Fruit manipulation of the palm Syagrus romanzoffiana by vertebrates in southern Brazil

Authors

  • Cassiano Roman
  • Leopoldo Telles Neto
  • Nilton Carlos Cáceres

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4013/4753

Abstract

A year-long study was carried out in a deciduous forest to examine the vertebrate manipulation on fruits of Syagrus romanzoffiana in southern Brazil. Eleven 50x50 cm-track traps (each one baited with ten ripe fruits) were placed monthly around 11 adult palm trees, totalling a sampling effort of 935 traps. The fruits removed (absent) or chewed (left in situ) by a given vertebrate species were counted for each trap. Three species of mammals and one bird were monitored. The coati (Nasua nasua) removed more fruits (N = 250; 50 %) than chewed (N = 130; 26 %), leaving intact 120 fruits (24 %). The dusky-legged guan (Penelope obscura) also removed more fruits (N = 107; 43 %) than chewed (N = 44; 18 %), leaving intact 96 (39 %). On the other hand, the opossum (Didelphis albiventris) removed 127 (13 %), but chewed 622 (63 %), leaving intact 236 (24 %). Similarly, the agouti (Dasyprocta azarae) removed 16 (12 %), and chewed 64 (49 %), leaving intact 51 fruits (39 %). Results are discussed in light of the roles of these vertebrate species in seed dispersal of S. romanzoffiana.

Key words: Atlantic forest, Dasyprocta azarae, Didelphis albiventris, Nasua nasua, palm tree, Penelope obscura, seed dispersal, fruit removal.

Downloads

Published

2021-06-15

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 2 (2010): May/August

Section

Articles

License

I grant the journal Neotropical Biology and Conservation the first publication of my article, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution license (which allows sharing of work, recognition of authorship and initial publication in this journal).

I confirm that my article is not being submitted to another publication and has not been published in its entirely on another journal. I take full responsibility for its originality and I will also claim responsibility for charges from claims by third parties concerning the authorship of the article.

I also agree that the manuscript will be submitted according to the journal’s publication rules described above.