种子雨持续时间较短;(2)产种率受母树冠层影响,即上层>中层>下层;种子败育率高(49.4%～100.0%);(3)主成分分析表明,乔木层盖度、大气湿度、光照因子以及土壤含水量对天女花种子发育产生显著影响。     

Effect of Bat Exclusion on Patterns of Seed Rain in Tropical Rain Forest in French Guiana

To assess the impact of bats on seed dispersal in a tropical mature forest (Nouragues, French Guiana), we conducted a bat exclusion experiment and tested the hypotheses that an artificial reduction in the abundance of bats would result in: (1) a decrease in seed species diversity, at the community level; and (2) an increase in seed limitation (a failure of seeds to reach all suitable sites for germination) at the species level. Seed rain was sampled in two contiguous forest plots for a total of 120 d, using 49 seed traps (1 m²) arranged in 7 × 7 grids and spaced at 5-m intervals. Using mist nets, bat activity was reduced in one forest plot for a total of 60 nights. Thirty-nine plant species, or species groups, likely to be consumed and dispersed by bats, were collected within a total sample of 50,063 seeds. The overall seed rain was dominated by epiphytic Araceae and Cyclanthaceae (83.3%) and tree species within the genera Cecropia and Ficus (16.0%). Seeds from bat-dispersed shrubs and treelets ( Piper , Solanum , and Vismia ) were relatively rare (0.7%). The bat exclusion resulted in a 30.5 percent reduction in seed species richness and increased seed limitation for most of the species sampled. Seed limitation was caused mainly by a reduced seed rain (seed source limitation) rather than a decrease in seed dispersal uniformity (seed dispersal limitation). Therefore, bat-dispersed plants with low seed production are likely to be particularly affected by a decline in bat abundance, as a result of anthropogenic change.     

Size-Related Differential Seed Predation in a Heavily Defaunated Neotropical Rain Forest

Hunting and habitat loss represent an increasingly common anthropogenic impact. Available evidence suggests that defaunation is typically differential: medium/large mammals are most affected while small rodents are less affected, or even favored. In heavily impacted areas, such as Los Tuxtlas, the residual mammalian fauna is dominated by small rodents. We tested the expectation that if small rodents will preferentially attack small-seeded species, large-seeded species may escape predation in the absence of medium/large seed predators and that this may affect germination and, possibly, recruitment. Experiments with caged rodents ( Heteromys desmarestianus ) under laboratory conditions showed a preference for smaller seeds. A field experiment involving seeds of contrasting size showed that small, unprotected seeds experienced a predation risk 30-times larger than protected seeds, while the effect of protection was not significant for large seeds. These patterns of predation led to significant differences in germination: protected small-seeded species had a fourfold greater germination than unprotected small-seeded species, while germination was not significantly different between exposed and protected large seeds. The observed contrasts in germination suggest that under heavy defaunation, small-seeded species are likely to be penalized by the overabundance of small rodents, while large-seeded species escape predation. Our results are consistent with the observation of dense seedling carpets dominated by large-seeded species in the understory of Los Tuxtlas. We speculate that the patterns we uncovered may explain, at least partly, the impoverished diversity of the understory vegetation that characterizes heavily defaunated understories and that this has the potential to affect forest regeneration.     

福建闽清福建青冈天然林种子雨和种子库

对福建闽清黄楮林自然保护区的福建青冈(Cyclobalanopsis chungii)天然林的种子雨和土壤种子库进行了观测和分析.结果表明,福建青冈种子雨持续2个月,其高峰期在11月下旬～12月上旬,总量为12.44个m~(-2),在种子散布过程中完好种子、虫蛀种子、败育种子、霉烂种子和萌发种子的比例差异明显,其中虫蛀种子是萌发种子的19.44倍.土壤种子库中虫蛀种子占53.79%,与种子雨相比,完好种子和萌发种子数量分别减少2.15个m~(-2)和0.20个m~(-2).土壤种子库种子存活率仅13.51%,动物捕食率达45.90%,说明动物的捕食和搬运是福建青冈种子缺失的原因之一.福建青冈天然林土壤种子库有69种植物种子,但种子数量较少,且分布不均匀,种子库中78.42%种子分布在2～5 cm土层中.福建青冈天然林中实生幼苗少与福建青冈种子本身特性及其生长环境密切相关,福建青冈种子发育成熟后因动物侵扰、虫蛀、霉烂和败育等情况发生,难以在土壤中长期保存,以致福建青冈林分天然更新严重受阻.     

Fine‐scale Spatial Genetic Structure of Ten Dipterocarp Tree Species in a Bornean Rain Forest

Fine‐scale spatial genetic structure is increasingly recognized as an important factor in the studies of tropical forest trees as it influences genetic diversity of local populations. The biologic mechanisms that generate fine‐scale spatial genetic structure are not fully understood. We studied fine‐scale spatial genetic structure in ten coexisting dipterocarp tree species in a Bornean rain forest using microsatellite markers. Six of the ten species showed statistically significant fine‐scale spatial genetic structure. Fine‐scale spatial genetic structure was stronger at smaller spatial scales (≤ 100 m) than at larger spatial scales (> 100 m) for each species. Multiple regression analysis suggested that seed dispersal distance was important at the smaller spatial scale. At the larger scale (> 100 m) and over the entire sample range (0–1000 m), pollinators and spatial distribution of adult trees were more important determinants of fine‐scale spatial genetic structure. Fine‐scale spatial genetic structure was stronger in species pollinated by less mobile small beetles than in species pollinated by the more mobile giant honeybee (Apis dorsata). It was also stronger in species where adult tree distributions were more clumped. The hypothesized mechanisms underlying the negative correlation between clump size and fine‐scale spatial genetic structure were a large overlap among seed shadows and genetic drift within clumped species.     

Community Dynamics of Seed Rain in Mixed Evergreen Broad-leaved and Deciduous Forests in a Subtropical Mountain of Central China

Seed dispersal is a key process within community dynamics.The spatial and temporal variations of seed dispersal andthe interspecific differences are crucial for understanding species coexistence and community dynamics.This might alsohold for the mixed evergreen broadleaved and deciduous forests in the mountains of subtropical China,but until now littleexisting knowledge is available for this question.In 2001,we chose to monitor the seed rain process of our mixed evergreenbroad-leaved and deciduous forest communities in Mount Dalaoling National Forest Park,Yichang,Hubei Province,China.The preliminary analyses show obvious variations in seed rain density,species compositions and timing of seed rain amongfour communities.The average seed rain densities of the four communities are 2.43±5.15,54.13±182.75,10.05±19.30and 24.91±58.86 inds./m~2,respectively;about one tenth the values in other studies in subtropical forests of China.In eachcommunity,the seed production is dominated by a limited number of species,and the contributions from the others aregenerally minor.Fecundity of evergreen broadleaved tree species is weaker than deciduous species.The seed rain of fourcommunities begins earlier than September,and stops before December,peaking from early September to late October.The beginning date,ending date and peak times of seed rain are extensively varied among the species,indicating differenttypes of dispersal strategies.According to the existing data,the timing of seed rain is not determined by the climateconditions in the same period,while the density of seed rain may be affected by the disturbances of weather variations ata finer temporal resolution.