Seed predation during general flowering events of varying magnitude in a Malaysian rain forest
1 The lowland dipterocarp forests of Southeast Asia exhibit interspecifically synchronized general flowering (GF) and mast fruiting at irregular multi-year intervals of 1 to 11 years. The predator satiation hypothesis (PSH) posits that GF events enhance seed survival by reducing the survival, reproduction and population sizes of seed predators between GF events, and then satiating the reduced seed predator populations during GF events. 2 Three GF events of different magnitudes occurred in Pasoh Forest Reserve, Peninsular Malaysia, during 2001, 2002 and 2005. We exploited this natural experiment to test two predictions of the PSH. The first prediction was that seed survival should increase with the magnitude of the GF event. The second prediction was that seed predation should decrease with time since the previous GF event. 3 A reproductive survey of all (c. 900) dipterocarp trees 30 cm d.b.h. in a 50 ha plot showed that flowering pervasiveness (the proportion of dipterocarp species participating) was high and similar in all three GF events. However, relative flowering magnitudes (measured by an index of individual tree participation and flowering intensity in Shorea species) were 2, 5 and 8 for the 2001, 2002 and 2005 GF events, respectively.
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Texto biblioteca |
| Language: | eng |
| Subjects: | Dipterocarpaceae, Shorea, Dispersión de semillas, Árboles, Depredación de semillas, Selva lluviosa, |
| Online Access: | http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/action/showPdf?submitPDF=Full+Text+PDF+%28301+KB%29&doi=10.1111%2Fj.1365-2745.2007.01235.x |
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| Summary: | 1 The lowland dipterocarp forests of Southeast Asia exhibit interspecifically synchronized general flowering (GF) and mast fruiting at irregular multi-year intervals of 1 to 11 years. The predator satiation hypothesis (PSH) posits that GF events enhance seed survival by reducing the survival, reproduction and population sizes of seed predators between GF events, and then satiating the reduced seed predator populations during GF events. 2 Three GF events of different magnitudes occurred in Pasoh Forest Reserve, Peninsular Malaysia, during 2001, 2002 and 2005. We exploited this natural experiment to test two predictions of the PSH. The first prediction was that seed survival should increase with the magnitude of the GF event. The second prediction was that seed predation should decrease with time since the previous GF event. 3 A reproductive survey of all (c. 900) dipterocarp trees 30 cm d.b.h. in a 50 ha plot showed that flowering pervasiveness (the proportion of dipterocarp species participating) was high and similar in all three GF events. However, relative flowering magnitudes (measured by an index of individual tree participation and flowering intensity in Shorea species) were 2, 5 and 8 for the 2001, 2002 and 2005 GF events, respectively. |
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