Different contributions of birds and mammals to seed dispersal of a fleshy-fruited tree |
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| Institution: | 1. Division of Forest and Biomaterials Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan;2. Tohoku Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 92-25 Nabeyashiki, Shimokuriyagawa, Morioka, Iwate 020-0123, Japan;3. Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305–8687, Japan;1. School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China;2. Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China;3. Ailaoshan Station of Subtropical Forest Ecosystem Studies, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jingdong, Yunnan 676209, China;1. Foresterie Tropicale, Gestion des Ressources Forestières, Département BIOSE, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Université de Liège, 2 Passage des Déportés, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium;2. Conservation Biology Unit, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, 29 Rue Vautier, 1000 Brussels, Belgium;3. Projet Grands Singes Cameroon, Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Koningin Astridplein 20-26, 2018 Antwerpen, Belgium;4. École Régionale Post-Universitaire d''Aménagement et de Gestion Intégrés des Forêts et Territoires Tropicaux (ERAIFT), B.P. 15373 Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
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| Abstract: | Birds and mammals are important seed dispersers of fleshy-fruited plants. Although their behaviors are different, they frequently consume the same species. Thus to understand the dispersal of fleshy-fruited plants, the contribution of birds and mammals to seed dispersal has to be evaluated. Besides, within birds or mammals, some species may functionally different from others. In this study, we examined seed dispersal of the fleshy-fruited tree Swida controversa focusing on the difference between two frugivore groups (birds and mammals), and differences between species within groups. Collected seeds and S. controversa trees were identified using simple sequence repeat (SSR) genotyping, thus enabling to determine the distance between mother tree and dispersed seeds. The avian species were identified by DNA barcoding of feces, whereas the mammalian species were identified by the shape and smell of feces. Most seeds that fell near or under the maternal trees were dispersed by birds, resulting in short seed dispersal distances (average, 13 m). DNA barcoding detected five taxa of avian dispersers. No differences were detected in seed dispersal distance by different avian taxa (i.e., the distance between dispersed seeds and their maternal trees within the research plot); however the rate of seed immigration from outside the research plot by some avian taxa varied significantly. The seed dispersal distance by mammals was significantly further (127 m; min > 50 m) than that by birds. Additionally, immigrated seeds accounted for approximately two-thirds of mammal-dispersed seeds, indicating that these seeds were from outside the research plot, and that mammals significantly contributed to the long-distance seed dispersal of S. controversa. No differences in seed dispersal distance were detected between different mammalian taxa. Overall, this study revealed that birds and mammals show clearly different seed dispersal patterns, and thus, they play different roles in the regeneration of S. controversa. |
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| Keywords: | Fleshy fruit Frugivore DNA barcoding |
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