IMPORTANCIA DE UN ARBOL TROPICAL (DENDROPANAX ARBOREUS) PARA AVES MIGRATORIAS NEARTICAS EN MEXICO
Many migratory birds feed insects in their reproductive range while they consume many kinds of fruits during their migration to the Neotropics. We evaluated the importance of fruits of a tropical tree Dendropanax arboreus, as a resource for many species of Nearctic migrant birds. We analyzed fecal s...
| Autores: | , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2009 |
| País: | México |
| Institución: | Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit |
| Repositorio: | Repositorio Institucional Aramara de la UAN |
| Idioma: | español |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:dspace.uan.mx:123456789/1529 |
| Acceso en línea: | http://dspace.uan.mx:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/1529 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Dendropanax arboreus frugivoría aves migratorias selva tropical dispersión de semillas frugivory migratory birds rain forest seed dispersal BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA [2] |
| Sumario: | Many migratory birds feed insects in their reproductive range while they consume many kinds of fruits during their migration to the Neotropics. We evaluated the importance of fruits of a tropical tree Dendropanax arboreus, as a resource for many species of Nearctic migrant birds. We analyzed fecal samples collected from migratory birds and quantified foraging observations. Also, we compared gutretention times and percentages of germination of seeds defecated by birds. The analyzed fecal samples showed that 81% of them contained seeds of this tree. These fecal samples correspond to migratory birds, mainly Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina), Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), and Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus). Observations showed that 72% and 75% of the visits to trees and of the fruits consumed respectively corresponded to Gray Catbird and Wood Thrush. Nevertheless, Swainson’s Thrush was the species that spent more time feeding on fruits of D. arboreus. On the other hand, Wood Thrush had an average retention time of 56.9 ± 32 min, and seeds that passed through the gut had the highest percentage of germination, while those of Swainson’s Thrush had the least gut-retention time and the smallest percentage of seed germination. In Los Tuxtlas, Mexico, D. arboreus is found in undisturbed and regenerating forests, and its fruits constitute a rich source in lipids for migratory birds. These birds that potentially disperse the seeds of D. arboreus at long distances throughout the landscape, may also maintain the population structure of this tree. |
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