French Kristine
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Monash University, 3168, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Oecologia. 1992 Jun;90(3):366-373. doi: 10.1007/BF00317693.
The hypothesis that seasonality in the production of fleshy fruits in temperate regions is the result of selection by avian seed dispersal agents or avian seed predators was tested in a temperate wet sclerophyll forest in south-eastern Australia. I determined whether ten common fleshy-fruited species produced fruits when potential avian seed dispersers were most abundant or avian seed predators were least abundant. The season of fruit production was not correlated with avian disperser abundance nor with seasonal changes in avian seed predators. Peak fruiting occurred during autumn but fruit-eating birds were equally abundant from spring through to autumn. Avian seed predators (parrots) did not show any seasonal variation in abundance. If dispersers are influencing fruiting seasonality in wet sclerophyll forest, it is likely that changes in social behaviour and feeding patterns of dispersers during autumn, rather than increases in abundance, will be an important influence on fruiting patterns in wet sclerophyll forest. However, environmental and life history factors may also influence phenology.
在澳大利亚东南部的温带湿润硬叶林中，对温带地区肉质果实产量的季节性是由鸟类种子传播者或鸟类种子捕食者的选择所导致这一假设进行了检验。我确定了十种常见的肉质果实物种是否在潜在的鸟类种子传播者数量最多或鸟类种子捕食者数量最少时结果。果实生产季节与鸟类传播者的数量以及鸟类种子捕食者的季节性变化均无关联。结果高峰期出现在秋季，但从春季到秋季，食果鸟类的数量均保持稳定。鸟类种子捕食者（鹦鹉）的数量没有表现出任何季节性变化。如果传播者正在影响湿润硬叶林的结果季节性，那么很可能秋季传播者社会行为和觅食模式的变化，而非数量的增加，将对湿润硬叶林的结果模式产生重要影响。然而，环境和生活史因素也可能影响物候。
