Abstract
Seed removal by birds has been recognized as an important part of seed dispersal process in patchy forest areas; however, few studies have focused on the contribution of both plant and bird traits to seed removal. In this study, field data of seed removal for Taxus chinensis was combined with the data of bird and plant traits for analysis. The relevant traits of plants and birds that influenced T. chinensis–bird interaction were identified in a remnant patchy forest in yew ecological garden, Fujian Province, southeast China. Twenty bird species were found to forage and remove the seeds of T. chinensis. The number of bird species varied in different forest patches; however, their contribution to seed removal showed no significant differences. Both bird and plant traits were found to affect seed removal. The seed removal rate was positively affected by bird traits, such as foraging frequency and wing length, but decreased with body weight. The plant traits, such as number of fruits, tree height, canopy density, and crown width, which are related to safe shelter and food resource conditions, increased the seed removal rate. Our results underline the functional importance of bird and plant traits in the seed removal from endangered trees in patchy forests. Therefore, future conservation strategies should prioritize and recognize the role of both plant and bird traits in seed dispersal in remnant patchy forests.
Highlights
Habitat fragmentation is one of the most important factors responsible for the decline of biodiversity and disruption of ecological functions (Taubert et al 2018; Liu et al 2019; Peters et al 2019)
We aim to identify the relevant traits of plants and birds that influence the seed removal pattern of T. chinensis in a remnant patchy forest
The number of bird species and their visiting frequencies showed annual changes during the 2 years, and 342 and 442 visits were recorded from 13 and 19 bird species that foraged on T. chinensis in 2018 and 2019, respectively
Summary
Habitat fragmentation is one of the most important factors responsible for the decline of biodiversity and disruption of ecological functions (Taubert et al 2018; Liu et al 2019; Peters et al 2019). Seed removal is an important aspect of seed dispersal; it is performed by different frugivorous bird species based on their functional traits (Farwig et al 2017; Schupp et al 2017). Both bird and plant traits could affect seed removal pattern in a fragmented habitat (Schupp et al 2017). Food selection by birds always affects the seed removal pattern of (2020) 9:43 plant species. Plant traits affect seed removal in fragmented remnant habitat (Dehling et al 2016), for instance, large trees could be located by bird species, affecting bird foraging behavior (Cousens et al 2015). Several studies on seed dispersal have already reported on such a trait approach for understanding the role of bird and plant traits in seed dispersal, the combined effects of plant and bird traits on the pattern of seed removal in fragmented remnant habitat patchy forests remain largely unknown
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