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Fruit Resources (fruit + resource)
Selected AbstractsCan host-range allow niche differentiation of invasive polyphagous fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in La Réunion?ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 4 2008PIERRE-FRANCOIS DUYCK Abstract 1.,Biological invasions bring together formerly isolated insect taxa and allow the study of ecological interactions between species with no coevolutionary history. Among polyphagous insects, such species may competitively exclude each other unless some form of niche partitioning allows them to coexist. 2.,In the present study, we investigate whether the ability to exploit different fruits can increase the likelihood of coexistence of four species of polyphagous Tephritidae, one endemic and three successive invaders, in the island of La Réunion. In the laboratory, we studied the performances of all four species on the four most abundant fruit resources in the island, as well as the relative abundances of fly species on these four fruit species in the field. We observe no indication of niche partitioning for any of the four abundant fruits. 3.,Analyses of an extensive field data series suggest that: (i) the four fly species largely overlap in fruit exploitation, once climatic effects are accounted for; (ii) however, one species (Ceratitis capitata) can exploit rare fruit species that are not exploited by others present in the same climatic niche; and (iii) the endemic species C. catoirii, now nearly extinct in La Réunion, has no private niche with respect to either climatic range or fruit use. 4.,On the whole, with the possible exception of C. capitata, the results point to a limited role of fruit diversity in encouraging coexistence among polyphagous tephritids recently brought into contact by accidental introductions. [source] Seasonal variations in black-faced black spider monkey (Ateles chamek) habitat use and ranging behavior in a southern Amazonian tropical forestAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2006Robert B. Wallace Abstract Data are presented regarding the habitat use and ranging behavior of a spider monkey (Ateles chamek) community at Lago Caiman in northeastern Bolivia. Habitat use was driven primarily by fruit availability and distribution across the community home range. Strong seasonal variations occurred in fruit availability within all five of the floristically and phenologically distinct habitat types identified within the study site, and the spider monkeys dramatically shifted their ranging according to which habitat was richest in fleshy fruits. This use of local habitat diversity resulted in an unusually elongated shape for the home range that was otherwise typical of previous Ateles studies in terms of size. Ranging behavior was clumped and community core areas shifted seasonally across the focal community home range. Individual core areas were not relevant to the study due to dramatic community-wide shifts in ranging patterns. Day journey lengths were highly variable (460,5,690,m) and the distribution and abundance of fleshy fruit resources explained 81% of the monthly variations in mean day journey length. Keystone habitats for forest frugivores are identified and results are discussed with reference to previous studies on this genus, and the importance of considering keystone habitats and local habitat diversity within the management of forestry concessions in the region. Results are also discussed with reference to the behavioral ecology of the genus Ateles. Am. J. Primatol. 68:313,332, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Benefits of polyspecific associations for the Goeldi's monkey (Callimico goeldii)AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2001Leila M. Porter Abstract Polyspecific associations are an important component of Callimico goeldii behavior and ecology. On average, Callimico goeldii was found in proximity to or in vocal contact with Saguinus troops (S. fuscicollis and S. labiatus) during 53% of all time intervals sampled. Polyspecific associations varied considerably between seasons, however, with association rates peaking during the wet-season month of February (89%) and declining in the dry season, with the lowest rate (13%) in July. The primary benefits of associations appear to be an increased use of the lower and middle canopy, and an increase in feeding behaviors during the wet season. Thus, Callimico goeldii appear to benefit most from associations during the wet season when fruits are its principal food source. Fruits are eaten more in the forest canopy than in the understory; thus, an increase in height use likely permits an increase in the fruit resources on which Callimico goeldii can forage and feed. In addition, Saguinus groups, with their smaller home ranges, are likely to be more knowledgeable than Callimico goeldii about the location and abundance of ripe fruits in their home ranges. Thus, Callimico goeldii may parasitize Saguinus for their fruit knowledge by following them through their ranges. In the dry season, limited dietary overlap between Callimico goeldii and Saguinus groups is likely to make associations less beneficial for Callimico goeldii as they adopt different foraging and ranging strategies. Am. J. Primatol. 54:143,158, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Seed Dispersal by Birds and Bats in Lowland Philippine Forest Successional AreaBIOTROPICA, Issue 4 2009Regielene S. Gonzales ABSTRACT In the tropical forests of SE Asia, only a few studies have dealt with the role animal dispersal plays in early forest succession and rehabilitation, and a comparison of bird and bat dispersal is even rarer. We investigated seed dispersal by birds and bats in a successional area in the lowland dipterocarp forest of the Subic Watershed Forest Reserve (SWFR) in Luzon Island, Philippines. Using pairs of day and night traps, we collected seeds during 3 mo of wet season and 3 mo of dry season in a 1.2-ha study site. Bird-dispersed seeds predominated over those dispersed by bats in terms of both seed abundance and number of seed species. The most abundant endozoochorous seed species were significantly biased toward either bird or bat dispersal. Birds and bats appeared to compete more strongly for fruit resources during the dry season than during the wet season, and bats responded more to changes in the seasons than birds did. GLM analyses showed that the factor that had the strongest influence on overall seed distribution was the number of fleshy-fruited trees surrounding the traps, and that the distribution pattern of day-dispersed seeds was affected by more physical factors (number of trees, size of trees, presence of fleshy-fruited and conspecific trees) in the study site than the pattern of night-dispersed seeds were. Given that birds are the more important dispersers in the study site, restoration efforts in SWFR might benefit by focusing on attracting these dispersers into its degraded habitats. [source] | ||||||||||