Fecundity, fruiting pattern, and seed dispersal in Piper amalago (Piperaceae), a bat-dispersed tropical shrub.

摘要: This paper describes the nightly and seasonal production of ripe fruit by Piper amalago (Piperaceae), a patchily distributed, bat-dispersed forest shrub, at Parque Nacional Santa Rosa, Costa Rica. Phenological observations over several years indicate that individuals produce low (usually 1–3) variable number each night for 3–4 wks in early wet season (June July). Observations disappearance rates marked fruits manipulation experiments removal probabilities are high (often nearly 1.0) independent crop size. Data from previous feeding foraging studies bat Carollia perspicillata (Phyllostomidae) used to estimate mobility P. amalago's seeds. Most seeds (>90%) deposited ≧50 m parent plants under roosts. Relatively few move >300 m, movements this long more likely occur late fruiting when bats change sites frequently. Seed seedling establishment higher light gaps than canopy. The dispersal quality (sensu McKey 1975) chiropteran seed dispersers is directly proportional they excrete actual or incipient gaps.