CRB: Tropical Forest Regeneration: Influence of Animal Seed-dispersers

本研究将调查不同食果动物的种子传播对树木更新动态的影响，地点在卢旺达的非洲山地热带森林Nyungwe森林的两个地点。森林树木的自然更新过程取决于一系列基本过程：种子产生、种子传播、幼苗建立和幼苗存活到生殖成虫。本研究将重点关注其中两个过程：种子传播和幼苗建立。将从树种替代模式的角度研究散布物种差异的后果。这将通过1)描述和模拟由选定的动物传播物种对一系列具有代表性的树种产生的种子传播模式；2)评估这些树木在森林的主要植被斑块类型（闭林、次生林和开口）中建立幼苗的相对成功。在不同的森林斑块类型中，将通过比较在母树下和远离母树的树苗的成活率和成活率来评价扩散的相对重要性。这项研究在一个动物散布器齐全的地点（Uwinka地点）得出的预测将与种子雨和树木替代估计的测量结果进行检验。然后将观测到的种子雨模式、树木替代估计值和森林组成与散布物匮乏的森林边缘（Kitabi站点）进行比较。这个地点不仅将提供和评估分散剂损失的明显后果，而且将提供一个关键的案例来测试预测模型的适用性和能力。本研究涉及保护生物学理论及其在热带森林管理中的应用。尽管Fries（1874）认为Polyporaceae是Aphyllophorales（具有无层膜孔的真菌）中的两个科之一，但这取决于使用的是哪种系统，最近的工人​!!!F (Times New Roman Symbol & Arial " h e e ！-盖尔·埃德蒙兹

9301961 Moermond This research will investigate the consequences of seed-dispersal by different animal fruit-eaters on tree regeneration dynamics at two sites within the Nyungwe forest, an African montane tropical forest in Rwanda. The process of natural regeneration of forest trees depends on a basic set of processes: seed production, seed dispersal, seedling establishment, and survival of seedlings to reproductive adults. This research will focus particularly on two of these processes: seed dispersal and seedling establishment. The consequences of differences among disperser species will be investigated in terms of tree species replacement patterns. This will be done 1) by describing and modeling the pattern of seed dispersion generated by selected animal disperser species for a representative series of tree species, and 2) by assessing the relative success of seedling establishment of those trees among the principal vegetation patch types of the forest(closed forest, secondary forest, and openings). %%% Comparison of survival and establishment of seedlings under the parent tree and away from the parent in different forest patch types will be used to evaluate the relative importance of dispersal. Predictions generated by the study at a site with full complement of animal dispersers (Uwinka site) will be tested against measures of seed rain and tree replacement estimates. The observed patterns of seed rain, tree replacement estimates, and forest composition will then be compared to those at a forest-edge with an impoverished suite of dispersers (Kitabi site). This site will not only provide and assessment of the apparent consequences of loss of dispersers, but will provide a critical case in which to test the applicability and the power of the predictive model. The proposed research relates both to the theory of conservation biology and its application to tropical forest management. is problematical however, depending upon whose system is being used although Fries (1874) considers the Polyporaceae to be one of two families within the order Aphyllophorales (fungi with non lamellate hymenophores), more recent workers ! ! ! F ( Times New Roman Symbol & Arial " h e e ! - Gayle Edmonds Gayle Edmonds