ROW/RPG: Seed Dispersal by Birds: Consequences for Reproductive Success of Plants

该项目的目的是确定鸟类种子传播对热带雨林灌木组成和遗传结构的影响。这项研究包括两个阶段。第一阶段（规划活动）将确定五种常见食果鸟类粪便中的植物物种多样性、种子密度和种子的遗传相关性。通过这些鸟类传播的种子是可识别的，并且可以使用淀粉凝胶电泳来估计粪便中种子的亲缘关系。在第二阶段，相关或不相关种子对植物生存和生长的影响将通过竞争实验进行检验，实验采用热带雨林特有的三种光环境。在热带雨林中，大多数林下植物的种子是由鸟类传播的。这项研究将首次研究鸟类粪便中种子的相关性，以及种子被不同的鸟类吃掉和传播对植物的影响。关于鸟类粪便中种子的遗传和物种组成的信息（规划活动）和竞争实验的结果（第二阶段）将用于开发预测雨林灌木遗传结构和组成的模型。这项研究将通过检验动植物相互作用的生态学和进化理论，对了解热带雨林作出重大贡献。

The goal of this project is to determine consequences of seed dispersal by birds to composition and genetic structure of shrubs in a tropical rain forest. The research involves two phases. The first phase (planning activities) will determine plant species diversity, seed density, and genetic relatedness of seeds within droppings from five species of common fruit-eating birds. Seeds passed by these birds are identifiable and the relatedness of seeds within droppings can be estimated using starch gel electrophoresis. During phase two the consequences occurring with related or unrelated seeds to plant survival and growth will be examined through competition experiments using three light environments characteristic of tropical rain forests. In tropical rain forests, most seeds of understory plants are dispersed by birds. This study will be the first to examine relatedness of seeds in bird droppings and consequences to plants of having seeds eaten and dispersed by different birds. Information on genetic and species composition of seeds in droppings of birds (planning activities) and results from competition experiments (phase two) will be used to develop models that predict genetic structure and composition of rain forest shrubs. This research will contribute substantially to understanding tropical rain forests by testing ecological and evolutionary theories of plant-animal interactions.