Fruiting Trees Research Articles

English

Plum tree (Dacryodes edulis) in Cameroon is a fruiting and shading tree in agro ecosystems. It is of nutritional, medicinal and economical values to local population. Its productivity is reduced partially in some localities by the Loranthaceae parasites. These parasites were censured on plum trees in all the nine villages of the locality Fotetsa (West Region of Cameroon) where they are mainly shading plants in coffee farms. In each village, all fruits bearing plum trees located in a perimeter of 1850 × 60 m were observed and characterized using the stem diameter, number of Loranthaceae present and the taxon of the parasite. At Fotetsa, four Loranthaceae species attack plum trees: these are Tapinanthus apodanthus, Phragmanthera capitata, Tapinanthus oleifolius and Viscum congolense. The rate of parasitism varied significantly (from 41.46 to 62.74%) between the nine villages of the locality of Fotetsa in function of the different classes of plum tree stem circumference. Also, the number of Loranthaceae per plum tree varied in function of localities with maxima within 17 and 29 Loranthaceaae per tree. In each village, average mean number of Loranthaceaae per tree and average mean stem circumference were correlated. Considering the negative impact of Loranthaceae parasite on fruiting plant production, it is imperative to envisage preventive methods (limitation of species propagation) and curative methods (mechanical destruction of species fixed on the host plant) for fight against these hemi-parasite phanerogames. Key words: Cameroon, plum tree, Loranthaceae, inventory, identification.

Differential Effect of Fruit Availability on Avian Frugivore Guilds in a Moist Deciduous Forest of India

Frugivores provide a critical ecosystem service by dispersing seeds and therefore play a major role in the survival and maintenance of trees in tropical forests. Avian frugivores constitute one of the major guilds in tropical forests whose activities are significantly governed by the availability of fruits across space and time. In our current study we examined the effects of the spatial and temporal pattern of food availability on avian frugivores and various avian frugivore functional groups in particular. We found a differential effect of fruit density and number of tree species in fruiting on different functional groups of avian frugivores along both spatial and temporal scales. Total frugivore density was best explained by ‘number of tree species in fruiting’ at both special and temporal scale. The variation in large frugivore density was best explained both by ‘fruit density’ and ‘fruit density’ and ‘number of tree species in fruiting’ together. This pattern was observed at a spatial scale but not along temporal scale. Along temporal scale large frugivore density was best explained only by ‘number of tree species in fruiting’. The medium sized frugivore density was not significantly explained by either ‘fruit density’ or ‘number of tree species in fruiting’. The medium sized frugivores are dependent both on insects and fruits and variation in insect density may determine spatial and temporal variation in medium sized frugivore density. The mixed diet frugivore group with a smaller gape width is limited by the variety of fruit they consume and thus their population was significantly controlled by the number of fleshy fruited tree species in fruiting along spatial scale. We observed breeding synchronization during the time of fruiting peak and we suggest that this could be a strategy for effective seed dispersal. Our study indicated very strong dependability of the large frugivore (dependent only on fruit) population on fruit availability unlike the mixed diet frugivore guild (fruit as secondary diet).

Foraging Movements of Epauletted Fruit Bats (Pteropodidae) in Relation to the Distribution of Sycamore Figs (Moraceae) in Kruger National Park, South Africa

We examined the distribution of Ficus sycomorus in relation to the movements and feeding, behavior of two species of epauletted fruit bats in Kruger National Park in order to learn about the scale and tempo of the seed dispersal of this riparian tree. Radio-tagged Epomophorus crypturus and Epomophorus wahlbergi restricted > 90% of activity within riparian forests having F. sycomorus present; whereas, < 10% of activity occurred in thorn thickets where folivory on Balanites maughamii and frugivory on Sclerocarya birrea appeared to offer secondary sources of forage. Bats usually carried figs to foliage perches within 200 m of the fruiting tree before feeding. Within a night, maximum one-way movement was 13.9 km as bats visited ≤ four foraging patches. No significant difference occurred between foraging ranges of E. wahlbergi at Skukuza (16.0 ± 3.0 ha) and E. crypturus at Shingwedzi (19.9 ± 5.1 ha). However, E. crypturus at Babalala had significantly larger mean foraging range (52.4 ha ± 4.5 ha) than either species elsewhere. Mean foraging range, core use area, and long axis across foraging range of E. wahlbergi changed significantly with season, year, and fig abundance. Our study suggests interdependence between F. sycomorus and the two species of fruit bats in Kruger National Park with bat movements largely following the distribution of available ripe figs.

Spicing up the menu: evidence of fruit feeding in Galago moholi.

The African lesser bushbaby, Galago moholi, is described as a food specialist, feeding exclusively on small arthropods and gum primarily from Acacia karroo trees. We studied a population of G. moholi in a highly fragmented habitat in the southernmost part of its natural distributional range in South Africa. In this habitat, we opportunistically observed bushbabies feeding on fruits of the winter fruiting tree, Pappea capensis. Plot counts of tree composition revealed that although the dominant tree species in the area belonged to the genus Acacia, A. karroo trees were widely absent and gum could only be found in small quantities on other Acacia species. The analysis of P. capensis fruits showed high levels of protein, fat, and energy content, making the fruits a potentially important food source for G. moholi during winter when insect availability is low. Our observation is the first documented case of fruit feeding in G. moholi, suggesting that the species is not a food specialist as previously reported but can supplement its diet with fruit when available.

Bats (Mammalia, Chiroptera) of an urban park in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil

Some bat species are able to adapt to urban areas, where they find food and roosts. Despite the high number of parks in Brazilian cities, they did not yet raise the interest of most zoologists, except for some surveys of birds and butterflies. The objectives of the present study were: (i) to inventory the bat species of Quinta da Boa Vista (QBV), a large (25 ha) urban park centrally located in densely populated Rio de Janeiro, which is Brazil's second largest metropolis; (ii) to compare the species richness observed in roosts with the richness recorded through mist netting in flight routes and near fruiting fig trees; and (iii) to analyze recaptures of bats marked in this park and recaptured in other sites and vice-versa. Sampling totaled 104 sampling nights resulting in 3,256 captures (including 133 recaptures) between April 1989 and December 2004. We also sampled roosts and received some specimens from park visitors and city workers. We documented 21 bat species, predominantly large frugivores. The number of expected species for this park was 24.0 ± 4.6, and the total sampled represented 87.5% of the expected. The recapture of bats marked in surrounding forest fragments and in QBV shows the importance of urban parks for the maintenance of bat diversity. Inspection of roosts produced two species that had not been captured with other methods. Sampling near fruiting fig trees did not differ in terms of richness from sampling carried out far from these trees or during their non-fruiting periods.

Phenolic compounds from leaves of Casimiroa edulis showed adipogenesis activity.

Casimiroa edulis is known as cochitzapotl, and it belongs to a species of tropical fruiting tree in the family Rutaceae, native to eastern Mexico and Central America south to Costa Rica. In this study, we isolated two furocoumarins and two polymethoxyflavones from leaves of C. edulis and evaluated the functions of glucose and lipid metabolism activity with 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We discovered that the addition of furocoumarins increased glucose uptake and lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocyte. These results suggest that furocoumarin compounds can be used as functional food-derived compounds, to regulate adipocyte functioning for the management of metabolic syndrome, which is associated with dysfunctions of glucose and lipid metabolism.

Dietary modification by common brown lemurs (Eulemur fulvus) during seasonal drought conditions in western Madagascar

Primates often modify dietary composition in relation to seasonal changes in food availability or climate conditions. We studied the feeding patterns of a troop of common brown lemurs (Eulemur fulvus), a semi-frugivorous strepsirhine, in a dry forest in northwestern Madagascar. To understand the mechanism of dietary modification, we recorded daily feeding times of diet items during 101 full-day observations over 1 year, and then conducted a linear model analysis to examine the effects of fruiting tree density in the forest, daily ambient temperature, and weekly rainfall (index of water retained in the forest) on the lemurs' daily feeding time. The lemurs spent dramatically more time on leaf-eating as well as total feeding time, and less time on fruit-eating during the late dry season (total 152 min/day, frugivory 56 min/day, folivory 77 min/day), as compared with other seasons when the diet was highly frugivorous (total 96 min/day, frugivory 81 min/day, folivory 8 min/day). Folivory increased as temperatures rose under the condition of low weekly rainfall, whereas frugivory was unrelated to fruiting tree density. Most (97.4%) diurnal folivory during the late dry season was spent consuming Lissochilus rutenbergianus, chewing the succulent leaves and licking the juice. Because the nutritional analysis showed that L. rutenbergianus is rich in water (80.1% of fresh weight) but poor in protein and nonstructural carbohydrates, its increased use was probably for rehydration. We conducted 13 full-night observations, because brown lemurs increase nocturnal activities during the dry season. At nighttime, the lemurs tended to spend more time eating fruit in the late dry season (32 min/night) than in the early dry season (14 min/night), and never consumed L. rutenbergianus. Fruits rich in nonstructural carbohydrates can be energy sources for Eulemur. They likely engaged in additional nocturnal frugivory for energy compensation. Brown lemurs have a flexible strategy of modifying their diet and feeding activities to cope with environmental stresses.

Space use, habitat selection, and day-beds of the common palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) in human-modified habitats in Sabah, Borneo

Space use and habitat selection of mammals are determined by the distribution and availability of critical resources. Such information on space use and habitat selection is necessary for the conservation and management of wild populations. We revealed the determinants of habitat use for 12 common palm civets (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) within a matrix of human-modified habitats in Sabah, Borneo. Although studies within natural forests have reported that space use of common palm civets is mainly determined by fruit availability, we hypothesized that space use in our study area might be affected by other factors because the habitat characteristics have been largely modified from those of natural habitats. Our results showed that, for both males and females, space use is largely affected by fruit availability. Specifically, the 95% minimum convex polygon home range was negatively affected by the presence of a fruit-rich oil palm plantation in the ranging area. In forest, civets increased home-range size during the fruiting season of specific pioneer plants; they visited the fruiting trees of those plants outside the ranging area of the nonfruiting season. However, availability of day-beds also influenced the ranging pattern of civets. During the day, civets used the oil palm plantation less frequently than expected from habitat availability and often retreated to adjacent forest or forest fragments. When resting in the plantation, they selected palm trees with dense mats of ferns and larger numbers of leaves, and often reused these trees. Our results indicate that fruit availability and suitable day-bed sites may be important for the survival of common palm civets in human-modified habitats and should be preserved or restored for civet conservation.

Phenology and pollinating wasp dynamics of Ficus microcarpa L.f.: adaptation to seasonality.

BackgroundIn the obligate plant/pollinator mutualism, pollinator abundance is conditioned by the host resource. In order to investigate the population fluctuation of pollinating wasps and the phenological processes involved, this study examined the dual dynamics of the pollinator and the syconium phenology of a seasonal fruited fig tree population, Ficus microparpa, in Taipei, Taiwan.ResultsOur results revealed three seasons in the annual phenology: spring crop, summer-fall crop and winter trough seasons. The syconium quantity was correlated most significantly with temperature based on the generalized linear model with the meteorological data transformed by a principal component analysis. The pollinator population showed an increasing trend in spring, reached the maximum abundance in summer, and then declined drastically in winter, consistent with the syconium production fluctuation. With the small amount of local pollinators from the winter syconia and potential immigrating foundresses from other populations, the pollinator population size can increase very quickly from almost zero to over 40,000 wasps for this 29-tree local population within a season.ConclusionThis syconium phenological scheme, coupled with the fast-recovery rate of pollinators, may explain the worldwide adaptation and invasion of Ficus microcarpa.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1999-3110-54-11) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A new approach for augmenting branching of nursery trees and its comparison with other methods

Well-branched nursery trees have a significant impact on early cropping for intensive apple orchards. This study has been carried out to determine the most convenient branching treatments by using the plant material of ‘Mondial Gala’/M.9 nursery trees. Five treatments including control, T budding+PR, knipboom(50), knipboom(70) and fruitful tree (a new approach) were assessed for branching effects. The branching treatments significantly increased the number of branches (>25cm) in comparison to control. The best results for branch number, spur number, brindle number, trunk diameter, total leaf area, tree height and trunk diameter were obtained from fruitful tree treatment in both trial years. Knipboom(70) appears to be the second promising treatment following fruitful tree treatment with respect to nursery tree quality criteria and physiological characteristics.

Taï chimpanzees use botanical skills to discover fruit: what we can learn from their mistakes

Fruit foragers are known to use spatial memory to relocate fruit, yet it is unclear how they manage to find fruit in the first place. In this study, we investigated whether chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in the Taï National Park make use of fruiting synchrony, the simultaneous emergence of fruit in trees of the same species, which can be used together with sensory cues, such as sight and smell, to discover fruit. We conducted observations of inspections, the visual checking of fruit availability in trees, and focused our analyses on inspections of empty trees, so to say "mistakes". Learning from their "mistakes", we found that chimpanzees had expectations of finding fruit days before feeding on it and significantly increased inspection activity after tasting the first fruit. Neither the duration of feeding nor density of fruit-bearing trees in the territory could account for the variation in inspection activity, which suggests chimpanzees did not simply develop a taste for specific fruit on which they had fed frequently. Instead, inspection activity was predicted by a botanical feature-the level of synchrony in fruit production of encountered trees. We conclude that chimpanzees make use of the synchronous emergence of rainforest fruits during daily foraging and base their expectations of finding fruit on a combination of botanical knowledge founded on the success rates of fruit discovery, and a categorization of fruit species. Our results provide new insights into the variety of food-finding strategies employed by primates and the adaptive value of categorization capacities.

Identification and Quantification of Furanocoumarins in Stem Bark and Wood of Eight Algerian Varieties of Ficus carica by RP-HPLC-DAD and RP-HPLC-DAD-MS

Furanocoumarins are the major phytoalexins of Ficus carica and are effective natural drug candidates for treatment of several types of cancer and skin disease. The objectives of this study were to analyze and quantify linear furanocoumarins, mainly psoralen and bergapten, in wood and bark of stems from eight Algerian varieties of fig and to establish the differences in the content of these metabolites in the eight local samples. Psoralen and bergapten contents in the stem bark and wood (in microg/g DW) varied respectively from 146.6 to 1110.3 and from 395.7 to 1671.8 for psoralen, and from 114.3 to 524.0 and from 144.2 to 718.6 for bergapten. This study fills a gap in our knowledge of furanocoumarin distribution in different parts of the fig tree. Psoralen and bergapten concentrations were higher in the wood than in the stem bark. Most of the dark fruited fig trees produce these two coumarins more than the green ones.

« Ruisselant de lait et de miel ». Une expression reconsidérée

The Old Testament phrase «a land flowing with milk and honey » does not refer to the natural richness of Palestine nor does it represent merely a metaphor of fertility. Analysis of the saying’s syntax, semantics and function, as well as comparison with a similar motif in the Ugaritic Baal Cycle, point to the vision of a cultivated and irrigated land of meadows and fruit-bearing trees. This idea focuses primarily on Yahweh’s chosen people to whom this land has been promised, and secondarily on the whole body of Adam’s descendants who share the vision that paradise is not lost.

Spatial distribution and size of small canopy gaps created by Japanese black bears: estimating gap size using dropped branch measurements

BackgroundJapanese black bears, a large-bodied omnivore, frequently create small gaps in the tree crown during fruit foraging. However, there are no previous reports of black bear-created canopy gaps. To characterize physical canopy disturbance by black bears, we examined a number of parameters, including the species of trees in which canopy gaps were created, gap size, the horizontal and vertical distribution of gaps, and the size of branches broken to create gaps. The size of black bear-created canopy gaps was estimated using data from branches that had been broken and dropped on the ground.ResultsThe disturbance regime was characterized by a highly biased distribution of small canopy gaps on ridges, a large total overall gap area, a wide range in gap height relative to canopy height, and diversity in gap size. Surprisingly, the annual rate of bear-created canopy gap formation reached 141.3 m2 ha–1 yr–1 on ridges, which were hot spots in terms of black bear activity. This rate was approximately 6.6 times that of tree-fall gap formation on ridges at this study site. Furthermore, this rate was approximately two to three times that of common tree-fall gap formation in Japanese forests, as reported in other studies.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that the ecological interaction between black bears and fruit-bearing trees may create a unique light regime, distinct from that created by tree falls, which increases the availability of light resources to plants below the canopy.

Classification of seed production based on the occurrence frequencies of fruited trees in the boreal conifer seed orchards of Hokkaido breeding region

Classification of seed production based on the occurrence frequencies of fruited trees in the boreal conifer seed orchards of Hokkaido breeding region

Species-distinctiveness in the vocal behaviour of six sympatric bulbuls (genus Pycnonotus) in South-East Asia

Bulbuls (Passeriformes: Pycnonotidae) are a biodiverse group of birds that produce a variety of vocalisations, yet the vocal behaviour of most bulbuls has not been formally described or the subject of bioacoustical study. We present the first detailed descriptions of the song and singing behaviours of six species of bulbul in the genus Pycnonotus, based on recordings of birds in mixed-species flocks in the tropical forests of northern Thailand. All six species are frugivores that often forage together in the same fruiting tree. We compared nine fine structural features of the songs of these species to understand the vocal behaviour of each and the potential importance of vocalisations in species recognition in these mixed-species flocks. Our analyses reveal substantial differences in the structure of songs as well as marked differences in singing behaviour between species. Discriminant function analysis readily distinguishes the songs of the six species based on structural differences. Discriminant function analysis of species with the most similar plumage features (as assessed by human observers) readily distinguishes between phenotypically similar pairs of congeners. Our results provide evidence that vocalisations may be important in species recognition and as species-isolating mechanisms between closely related and sympatric Pycnonotus bulbuls. The species-typical features describedhere may be helpful to biologists and conservationists, particularly as several species of bulbul are of conservation concern.

Shifts in community structure of tropical trees and avian frugivores in forests recovering from past logging

Logging is one of the most pervasive threats to biodiversity in tropical forests. In this study, we concurrently examined the responses of the avian frugivore community and the community of fruiting trees to past logging in a tropical forest in northeastern India. We predicted that the abundance of, and visitation by large-bodied frugivores would be lower in logged forests, resulting in reduced seed dispersal and recruitment of biotically dispersed species (especially large-seeded species). Data were collected from two logged and unlogged sites using (a) belt transects for estimating avian frugivore abundance (b) fruiting tree watches to quantify frugivore visitation and (c) vegetation plots to characterize recruitment. Our results show that differences in the abundance of bird species between logged and unlogged sites was correlated with body mass, with larger species being scarcer and smaller species more abundant in logged areas. Correspondingly, visitation rates by large avian frugivores was lower in logged compared with unlogged sites. Finally, biotically dispersed tree species, especially large-seeded species, had lower recruitment in logged forests, potentially due to lowered visitation rates and decreased fruit removal by large bodied avian frugivores. In the long term, these differences in recruitment may result in a tree community shift towards small-seeded biotically dispersed species and abiotically dispersed species in logged areas.

Spatial distribution of turaco-preferred food plants in Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve, Mambilla Plateau, Taraba State, Nigeria

The relative distribution was investigated of turaco-preferred food plants in the main forest and the forest fragments of Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve in Taraba State, Nigeria. Data collection was carried out in three sections within the forest reserve and these include (i) forest fragment, (ii) within the main forest and (iii) the boundary area of the main forest. Ten plots with size of 25 m × 25 m were laid at an interval of 50 m in each of the three selected sites making a total of 30 plots for the sampling of turaco-preferred fruiting plant species. The numbers of fruiting tree species identified were 22, 25 and 24, and out of these only seven (31.8%), eight (32%) and six (25%) were preferred by turacos in the forest fragment, within the main forest and the boundary area of the main forest, respectively. The preferred fruiting plant species in the forest fragment was Syzygium guineense (48.6%), in the boundary area of the main forest was Ficus sp. (13.3%) and within the main forest was Polyscias fulva (3.9%). Many of the fruiting tree species in the boundary area and within the main forest were not preferred by turacos. There is a need for effective pro-conservative measures aimed at preserving the remaining forest patches (especially the forest fragment) of the reserve.

Aye-Aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) Feeding Strategies at Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar: An Indirect Sampling Method

In this research, we focused on aye-aye populations in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. From August to December 2008, we tested how aye-aye feeding was influenced by presence/absence of both fruiting and non-fruiting Canarium trees. Deadwood feeding traces were used as a proxy for evidence of Canarium feeding. We enumerated deadwood feeding traces in 20 locations, 10 with Canarium, 10 without. Each location contained two transects (80 m L × 20 m W) for a total area of 5.6 ha. Feeding trace results for Canarium locations compared to non-Canarium locations were not significant (Z = –1.926, p = 0.083); however, feeding trace results were significant when comparing fruiting and non-fruiting Canarium locations (Z = –2.417, p = 0.016). These results highlight the importance of Canarium in the diet of aye-ayes and demonstrate how the distribution of this resource may influence the foraging behavior of aye-ayes.

Beyond vegetative propagation of indigenous fruit trees: case of Dacryodes edulis (G. Don) H. J. Lam and Allanblackia floribunda Oliv.

Indigenous fruits/nuts of Africa’s humid tropics are increasingly being recognized for their contribution to food security, health (nutrition/medicine), income generation, employment and environmental benefits. However, cultivation of the trees yielding these fruits/nuts is constrained by lack of improved planting materials that are true-to-type and have a short enough juvenile phase to fruit production. In addition, information on both above and belowground growth attributes of these species is scarce. This paper presents an overview of the results of a doctoral research focused on two African indigenous fruit tree species, i.e. Dacryodes edulis (G. Don) H.J. Lam (Burseraceae) and Allanblackia floribunda Oliv. (Clusiaceae), which are currently under domestication. For D. edulis, the objective was to assess and compare the structural and fine rooting systems together with the above ground growth attributes of fruiting trees propagated either sexually or vegetatively. The research aim for A. floribunda was to shorten the long juvenile phase before first fruiting through grafting techniques. In summary, the results from the studies on D. edulis suggest that vegetative propagation of the species, reduces the long juvenile phase to fruiting and maintains trueness in the transfer of desirable traits over generations, it also results in trees that are apparently less competitive for below ground resources, have more stable root system, and are bigger in stature and higher in carbon sinks compared to trees of seed origin. In parallel, A. floribunda was shown to be amenable to grafting both under nursery and field (in situ) conditions. Furthermore, a grafted A. floribunda tree transplanted in the field in 2007, flowered and carried a single fruit to maturity after 4 years, thereby reducing the long juvenile period to first fruit production from about 10-12 years reported in literature to less than 5 years. The findings of this doctoral research are therefore pertinent to efforts towards indigenous fruit/nut tree domestication. However, research should be confirmed as it can be considered a pilot study, one that aims to obtain insights into the effect of vegetative propagation methods on above and below ground growth and development of improved planting materials of D. edulis and A. floribunda under domestication.