Ecological rescue of remnant fengshui trees in farmlands by avian frugivores

Abstract

Background: Farmland areas in eastern China often contain endangered trees, such as the Chinese yew (Taxus chinensis), which are protected by local communities as fengshui trees. These are often bird dispersed.Aim: Our objective was to assess the relative roles of frugivorous birds in dispersing seeds of T. chinensis into natural sites, such as bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla) thickets.Methods: We observed birds to estimate (1) visitation and seed removal rates, and (2) deposition rates and dispersal distances in farmlands compared with natural forests and P. heterocycla thickets. We analysed the data using t-tests.Results: Ten bird species visited the fruiting trees. Of the seeds dispersed in the natural forest, 85% were dispersed in broad-leaved forests and 15% in conifer forests. Thirty-one percent of the seeds from farmland trees were deposited in the canopy of bamboo thickets, outside of the farmland. Seed dispersal distances were greater in farmlands than in natural forests.Conclusion: Avian seed dispersers could rescue remnant endangered T. chinensis trees in farmland areas by dispersing seeds into natural forests, thereby promoting the regeneration potential of this remnant species.