Ecological rescue of remnant fengshui trees in farmlands by avian frugivores

Abstract

Background: Farmland areas in eastern China often contain endangered trees, such as the Chinese yew (Taxus chinensis), which are protected by local communities as fengshui trees. These are often bird dispersed.

Aim: Our objective was to assess the relative roles of frugivorous birds in dispersing seeds of T. chinensis into natural sites, such as bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla) thickets.

Methods: We observed birds to estimate (1) visitation and seed removal rates, and (2) deposition rates and dispersal distances in farmlands compared with natural forests and P. heterocycla thickets. We analysed the data using t-tests.

Results: Ten bird species visited the fruiting trees. Of the seeds dispersed in the natural forest, 85% were dispersed in broad-leaved forests and 15% in conifer forests. Thirty-one percent of the seeds from farmland trees were deposited in the canopy of bamboo thickets, outside of the farmland. Seed dispersal distances were greater in farmlands than in natural forests.

Conclusion: Avian seed dispersers could rescue remnant endangered T. chinensis trees in farmland areas by dispersing seeds into natural forests, thereby promoting the regeneration potential of this remnant species.

Keywords:

• frugivorous birds
• post-foraging behaviour
• remnant fengshui trees
• seed-dispersal mutualism
• Taxus chinensis

Acknowledgements

We thank Xiong Tian-shi and Zheng Zhong-wei for their contributions in the field, Dr Daniel Martínez and three anonymous reviewers for valuable comments. We thank Editage for its linguistic assistance during the preparation of this manuscript. This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 30970470]; the National 973 Key Project of Basic Science Research [grant number 2012CB430405]; the Priority Academic Programme Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ning Li

Ning Li is a post-doctoral researcher. His research focuses broadly on the seed dispersal in human-dominated habitats.

Shu-Qing An

Shu-qing An is a professor. His research focuses broadly on forest ecology and conservation biology.

Wen-Yuan Fu

Wen-yuan Fu is a researcher and his research focuses on wildlife ecology.

Chang-Hu Lu

Chang-hu Lu is a professor and currently coordinates research in seed dispersal and bird ecology, as well as studies on seed dispersal mutualism in the subtropical forest.