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Fruit removal of Coprosma quadrifida (Rubiaceae) by birds in south‐eastern Australia
Author(s) -
FRENCH K.,
O'DOWD D. J.,
LILL A.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
australian journal of ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1442-9993
pISSN - 0307-692X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-9993.1992.tb00778.x
Subject(s) - frugivore , rubiaceae , sclerophyll , biology , crop , abundance (ecology) , competition (biology) , botany , horticulture , ecology , habitat , mediterranean climate
Removal of the fleshy fruits of Coprosma quadrifida by birds was examined in relation to fruit crop size, neighbouring fruit crop size and time in the season in montane wet sclerophyll forest in south‐eastern Australia. On average, 84% of individual fruit crops were removed. Frugivores removed fruit in proportion to its abundance, indicating that they continually assess availability rather than respond to a critical abundance. The size of neighbouring fruit crops did not influence fruit removal rates, suggesting that there is little competition among neighbours for dispersers. The ripe fruits of C. quadrifida were eaten by 14 bird species, comprising 50% of the bird species trapped. Silvereyes ( Zosterops lateralis ) were the most abundant consumers of fruits. With the exception of the parrot, Platycercus elegans , all birds defecated seeds intact and had no influence on seed viability.