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Institut de recherche pour la conservation des zones humides méditerranéennes

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Titre :	The role of avian frugivores in the germination and dispersal of fleshy-fruited Ficus species in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (2022)
Auteurs :	Islamiat Abidemi Raji, Auteur ; Vuyisile Thabethe, Auteur ; Colleen T. Downs, Auteur
Type de document :	Article
Dans :	Journal of Ornithology (163(2) April, 2022)
Article en page(s) :	395-404
Langues:	Anglais
Résumé :	Figs (Ficus spp.) are a diverse taxon of woody plants that play keystone ecological roles. They provide nutritional and aseasonal fruit crops that are consumed by many frugivores, often in times of fruit scarcity. In a mutually beneficial relationship, the plants also benefit from seed dispersal by birds and mammals away from the parent plants enhancing germination and plant recruitment. Here, we assessed the effect of ingestion of Ficus fruit by avian frugivores, compared with manually de-pulped fruit and whole fruits, on seedling emergence and cumulative germination of three Ficus spp. (F. sur, F. lutea and F. natalensis). Fruits of Ficus spp. were fed to Dark-capped Bulbuls Pycnonotus tricolor, Knysna Turacos Tauraco corythaix, Purple-crested Turaco Gallirex porphyreolophus, Red-winged Starlings Onychognathus morio, Speckled Mousebirds Colius striatus and invasive Rose-ringed Parakeets Psittacula krameri. We recorded seed retention time as the time from the ingestion of seeds to the first appearance when excreted by the birds. Seeds removed from excreta, manually de-pulped seeds, and whole fruit were planted concurrently in soil trays in a greenhouse. Seedling emergence was recorded daily, and the proportion of seed germinated was calculated as germination success. Germination success of avian ingested seeds increased significantly compared with seeds in whole fruit and manually de-pulped seeds, except seed germination for F. sur seeds ingested by Dark-capped Bulbuls. Ingested seeds germinated the fastest, followed by seeds in whole fruits and lastly, de-pulped seeds. Ficus sur and F. lutea ingested seeds had higher germination percentages than F. natalensis. Our results showed that ingestion by birds typically improved Ficus seed germination as well as the additional positive effects of seed movement such as long-distance seed dispersal. These findings have important implications with the potential to improve Ficus seed dispersal, promote regeneration and sustain populations of the many vertebrates that depend on fig fruit.
En ligne :	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-022-01963-8

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