Abstract
Abstract Although pigeons from the genus Ducula are considered among the best avian dispersers of large seeds in Asia and the Pacific, little has been documented on their role. The early fate of dispersed and undispersed seeds of the large‐seeded tree Myristica hypargyraea A. Gray was studied in order to understand the advantage of seed dispersal by the Pacific Pigeon, Ducula pacifica Gmelin in Tonga. Frequency of visits by frugivores to fruiting trees and dispersal distance of seeds were measured. Pre‐dispersal vertebrate seed predation was assessed, then post‐dispersal predation was measured over 160 days. Overall, pre‐dispersal seed predation by parrots was low but variable among trees sampled. Most seeds (54.7%) in the study area were estimated to be dispersed by D. pacifica ; 79.7% of those ingested were expelled directly beneath conspecific fruiting crowns, 20% were dispersed locally and < 0.3% were dispersed more than 300 m into a different forest type. Flying foxes ( Pteropus tonganus Quoy and Gaimard) dispersed very few seeds (0.7%) and all were dropped below fruiting crowns. Between 4% and 39% of dispersed and undispersed seeds were still viable, or had established seedlings after 160 days. Most seeds had been removed or killed by rats, and seed survival was highest for locally dispersed seeds (approx. 20 m from source trees and within the M. hypargyraea forest). Although D. pacifica was the only frugivore observed to disperse seeds into this higher zone of survival, overall they did not confer a great advantage to seed survival since significant numbers of seeds/seedlings also persisted under fruiting crowns (27% under crowns compared with 39% locally dispersed). Nevertheless, D. pacifica was the only vector by which seeds were regularly moved within the M. hypargyraea forest and over longer distances, and hence, D. pacifica still plays a significant role in the regeneration of M. hypargyraea .
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Claims 12
Claim · model-written summary
Predispersal parrot predation was low and varied among trees.
- Interactor
- parrotsPsittacidaee0herbivore
- Outcome
- pre‐dispersal seed predation by parrotse0
Not reportedTaxonDirection
Verbatim
e0“Overall, pre‐dispersal seed predation by parrots was low but variable among trees sampled”
Claim · model-written summary
Pigeons dispersed 54.7% of seeds.
- Interactor
- D. pacifica
_Rarotonga.jpg?width=60)
Ducula pacificae0other - Outcome
- seeds (54.7%) in the study area were estimated to be dispersed by D. pacificae0
- Value
- 54.7%e0
Not reportedTaxonDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
_Rarotonga.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“Most seeds (54.7%) in the study area were estimated to be dispersed by D. pacifica”
Claim · model-written summary
Most ingested seeds were expelled below parent crowns.
Not reportedTaxonDirection
Verbatim
e0“79.7% of those ingested were expelled directly beneath conspecific fruiting crowns”
Claim · model-written summary
A fifth of ingested seeds were dispersed locally.
Not reportedTaxonDirection
Verbatim
e0“20% were dispersed locally”
Claim · model-written summary
Less than 0.3% reached a different forest type over 300 m away.
Not reportedTaxonDirection
Verbatim
e0“< 0.3% were dispersed more than 300 m into a different forest type”
Claim · model-written summary
Flying foxes dispersed 0.7% of seeds below fruiting crowns.
- Interactor
- Pteropus tonganus
_in_flight_Taveuni.jpg?width=60)
Pteropus tonganuse0other - Outcome
- dispersed very few seedse0
- Value
- 0.7%e0
Not reportedTaxonDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
_in_flight_Taveuni.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“Flying foxes ( Pteropus tonganus Quoy and Gaimard) dispersed very few seeds (0.7%) and all were dropped below fruiting crowns”
Claim · model-written summary
After 160 days, 4% to 39% of seeds were viable or established.
Not reportedTaxonDirection
Verbatim
e0“Between 4% and 39% of dispersed and undispersed seeds were still viable, or had established seedlings after 160 days”
Claim · model-written summary
Rats removed or killed most seeds.
- Outcome
- seeds had been removed or killed by ratse0
RattusNot reportedTaxonDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Most seeds had been removed or killed by rats”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed survival was highest after local dispersal.
- Taxon
- M. hypargyraeaMyristica hypargyraeae0
- Outcome
- seed survivale0
- Direction
- higheste0
- Setting
- M. hypargyraea foreste0
Verbatim
e0“seed survival was highest for locally dispersed seeds (approx. 20 m from source trees and within the M. hypargyraea forest)”
Claim · model-written summary
Pigeons alone moved seeds regularly within and beyond the forest.
- Taxon
- M. hypargyraeaMyristica hypargyraeae0
- Interactor
- D. pacificaDucula pacificae0other
- Outcome
- seeds were regularly movede0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“D. pacifica was the only vector by which seeds were regularly moved within the M. hypargyraea forest and over longer distances”
Claim · model-written summary
Pigeon dispersal offered little overall survival advantage.
Not reportedTaxonDirection
Verbatim
e0“overall they did not confer a great advantage to seed survival since significant numbers of seeds/seedlings also persisted under fruiting crowns (27% under crowns compared with 39% locally dispersed)”
Claim · model-written summary
Pigeons play a significant role in regeneration.
- Taxon
- M. hypargyraeaMyristica hypargyraeae0
- Interactor
- D. pacificaDucula pacificae0other
- Outcome
- regeneratione0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“D. pacifica still plays a significant role in the regeneration of M. hypargyraea”