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Mbadive fruit trees in the Thailand evergreen forest need mbadive herbivores to help spread their seeds, according to a new study.
Based on the diets and habits of mammals, scientists found that elephants are the best allies for the Thai Annonaceae In the various environment of Khao Yai National Park, there is a complex set of relationships between plants and animals. Not every species of fruiting tree is an attractive meal to all herbivores. A team of researchers, led by Kim McConkey from the University of Nottingham, the Platymitra macrocarpa from the family of custard apple trees.
The p. Macrocarpa produces 3-to-5-inch fruits that are ripe from May through August. McConkey tracked how often animals visited the trees and ate the fruit, including elephants, bears, monkeys, gibbons and Sambar deer. (19659002) Researchers found the seeds in the dung of some species while others like the Sambar deer regurgitated the large seeds. When asked about animal poop, McConkey admitted, "I've got two boys so they just love what I do."
As expected, the Asian elephants were the major seed dispersers for p. macrocarpa. Elephants are not often seen in the area of the McConkey trees studied, but she told VOA, "I think it's going to see me feed on any fruit, it's going to be this one." Hereditary elephants in the elephants of the fruit of the world (19659002) These findings concerning the Asian elephants point to the important role they play in the ecosystem. Jedediah Brodie, Chair of the Wildlife Biology Program at the University of Montana, said, "These are the most important events in the world. "
When looking at the performance of other species, the researchers were surprised by how effective Sambar deer were at dispersing seeds. "Sambar generally has a bad rap in these forests," McConkey said. "People think they're seed predators, but it turns out they actually do disperse a lot of seeds." While the Sambar were not as effective as the gibbons (21 percent), they still produced a respectable 17 percent.
Bruchid beetles were the primary challenge to producing viable seedlings. The beetles, which are known to infest all kinds of seeds and beans, are most commonly found on the forest floor. Unlike the regurgitated seeds of the sambar deer, the seeds went through the elephants' digestive system and were covered by excrement. (19659002) It is easy to think of animals in the context of their evolution, and they are able to adapt to their environment. relationship in the opposite direction. The mbadive Platymitra macrocarpa has perhaps evolved to provide the fruit of the world.
As McConkey told VOA, "The husk of the fruit – it's like the outer wrapping of the fruit – it's getting very thick, and it's that This article is intended to cover the subject of food, but it does not matter what the fruit is, and it is so that the monkeys and gibbons like. " She believes that this may be a case where the tree evolved to increase the probability of spreading viable seeds.
Despite the variety of animals, the elephants are still the tree's best chance of producing viable seedlings . Brodie responds, "That's the million-dollar question."
This research is published in PLOS ONE .
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