Seed handling by primary frugivores differentially influence post-dispersal seed removal of Chinese yew by ground-dwelling animals  

作　　者：Yang PAN Bing BAI Tianshi XIONG Peijian SHI Changhu LU 

机构地区：[1]Laboratory of Plant-Animal Interactions,Nanjing Forestry University,Nanjing,China [2]Yunnan Forestry Technological College,Kunming,China [3]Bamboo Research Institute,Nanjing Forestry University,Nanjing,China

出　　处：《Integrative Zoology》2016年第3期191-198,共8页整合动物学（英文版）

基　　金：supported by the National Natural Science Founda­tion of China(No.30970470);the Priority Academ­ic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions.

摘　　要：Seed handling by primary frugivores can influence secondary dispersal and/or predation of post-dispersal seeds by attracting different guilds of ground-dwelling animals.Many studies have focused on seeds embedded in fe­ces of mammals or birds;however,less is known about how ground-dwelling animals treat seeds regurgitated by birds(without pulp and not embedded in feces).To compare the effect of differential seed handling by pri­mary dispersers on secondary seed removal of Chinese yew(Taxus chinensis var.mairei),we conducted a series of exclosure experiments to determine the relative impact of animals on the removal of defecated seeds(handled by masked palm civet),regurgitated seeds(handled by birds)and intact fruits.All types of yew seeds were con­sistently removed at a higher rate by rodents than by ants.Regurgitated seeds had the highest removal percent­age and were only removed by rodents.These seeds were probably eaten in situ without being secondarily dis­persed.Defecated seeds were removed by both rodents and ants;only ants might act as secondary dispersers of defecated seeds,whereas rodents ate most of them.We inferred that seeds regurgitated by birds were subject­ed to the highest rates of predation,whereas those dispersed in the feces of masked palm civets probably had a higher likelihood of secondary dispersal.Seeds from feces attracted ants,which were likely to transport seeds and potentially provided a means by which the seeds could escape predation by rodents.Our study highlighted that primary dispersal by birds might not always facilitate secondary dispersal and establishment of plant popu­lations.

关 键 词：arils defecated seeds regurgitated seeds secondary seed dispersal Taxus chinensis 

分 类 号：TP3[自动化与计算机技术—计算机科学与技术]