Welcome to Chinese Journal of Ecology! Today is Share:

cje

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Seed predation and dispersal of Hevea brasiliensis in Xishuangbanna introduction area.

ZHOU Hui-ping**, CHEN Guo-yun, YUE Hai, CUN Ming   

  1. Seed predation and dispersal of Hevea brasiliensis in Xishuangbanna introduction area.
  • Online:2014-08-10 Published:2014-08-10

Abstract: Tagged seeds of Hevea brasiliensis were separately released in five habitats. The seed fate and seed predators were observed. The results showed that, in the pure rubber plantation and the seasonal rainforest, most seeds remained untouched in situ (>80% and >98%, respectively), while in the rubberbamboo mixed forest and in the secondary forest seed predation was almost 100%, and in the neighboring rubber plantation it was 50%. Chisquare test indicated that the seed predation rate of the rubberbamboo mixed forest was significantly higher than that of the pure rubber plantation and the seasonal rainforest, and it was obviously higher in the secondary forest than in the neighboring rubber plantation (P<0.001). Most seeds were predated in situ or after removing, with a very small amount of seeds being stored. Most seeds (>80%) were transported <10 m away. By infraredsensor camera and feeding experiment, Rattus tanezumi and Rattus surifer were confirmed as the primary seed predators. This study indicated that seeds of H. brasiliensis mainly predated by small rodents with a high predation intensity, low storage rate and shortdistance dispersal (<10 m) in Xishuangbanna introduction area.

Key words: seed germination, growth promoting, seedling growth and development, Trichoderma, antioxidant enzyme