ADAS Tolworth Laboratory, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Hook Rise South, Tolworth, KT6 7NF, Surbiton, Surrey, UK.
J Chem Ecol. 1988 Oct;14(10):1889-903. doi: 10.1007/BF01013484.
Wild bullfinches (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) feed heavily on the seeds of ash trees (Fraxinus excelsior). Field and laboratory studies show that individual trees with high levels of fat and low levels of phenolic chemicals in their seeds are especially liable to predation. This paper discusses (1) the complexity of effects that need to be examined in order to identify the role of secondary chemicals in determining herbivore preferences, and (2) the consequences of seed predation for the dispersal of seeds. Because of bullfinches' habits, and the many factors influencing seed dispersal and germination, it is not clear whether the birds' activities are necessarily damaging. This study emphasises the value of understanding the whole ecology of both plants and herbivores in order to interpret their interactions.
野生朱雀（Pyrrhula pyrrhula）主要以白蜡树（Fraxinus excelsior）的种子为食。野外和实验室研究表明，种子中脂肪含量高、酚类化学物质含量低的个体树木特别容易被捕食。本文讨论了（1）为了确定次生化学物质在决定食草动物偏好中的作用，需要研究的复杂性，以及（2）种子捕食对种子传播的影响。由于朱雀的习性，以及影响种子传播和萌发的许多因素，尚不清楚鸟类的活动是否一定具有破坏性。本研究强调了理解植物和食草动物整体生态的价值，以便解释它们的相互作用。
