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Hanya G (2005) Comparisons of dispersal success between the species fruiting prior to and those at the peak of migrant frugivore abundance. Plant Ecology 181: 167-177.
Abstract
I evaluated whether plants gain high dispersal
success by synchronizing their fruiting with
frugivore abundance. Fruiting phenologies,
seasonal fluctuations in the abundance of
frugivorous birds, and consumption of fruits
by birds and Japanese macaques, Macaca fuscata Blyth, were studied in the montane forest
of Yakushima for two years. At the community
level, fruiting phenologies and seasonal
fluctuations in frugivorous bird abundance
were asynchronous because Zosterops japonica Temminck et Schlegel, a resident frugivore,
decreased in number during the fruiting season.
In addition, Symplocos myrtacea Sieb. et Zucc. fruited in September, before
the migration of frugivorous birds (Turdus spp and brown-eared bulbuls Hypsypetes amaurotis Temminck) in November and December. The
phenology of other fruit species (Eurya japonica Thunb. and Cleyera japonica Thunb.p.p.emend. Sieb. et Zucc) were synchronized
with migrant frugivorous birds. Fruit species
with phenologies that are synchronized with
migrant frugivore abundances have higher
dispersal success either by birds (C. japonica) or macaques (E. japonica). Macaques predated most of the seeds of
S. myrtacea. Dispersal success of S. myrtacea is low both by birds and macaques, thus
the early fruiting by S. myrtacea does not seem to be an adaptation to maximize
dispersal success by depending on resident
dispersers or by avoiding intense competition
for dispersers.
Key words: fruiting phenology, Japanese macaque, seed
dispersal, seed predation, temperate forest,
Yakushima
<Written by: Goro Hanya (hanya.goro.5z<atmark>kyoto-u.ac.jp)>
<Contact: Goro Hanya (hanya.goro.5z<atmark>kyoto-u.ac.jp)>
<Last update: December 9, 2005>