Frugivory of carnivores and seed dispersal of fleshy fruits in cool-temperate deciduous forests
Frugivory of carnivores and seed dispersal of fleshy fruits in cool-temperate deciduous forests
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DOI：
10.1007/s10310-008-0069-5
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发表时间：
2008-08-01
影响因子：
1.5
通讯作者：
Yamazaki, Koji
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Koike, Shinsuke;Morimoto, Hideto;Yamazaki, Koji
在日本的寒温带落叶林中，食肉目的五个成员消耗树木的果实，它们是肉质果实植物种子的潜在传播者。我们研究了亚洲黑熊，日本貂，獾，赤狐，和浣熊狗在日本中部的冷温带落叶林的食果性。从2003年5月至2005年4月，共采集了377份五种食肉动物（熊，91份;貂，158份;獾，45份;狐狸，36份;浣熊狗，47份）的粪便样本，以确定种子的存在和出现频率。从食肉动物粪便样品中回收了17种植物的种子，约占研究森林中肉质果实植物的50%。这些粪便中含有大量（9- 10，256）种子。几乎所有从粪便样本中提取的肉质果实的种子都没有受损，而没有完整的橡子或坚果被回收。这些结果表明，所有五种食肉动物都可以作为种子传播的一些肉果植物在寒温性落叶林。
Five members of the order Carnivora in the cool-temperate deciduous forests of Japan consume the fruits of trees, and they are potential dispersers of the seeds of fleshy-fruited plants. We studied the frugivory of the Asiatic black bear, Japanese marten, badger, red fox, and raccoon dog in cool-temperate deciduous forest of central Japan. From May 2003 to April 2005, a total of 377 fecal samples of the five carnivores (bears, 91; martens, 158; badgers, 45; foxes, 36; and raccoon dogs, 47) were sampled to determine the presence and frequency of occurrence of seeds. Seeds from 17 plant species, representing about 50% of the fleshy-fruited plants occurring in the study forest, were recovered from the carnivore fecal samples. Large numbers (9-10,256) of seeds were present in those feces. Almost all the seeds of fleshy fruits retrieved from the fecal samples were undamaged whereas no intact acorns or nuts were recovered. These findings suggest that all five carnivores can act as seed dispersers for some fleshy-fruited plants in cool-temperate deciduous forest.