Fruit consumption and seed dispersal by birds in native vs. ex situ individuals of the endangered Chinese yew, Taxus chinensis

Abstract

AbstractThe conservation success of endangered trees may depend on re‐establishing or replacing the mutualisms that were important in their native habitats. In this study, we quantified avian frugivore diversity on individuals of the endangered Chinese yew (Taxus chinensis) in a botanical garden and at a natural site. We found that frugivore species diversity was lower in the botanical garden than in the natural site. In spite of the relatively low frugivore diversity, however, the ex‐situ population of Chinese yew attracted similar disperser species to those in the natural population, and trees in the ex‐situ population were visited more frequently than those in the natural population. Furthermore, the different perching behavior of dispersers resulted in different dispersal efficiencies. Although the Chinese bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis) was the most common forager in the botanical garden, its dispersal efficiency was the lowest, and thus it could not like the role played by the mountain bulbul (Hypsipetes maclellandii) in the natural site. Only the red‐billed blue magpie (Urocissa erythrorhyncha) provided a high‐quality dispersal service in both sites. Our results highlight the ability of the Chinese yew to recruit seed dispersal agents in new habitats. However, if the newly recruited species is a low‐quality disperser, the plants will depend more heavily on other avian vectors for regeneration.