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Effect of ingestion by two frugivorous bat species on the seed germination of Ficus racemosa and F. hispida (Moraceae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 January 2007

Zhan-Hui Tang ,
Aeshita Mukherjee ,
Lian-Xi Sheng ,
Min Cao ,
Bing Liang ,
Richard T. Corlett  and
Shu-Yi Zhang
Zhan-Hui Tang
Affiliation:
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, North East Normal University, Changchun 130024, China School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
Aeshita Mukherjee
Affiliation:
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
Lian-Xi Sheng
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, North East Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
Min Cao
Affiliation:
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
Bing Liang
Affiliation:
Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China
Richard T. Corlett
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology and Biodiversity, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
Shu-Yi Zhang
Affiliation:
School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
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Abstract

Frugivorous bats are important seed dispersers for many plant species (Cox et al. 1991, Fleming & Heithaus 1981, Hodgkison et al. 2003a, McConkey & Drake 2006, Nyhagen et al. 2005, Utzurrum 1995). They regularly consume figs in the wild (Fujita & Tuttle 1991, Kalko et al. 1996, Shilton et al. 1999). Various species of pteropodid bats have been reported foraging on the fruits of more than 30 fig species in tropical and subtropical Asia, Africa and Australia (Bhat 1994, Fujita & Tuttle 1991, Marshall & McWilliam 1982, Thomas 1984). Food transit times in frugivorous bats are relatively rapid; generally less than 30 min (Laska 1990, Tedman & Hall 1985). Several studies have demonstrated that seed germination was either enhanced or unaffected after passage through the digestive tract of bats (Figueiredo & Perin 1995, Fleming & Heithaus 1981, Lieberman & Lieberman 1986).

Keywords

ChinaCynopterus sphinxfigsfrugivorous batsRousettus leschenaultiseed dispersalseed germinationXishuangbanna
Type
Brief Report
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 23 , Issue 1 , January 2007 , pp. 125 - 127
Copyright
2007 Cambridge University Press

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