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PLoS One 2019 15;14(8):e0220461. Epub 2019 Aug 15.

Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee, Ulm, Germany.

The plant genus Ficus is a keystone resource in tropical ecoystems. One of the unique features of figs is the diversity of fruit traits, which in many cases match their various dispersers, the so-called fruit syndromes. The classic example of this is the strong phenotypic differences found between figs with bat and bird dispersers (color, size, presentation, and scent). Read More

Am J Bot 2019 04 15;106(4):540-546. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (CSIC-UIB), Global Change Research Group, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.

Premise Of The Study: The characteristic scarcity of insects on remote oceanic islands has driven nonflower-specialized vertebrates to broaden their trophic niches and explore floral resources. From our previous studies in the Galápagos, we know that native insectivorous and frugivorous birds visit a wide range of entomophilous flowers and can also act as effective pollinators. Here, we tested whether opportunistic Galápagos birds show any preference for specific floral traits, and if so, this preference differs from that of insects. Read More

Data Brief 2018 Dec 16;21:2015-2019. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

Laboratório de Ecologia Molecular Vegetal, Departamento de Botânica, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, PolitecnicoCentro Politécnico, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 19031, CEP: 81531-990 Curitiba, PR, Brazil.

The data are supporting the research article "Effects of neighborhood on pollination and seed dispersal of a threatened palm" (Santos et al., 2018). We recorded through focal observation mutualistic interactions with floral and frugivorous visitors and 11 individuals of the threatened palm in Brazil. Read More

Dongwuxue Yanjiu 2015 Jul;36(4):241-7

Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna Yunnan 666303,

The dispersal of many plants depends on transportation by birds as seed dispersers. The birds play an important role in long distance seed dispersal and may also affect seed germination. However, for plants who have many bird dispersers, the influence of dominant and non-dominant dispersers on retention time (dispersal distance) and germination remains poorly understood. Read More

Braz J Biol 2012 Feb;72(1):25-31

Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.

The objective of this study was to evaluate potential avian dispersers of Miconia theaezans by dietary habits in the Cerrado of Central Brazil. Forty-two hours and 40 minutes of focal tree observation were conducted between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM. For each bird species that consumed the fruit, we registered: the time they remained on the plant, the total amount of fruit they consumed, foraging tactics and strategies to consume the fruit. Read More