BIRD ROLE IN SEED DISPERSION AND GERMINATION OF Pittosporum undulatum Vent. SEEDS IN AN ATLANTIC FOREST REMNANT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4322/rif.2016.004Keywords:
biological invasion, seed dispersion, Turdus, conservationAbstract
Biological invasion by the species Pittosporum undulatum Vent. could bring degradation to native ecosystems and loss of biodiversity and ecological services. Besides the biological features favoring the establishment of the species in natural environments, some bird species use its fruits as food sources, being responsible for its seed dispersion. The present study was held at Alberto Löfgren State Park, São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, and aimed to verify which bird species are P. undulatum potential dispersers; to compare feeding bouts to P. undulatum with another six arboreal species and to evaluate the influence of seed ingestion in germination rates. We sampled data using focal observation of foraging birds in P. undulatum and captured individuals with mist nets to collect seed from their faeces. In addition, we have made seed germination tests that included seeds collected from bird faeces and directly from mature fruits in trees. We found 107 seeds inside the faeces of eight thrushes, belonging to three species: Turdus rufiventris, Turdus amaurochalinus and Turdus albicollis. We did not find significant differences in germination rates between treatments. Although the passage through the birds’ digestive system did not change significantly germination rates, thrushes can be important dispersers of P. undulatum, allowing colonization of new areas and intensifying the biological invasion process in Atlantic Forest.
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