Abstract
The Guianan cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola rupicola (Linnaeus) 1766) is a large (140-230 g) lek-breeding bird of the Neotropical family Cotingidae. Adult males and females are mainly, if not exclusively, frugivorous (Erard et al. 1989, Schuchmann 1984, Snow 1971). Adult males are densely clustered on classical leks, where they defend ground display courts or adjacent perches (Trail 1985). Numerous seeds are defecated or regurgitated on the lek, after short feeding sessions at nearby fruiting trees. In order to measure the influence of seed dispersal by Rupicola rupicola on tropical forest regeneration and succession, this preliminary study compares the floristic composition of dispersed seeds, seedlings and larger plants found on the lek with (a) fruit preferences found in a previous study, (b) the floristic composition of the high primary forest surrounding the lek, and (c) the low vegetation of another granitic outcrop. The research was conducted in French Guiana at the Nouragues biological station (40 03' N, 52? 42' W; an undisturbed primary forest site described in Erard et al. 1989, Julliot & Sabatier in press), from 10 October to 15 December 1990 (dry season). As in Gilliard's study (1962), the lek was situated on the ridge of a steep granite hill; the vegetation consisted of small trees 8-15 m and medium trees 15-18 m high, with a dense understorey of young saplings. Numerous perches were worn, showing long-term use by adult males. Twenty-one species of seeds were collected under males' perches on the 230 m2 lek, and two categories were used to describe the vegetation: seedlings and larger plants. Among larger plants, 545 saplings of 45 species, and 82 trees of 17 species
Published Version
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