鼎湖山锥栗种子特征及其对动物取食格局的影响

通过对鼎湖山自然保护区锥栗种子特征的分析及进行种子取食实验，研究探讨了锥栗种子特征对动物取食格局的影响。结果表明，锥栗作为鼎湖山季风常绿阔叶林中的重要建群种之一，其更新困难的主要原因就在于种子扩散前后面临巨大的取食压力。动物对种子取食偏爱同种子大小呈现出一定的相关性，随着种子尺寸增加，取食率有线性增加的趋势。但是，锥栗应对动物取食并非完全被动的，它也发展了一些特有的生活史策略。锥栗种子的颜色与环境凋落物及土壤色相似，可以减少被取食者发现的机率。更重要的是，锥栗种子带刺的总苞有良好的保护作用。具总苞的种子取食的强度，显著低于无总苞的种子（P〈0．01）。     

上海崇明东滩互花米草种子产量与活性对刈割的响应

有性繁殖与种子扩散是互花米草（Spartina alterniflora）侵入新生境的重要途径,抑制有性繁殖是有效控制互花米草进一步扩散与二次入侵的关键。文章研究了刈割对互花米草种子产量及其活性的影响,结果表明：四月（生长初期）1次刈割在一定程度上促进了互花米草的有性繁殖,其每穗种子数（481.3粒）、种子平均生活力（36.7%）与对照每穗种子数（425.5粒）和种子平均生活力（41.3%）间不存在显著差异,表现出超量补偿现象。四月和七月（扬花期）2次刈割与扬花期1次刈割能有效抑制互花米草的有性繁殖,其种子的生产量（每穗种子数分别为186.3和173.6粒）与活性（分别为18.0%和17.3%）较对照显著降低,表现出不足补偿现象。四月和七月2次刈割与七月扬花期1次刈割对互花米草有性繁殖的控制效果较好。在互花米草管理与控制实践中,扬花期刈割是有效控制互花米草有性繁殖与扩散的重要途径。     

基于矩阵分析法的鸟类与哺乳动物物种丰富度空间差异研究——以新疆为例

新疆独特的地理环境和气候特征使之成为了野生动植物的基因宝库,复杂的生境孕育了众多特有的动物种群,探索其内部的物种丰富度空间差异,不仅充实了生物多样性的方法研究,同时也对维持该地区的生态稳定及生态环境可持续发展具有实际意义。该研究以新疆地区鸟类和哺乳动物10km×10km尺度的物种分布矢量数据为基础,结合其他多源空间数据,绘制出新疆鸟类与哺乳动物空间分布专题图,经矢量-栅格转换后进行重分类和空间统计,并据此分析鸟类与哺乳动物的物种丰富度空间分布模式及其核心聚集区,再通过矩阵分析等空间分析技术,深入探究了鸟类和哺乳动物丰富度的空间分布差异。结果显示,(1)北疆物种丰富度高于南疆,鸟类丰富度高于哺乳动物;二者高丰富度(H-H)区域主要集中在阿尔泰山、天山南北侧,占新疆全域5.46%;低丰富度(L-L)区域主要在西南部帕米尔高原一带,占全域面积2.85%。同一范围内二者物种丰富度存在两极化差异,即丰富度等级一高一低的地区(L-H和H-L)占2.99%,且主要位于中部地区,其余组合模式的区域分布比较分散。(2)不同的海拔高度内,物种丰富度差异显著,海拔高度低于0 m与高于4 000 m的地区因生态系统单一,物种丰富度整体偏低,1 000—2 500 m高程内的生态系统最丰富,是鸟类与哺乳动物生长的适宜高度,物种不仅丰富多样,且丰富度也最复杂。     

建立室内实验程序用于量化鸟类对种子消耗量的杀虫剂处理效应

种衣剂中使用的杀虫剂会影响鸟类对种子的消耗量,从而影响鸟类的实际暴露风险。虽然量化这种对消耗量的影响目前不被考虑在环境风险评估中,但这是一个潜在的选择,例如在比较不同农药的暴露风险时应予以考虑。这种方法可以突出用于防止鸟类服用致死或亚致死剂量的杀虫剂。为了制定一个标准,我们在已建立的笔试方法的基础上开发了一个室内测试程序,包括饥饿期的“两选择”和“无选择”阶段。测试期间采用动物福利的最高标准。利用统计方法确定最合适的重复次数并分析最终结果。杀虫剂对种子消耗量的影响用处理后种子与未处理种子消耗的比率表示。该消耗因子可作为种子处理的鸟类风险评估中的回避因子。 作为案例,我们提出了一个获得绿雀（Carduelis chloris）和日本鹌鹑（Coturnix japonica）对未处理和使用杀真菌剂处理的油菜籽（Brassica napus）的种子和特定物种消耗量因子的试验程序。总体来说,两种鸟类的体质都没有受到试验程序的负面影响。试验程序适用于显示预期消耗模式的差异,例如在“两选择”试验中比在“无选择”试验中对经过杀真菌剂处理的种子有更高的避免性。而种子消耗量在不同物种和杀真菌剂处理组有差别,这使得我们可以对不同杀真菌剂的规避效应进行排序。使用本文所提出的标准程序可以针对更多鸟类物种得到具有可比性的农药和物种特定的消费因子。     

芒苞草（芒苞草科）种子的无菌萌发研究

选取野外采回的芒苞草种子为材料,研究无菌水和不同状态Ms培养基以及不同激素种类和浓度对芒苞草种子萌发的影响,并初步探讨了芒苞草幼苗的生长情况.结果表明:经4℃的低温春化处理2 mo后,播种在无菌水中的芒苞草种子萌发率可达95%,比同样条件下MS液体(25.1%)和固体(10.4%)培养基中的萌发率高;在有关激素影响的实验中,无菌水中6-BA和GA,对种子萌发没有促进作用,液体MS培养基中的1.0 mg/L GA,明显促进种子萌发,而固体MS培养基中0.5 mg/L 6-BA对种子萌发的促进作用较明显,1.0 mg/L 6.BA有利于从生芽的诱导.将无菌水和液体MS培养基中已发芽的芒苞草种子转移至固体MS培养基中培养可长成小植株.     

鼎湖山马尾松林凋落物分解对凋落物输入变化的响应

为了了解我国南方森林常见的人为干扰（凋落物收取）活动对生态系统养分循环的影响,研究了鼎湖山马尾松林3种主要树种凋落物分解及其养分释放对凋落物输入量变化的响应。这3种树种分别为马尾松（Pinus massoniana）、荷木（Schimasuperba）和锥栗（Castanopsis chinensis）。凋落物输入量变化分别为凋落物去除（L-）、加倍（L＋）和对照（L）3种处理,每种处理25个重复。经过18个月的处理试验,凋落物分解速率及其养分释放随树种、分解阶段和凋落物处理不同而异。荷木、马尾松和锥栗分解物平均残留率分别为0.46±0.01、0.42±0.01、0.40±0.02,其中,荷木与锥栗、马尾松差异性显著。不同处理间的凋落物分解速率差异显著,加倍、对照和去除处理样地凋落物的平均残留率分别为0.51±0.08、0.53±0.09和0.55±0.08。凋落物加倍处理促进了凋落物分解过程中C的释放,而去除凋落物处理则抑制了N、P的释放。以上结果表明,凋落物收取活动不仅直接带走凋落物中的大量养分,而且抑制了凋落物分解及其养分释放。     

外来入侵杂草银胶菊种子萌发特性及无性繁殖能力研究

银胶菊Parthenium hysterophorus L.是一种危害性很强的外来入侵杂草,在我国南方多省均有分布,在山东省莒南县也大面积分布,目前已对发生地生态环境造成巨大影响。文章于2011年采用人工气候箱培养皿法和温室土壤盆栽相结合的方法,研究银胶菊的种子在不同pH、盐浓度、湿度、营养条件、不同埋藏深度等条件下种子萌发特性及其无性繁殖能力,以期为明确其入侵机制和适生环境提供依据。结果表明,银胶菊种子适宜的萌发环境为酸性,pH=6.0时发芽率最好,到pH=8.0时,种子不能萌发;盐对银胶菊种子的萌发影响很大,随着盐浓度的提高,发芽率下降明显,当盐浓度达到0.12 mol·Lˉ1时,种子不再萌发;但不同的营养条件和不同P水平对种子的萌发无显著影响;干旱或水涝均能降低种子发芽率;种子埋藏土层越深,其发芽率越低,土层深度达3.0 cm以上,银胶菊种子几乎无发芽率。银胶菊有较强的无性繁殖能力,根部、基部茎和上部茎等不同部位埋入土壤后均能发芽,基部茎的发芽率最高(为66.7%-88.9%),根部和上部茎发芽率较低(为22.2%-44.4%)。另外,从发芽后的生长来看,茎部(包括基部茎和上部茎)发芽后均能正常生长,但根部发出新芽后逐渐黄化死亡。由此可以看出,银胶菊种子适应力、耐贫瘠能力强,一般的农田、荒地环境均能萌发生长,但盐碱地的环境下不能萌发生长;散落在土壤表层的银胶菊种子萌发率最高,因此,没有人类扰动的荒地、沟渠更适宜其萌发和生长;由于其很强的无性繁殖能力,人工砍伐的防除措施不能将其彻底防除。这些都是银胶菊入侵后,能够在短时间内暴发成灾,且不易彻底防除的原因。     

模拟氮沉降对大豆萌发和幼苗生长的影响

氮沉降是当今倍受关注的全球性环境问题.采用大田试验和室内培养的方法,研究大豆种子萌发和幼苗生长对氮沉降的响应.实验设4组处理(CK、T1、T2、T3),所施氮肥为NH4NO3,在室内培养实验中,4组处理的浓度分别为0、0.08、0.16、0.24mol/L.大田实验中,4组处理的氮施入量分别为0,50,100,150 kg·hm-2·a-1.结果表明:过量氮沉降对种子萌发有一定的抑制作用,降低了种子的发芽速度和发芽率;抑制了幼苗的生长速度,降低了植株的株高、叶面积和生物量,并减小了根冠比;随着氮施入量的增加幼苗的蒸腾速率逐渐降低,但叶片叶绿素含量逐渐增加.     

不同生境内厚朴种子萌发和幼苗生长研究

为揭示厚朴(Houpo9a officinalis)种群实生更新方式和影响因素,在遂昌县桂洋林场内选择针叶林、针阔混交林和阔叶林3个不同生境,设置种皮和铁丝网罩交叉处理试验,研究不同生境内厚朴种子萌发和幼苗生长特征。结果显示,不同生境和不同处理间厚朴种子萌发率均有显著差异(P0. 05),在针叶林内去除假种皮且罩铁丝网时厚朴种子萌发率最高,而保留假种皮时厚朴种子萌发率均为0。厚朴在幼苗前期(4~8周)死亡率最大,之后趋于稳定,在针叶林内幼苗存活率最高,但不同生境间差异未达到显著水平。不同生境内厚朴幼苗苗高与地径生长均表现出显著差异(P0. 05),表现为针叶林针阔混交林阔叶林。林中空气温度、湿度、光照强度和枯枝落叶厚度对厚朴种子野外萌发有显著影响,其中温度、光照强度、土壤水分和养分对厚朴幼苗生长影响最大。针叶林最适合厚朴种子萌发和幼苗生长,假种皮、动物取食和生境异质性是造成厚朴种子野外萌发率低和死亡率高的主要原因。     

入侵藤本薇甘菊的耐盐能力

薇甘菊Mikania micrantha Kunth为原产中南美洲的入侵藤本植物,现已在全球热带和亚热带地区照成严重的生态问题。野外观察发现薇甘菊已在珠三角沿海植被中滋生。为揭示薇甘菊的耐盐能力及其对滨海盐生植被的潜在危害性,分别对薇甘菊种子、根系和茎干在不同盐度胁迫下的响应进行了测定。在珠三角地区采集了薇甘菊3个批次的种子,并选取珠江三角洲6种常见植物（菊科假臭草Eupatorium catarium、藿香蓟Ageratum conyzoides、野茼蒿Crassocephalum crepidioides、鬼针草Bidens pilosa、翅果菊Pterocypsela indica和旋花科小花假番薯Ipomoea triloba）作为对照,测定了它们在不同NaCl盐度（质量分数）胁迫下的萌发率和幼苗生长;为揭示薇甘菊种子是否可由海水传播,将薇甘菊和对照植物假臭草、藿香蓟和鬼针草在不同盐度条件下浸泡不同时间后解除胁迫再观测其种子萌发率;为确定薇甘菊能否在滨海盐土中无性繁殖,分别对薇甘菊的根系和茎干在盐水浸泡下的植株生长进行了测定。研究结果表明：1）总体而言,薇甘菊3个种群在≤0.6%盐度胁迫下的种子萌发率均与对照组无显著差异,个别种群的这一阈值可高达1.5%,明显高于其他对照植物;同一盐度胁迫条件下,薇甘菊幼苗根系和苗高生长受抑制程度明显低于对照植物。2）即使经高达3.0%盐度胁迫浸泡长达12 d后,薇甘菊、藿香蓟和假臭草种子的萌发率也没有受到显著影响,而鬼针草种子的萌发率有明显下降;四种植物受浸泡后萌芽的幼苗生长均正常。3）薇甘菊根系受0.5%盐度胁迫时没有植株死亡,但苗高增长仅为对照组的53.3%;根系在1.0%盐度胁迫下有95%的植株能存活至少25 d,但苗高增长仅为对照的18.9%;根系在≥1.5%盐度胁迫下薇甘菊无法存活。4）被清水浸泡的薇甘菊茎茎叶均能存活且在全部被浸泡的节上萌芽。当薇甘菊茎干受≥1.0%盐水浸泡时,受浸泡的叶片全部死亡,在1.0%、2.0%和3.0%盐度胁迫下受试茎第21天的死亡率分别为42.9%、40.9%和86.4%。以上结果表明薇甘菊对盐生生境具一定的适应能力,可能通过种子萌发或无性繁殖扩张的方式对滨海盐生植被构成威胁,应当引起重视。     

Introduced Birds and the Fate of Hawaiian Rainforests

Abstract:  The Hawaiian Islands have lost nearly all their native seed dispersers, but have gained many frugivorous birds and fleshy-fruited plants through introductions. Introduced birds may not only aid invasions of exotic plants but also may be the sole dispersers of native plants. We assessed seed dispersal at the ecotone between native- and exotic-dominated forests and quantified bird diets, seed rain from defecated seeds, and plant distributions. Introduced birds were the primary dispersers of native seeds into exotic-dominated forests, which may have enabled six native understory plant species to become reestablished. Some native plant species are now as common in exotic forest understory as they are in native forest. Introduced birds also dispersed seeds of two exotic plants into native forest, but dispersal was localized or establishment minimal. Seed rain of bird-dispersed seeds was extensive in both forests, totaling 724 seeds of 9 native species and 2 exotics with over 85% of the seeds coming from native plants. Without suitable native dispersers, most common understory plants in Hawaiian rainforests now depend on introduced birds for dispersal, and these introduced species may actually facilitate perpetuation, and perhaps in some cases restoration, of native forests. We emphasize, however, that restoration of native forests by seed dispersal from introduced birds, as seen in this study, depends on the existence of native forests to provide a source of seeds and protection from the effects of ungulates. Our results further suggest that aggressive control of patches of non-native plants within otherwise native-dominated forests may be an important and effective conservation strategy.     

Plant-Mammal Interactions in Tropical Bolivian Forests with Different Hunting Pressures

Abstract: We studied plant-animal interactions and vegetation structure in two geographically close tropical Bolivian forests subjected to different hunting intensities. We hypothesized that reduction of mammals openface> 1 kg in an "intensively hunted forest," compared with an "occasionally hunted forest," should correlate with decreased seed predation and seedling trampling, increased seedling survival and density, and decreased tree-species diversity at the seedling stage in relation to the adult stage. The occasionally hunted forest held 1.7 times as many mammalian species as the intensively hunted forest. As predicted, predation of Astrocaryum murumuru seeds was 34.2% lower in the intensively hunted forest. Similarly, trampling of model seedlings was 5.4 times lower and seedling survival was 1.15 times greater in the intensively hunted forest than that in the occasionally hunted forest. But the intensively hunted forest displayed lower seedling densities and a higher ratio of seedling diversity to tree diversity than did the occasionally hunted forest. Reduction of peccaries from the intensively hunted forest may explain much of the between-site differences in seed predation, trampling, and seedling survival. Lack of consistent differences in seedling density and diversity could mean that reduced granivory and trampling may be counteracted by reduced seed dispersal. The reduction of mammalian populations may produce a complex mosaic of forest patches with distinct degrees of structural change, depending on the intensity of defaunation.     

凋落物覆盖及掩埋对不同质量的藜蒴种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响

以南亚热带常见的先锋乡土树种藜蒴(Castanopsis fissa)为研究对象.通过室内萌发试验,分析了种子质量、凋落物覆盖和掩埋对种子萌发及幼苗早期生长的影响.结果表明,藜蒴种子能否成功萌发并形成幼苗的决定性因素是种子的掩埋深度.掩埋显著抑制了藜蒴种子萌发及形成幼苗的过程,随掩埋深度的增大,这种抑制作用越明显.掩埋对幼苗的存活和生物量没有显著影响,但可提高幼苗根部生物量的分配.深度掩埋时,质量大的种子在幼苗形成过程中具明显优势;而置于土壤表层或浅埋的种子成苗率与种子质量的相关性较低.大质量种子形成的幼苗更易于存活,在生物量的积累方面也表现H{一定的优势.凋落物覆盖未抑制幼苗的出土,且对幼苗的存活和生长具有明显的促进作用,表现在可提高幼苗的相对生长率以及生物量的积累.另外,凋落物的覆盖明显提高了幼苗生物量在其冠部的分配.因而,若利用直接播撒藜蒴种子的方式改造南亚热带退化草坡.理论上应尽可能选用大质量的种子直接播种于地表,并覆以原有的地表凋落物,以促进藜蒴幼苗成功建立.     

Hunting Increases Dispersal Limitation in the Tree Carapa procera, a Nontimber Forest Product

Abstract:  The sustainability of seed extraction from natural populations has been questioned recently. Increased recruitment failure under intense seed harvesting suggests that seed extraction intensifies source limitation. Nevertheless, areas where more seeds are collected tend to also have more intense hunting of seed-dispersing animals. We studied whether such hunting, by limiting disperser activity, could cause quantitative dispersal limitation, especially for large crops and for crops in years of high seed abundance. In each of four Carapa procera (Meliaceae) populations in French Guiana and Surinam, two with hunting and two without, we compared seed fate for individual trees varying in crop size in years of high and low population-level seed abundance. Carapa seeds are a nontimber forest product and depend on dispersal by scatter-hoarding rodents for survival and seedling establishment. Hunting negatively affected the proportion of seeds dispersed and caused greater numbers of seeds to germinate or be infested by moths below parent trees, where they would likely die. Hunting of seed-dispersing animals disproportionally affected large seed crops, but we found no additional effect of population-level seed abundance on dispersal rates. Consistently lower rates of seed dispersal, especially for large seed crops, may translate to lower levels of seedling recruitment under hunting. Our results therefore suggest that the subsistence hunting that usually accompanies seed collection is at the cost of seed dispersal and may contribute to recruitment failure of these nontimber forest products. Seed extraction from natural populations may affect seedling recruitment less if accompanied by measures adequately incorporating and protecting seed dispersers.     

Canopy Seed Banks as Time Capsules of Biodiversity in Pasture-Remnant Tree Crowns

Abstract: Tropical pastures present multiple barriers to tree regeneration and restoration. Relict trees serve as “regeneration foci” because they ameliorate the soil microclimate and serve as safe spots for dispersers. Here, we describe another mechanism by which remnant trees may facilitate pasture regeneration: the presence of seed banks in the canopy soil that accumulates from decomposing epiphytes within the crowns of mature remnant trees in tropical cloud forest pastures. We compared seed banks of canopy soils (histosols derived from fallen leaves, fruits, flower, and twigs of host trees and epiphytes, dead bryophytes, bark, detritus, dead animals, and microorganisms, and dust that accumulate on trunks and the upper surfaces of large branches) in pastures, canopy soils in primary forest trees, and soil on the forest floor in Monteverde, Costa Rica. There were 5211 epiphytic and terrestrial plant seeds in the three habitats. All habitats were dominated by seeds in a relatively small number of plant families, most of which were primarily woody, animal pollinated, and animal dispersed. The density of seeds on the forest floor was greater than seed density in either pasture‐canopy or forest‐canopy soils; the latter two did not differ. Eight species in 44 families and 61 genera from all of the habitats were tallied. There were 37 species in the pasture‐canopy soil, 33 in the forest‐canopy soil, and 57 on the forest floor. Eleven species were common to all habitats. The mean species richness in the pasture canopy was significantly higher than the forest canopy (F =83.38; p < 0.02). Nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination revealed that the communities were distinct. Greenhouse experiments verified that many of these seeds were viable, with 29 taxa germinating (23 taxa in pruned mats [mimic of exposed conditions] and 16 taxa in control mats [intact conditions]) within 2 months of observation. Nearly half the species that germinated were characteristic of primary forests (primary forest samples, 19%; pasture samples, 29%). This supports the idea that canopy seed banks of pasture trees can function as time capsules by providing propagules that are removed in both space and time from the primary forest. Their presence may enhance the ability of pastures to regenerate more quickly, reinforcing the importance of trees in agricultural settings.     

菌根真菌侵染对植物生物量累积的影响

为了从生态系统尺度探讨菌根资源与植物生物量累积的关系,调查了鼎湖山不同成熟度的三个森林群落主要优势树种的菌根侵染情况.综合分析各森林群落优势树种的个体数、生物量和菌根侵染率发现：1）菌根侵染率与径向生长速率相关,植物生长迅速的阶段菌根侵染率更高.中径级（胸径15-30 cm）的马尾松（Pinus massoniana）和锥（Castanopsis chinensis）的侵染率比小径级（胸径1-15 cm）个体的侵染率高,而大径级个体（胸径30 cm 以上）的侵染率略低于中径级个体的侵染率.木荷（Schima superba）则表现出侵染率随着胸径增大而增高的趋势.2）树种在群落内的侵染率越高,其对群落生物量的贡献率越大.如马尾松在马尾松林和混交林的侵染率分别为（77.30±18.02）%和（40.50±14.42）%,其对马尾松林群落生物量的贡献率达到87.43%,是对混交林生物量贡献率（17.51%）的5 倍.混交林和阔叶林的共有优势树种锥的侵染率和生物量贡献率也有存在相同规律.3）根系碳储量占群落总碳储量比例较高的群落其优势树种平均侵染率相对较高.马尾松林、混交林和季风常绿阔叶林中,根系碳储量占群落总碳储量的比例分别为55%、54%、42%,群落优势树种平均侵染率分别为（66.73±10.55）%、（46.97±27.28）%、（54.22±25.45）%,马尾松林的根系碳储量和平均侵染率均高于混交林和季风常绿阔叶林.以上结果表明,菌根真菌侵染对于植物个体生长速率以及群落水平的生物量累积具有-定的促进作用.     

Birds as Suppliers of Seed Dispersal in Temperate Ecosystems: Conservation Guidelines from Real‐World Landscapes

Abstract: Seed dispersal by animals is considered a pivotal ecosystem function that drives plant‐community dynamics in natural habitats and vegetation recovery in human‐altered landscapes. Nevertheless, there is a lack of suitable ecological knowledge to develop basic conservation and management guidelines for this ecosystem service. Essential questions, such as how well the abundance of frugivorous animals predicts seeding function in different ecosystems and how anthropogenic landscape heterogeneity conditions the role of dispersers, remain poorly answered. In three temperate ecosystems, we studied seed dispersal by frugivorous birds in landscape mosaics shaped by human disturbance. By applying a standardized design across systems, we related the frequency of occurrence of bird‐dispersed seeds throughout the landscape to the abundance of birds, the habitat features, and the abundance of fleshy fruits. Abundance of frugivorous birds in itself predicted the occurrence of dispersed seeds throughout the landscape in all ecosystems studied. Even those landscape patches impoverished due to anthropogenic disturbance received some dispersed seeds when visited intensively by birds. Nonetheless, human‐caused landscape degradation largely affected seed‐deposition patterns by decreasing cover of woody vegetation or availability of fruit resources that attracted birds and promoted seed dispersal. The relative role of woody cover and fruit availability in seed dispersal by birds differed among ecosystems. Our results suggest that to manage seed dispersal for temperate ecosystem preservation or restoration one should consider abundance of frugivorous birds as a surrogate of landscape‐scale seed dispersal and an indicator of patch quality for the dispersal function; woody cover and fruit resource availability as key landscape features that drive seedfall patterns; and birds as mobile links that connect landscape patches of different degrees of degradation and habitat quality via seed deposition.     

Bat- and Bird-Generated Seed Rains at Isolated Trees in Pastures in a Tropical Rainforest

Abstract: Bats are abundant and effective seed dispersers inside the forest, but what happens when a forest is fragmented and transformed into pasture? The landscape at Los Tuxtlas, Mexico, originally rainforest, is greatly fragmented and covered with pastures. We analyzed the seed rains produced by frugivorous bats and birds under isolated trees in pastures in the fragmented landscape and the contribution of this process to vegetational recovery. We surveyed bats and obtained fecal samples under isolated trees in pastures. We also collected seed rain below the canopy of 10 isolated Ficus trees, separating nocturnally dispersed seeds from diurnally dispersed seeds. We caught 652 bats of 20 species; 83% of captures were frugivores. The most abundant species were Sturnira lilium (48%), Artibeus jamaicensis (18%), Carollia perspicillata (12%), and Dermanura tolteca (11%). Fecal samples contained seeds of 19 species in several families: Piperaceae (50%), Moraceae (25%), Solanaceae (12%), Cecropiaceae (10%), and others (3%). Sturnira lilium was the most important disperser bat in pastures. Seed rain was dominated by zoochorous species (89%). We found seed diversity between day and night seed captures to be comparable, but we found a significant interaction of disperser type (  bird or bat) with season. Seven plant species accounted for 79% of the seed rain: Piper auritum (23%), Ficus (  hemiepiphytic-strangler tree) spp. (17%), Cecropia obtusifolia (10%), P. amalago (10%), Ficus (  free-standing tree) spp. (8%), P. yzabalanum (6%), and Solanum rudepanum (5%). Bats and birds are important seed dispersers in pastures because they disperse seeds of pioneer and primary species (trees, shrubs, herbs, and epiphytes), connect forest fragments, and maintain plant diversity. Consequently, they might contribute to the recovery of woody vegetation in disturbed areas in tropical humid forests.