Inventory of Plants Dispersed by Bats in a Neotropical Forest

新热带森林中蝙蝠传播植物的调查Scott A.Mori和Tatana A.Lobova蝙蝠在热带森林中开花植物的传播中发挥着重要作用。它们在植物进入林隙和人工空地的定居过程中尤为关键。拟议项目的目标是对法属圭亚那森林中蝙蝠散布的植物进行清查；根据形态、解剖学和分子数据创建一个工具来识别蝙蝠散布的植物；并解决关于蝙蝠/植物相互作用的假说。该项目将由圭亚那植物区系专家Scott Mori博士指导，并将利用扩散生物学和植物形态专家Tatana Lobova博士的专业知识。为了实现拟议的目标，将加强和更新一个基于网络的蝙蝠/植物互动数据库，将出版一份描述法属圭亚那中部蝙蝠散布的植物的清单，并将编制一份蝙蝠散布种子的图解图集。该项目将首次在全社区范围内清查新热带雨林中蝙蝠可能散布的所有植物，并编制一份确定蝙蝠散布物种的指南。这些信息对于了解热带雨林的再生和保护至关重要。该项目将对更好地了解动植物共同进化产生广泛影响，并将指出蝙蝠在热带生态系统中发挥的重要生态和进化作用。这项研究将促进蝙蝠及其赖以生存的植物的保护。

Inventory of Plants Dispersed by Bats in a Neotropical Forest Scott A. Mori and Tatyana A. Lobova Bats play an important role in the dispersal of flowering plants in tropical forests. They are especially critical in the colonization of plants into forest gaps and man-made clearings. The goals of the proposed project are to inventory plants dispersed by bats in the forests of French Guiana; to create a tool for the identification of bat-dispersed plants based on morphological, anatomical, and molecular data; and to address hypotheses about bat/plant interactions. This project will be directed by Dr. Scott Mori, a specialist in the Guianan flora, and will utilize the expertise of Dr. Tatyana Lobova, a specialist in dispersal biology and plant morphology. To accomplish the proposed goals, a Web-based bat/plant interaction database will be enhanced and updated, a list with descriptions of the plants dispersed by bats in central French Guiana will be published and, an illustrated atlas of the seeds dispersed by bats will be created.This project will result in the first community-wide inventory of all plants potentially dispersed by bats in a Neotropical rain forest and in the production of a guide for the identification of bat-dispersed species. This information is essential for understanding rain forest regeneration and conservation. The project will have a broad impact in achieving a better understanding of plant/animal co-evolution and will point out the important ecological and evolutionary roles that bats play in tropical ecosystems. This study will promote the conservation of bats and the plants upon which they depend.