Fruit removal, pyrene dispersal, post-dispersal predation and seedling establishment of a bird-dispersed tree

摘要: The recruitment of a dioecious bird-dispersed tree, the hollyIlex aquifolium (Aquifoliaceae), was studied consideringthe stages fruit removal by birds, seed rain, post-dispersal predation,seed germination and seedling survival. main objective to test theeffect different microhabitats within beech forest on stages.Migrant thrushes were dispersers this tree whose crops wereentirely removed during two study years. Seed rain greatest beneath hollytrees regardless their sex lowest in open sites. Post-dispersal seedpredation examined experiments did not differ betweenmicrohabitats despite its quantitative importance (about 70%). Seedlingemergence, which probably corresponded seeds from several cohorts, wasgreater trees than sites density second-yr 5cm seedlings depended presence-absence ungulateherbivores litter. While former had detrimental effect, latterhada beneficial effect abundance. Seedling survival showed nosignificant variations between but densityinsome (holly, beech). Finally, initial arrival seemed todetermine microhabitat suitability for holly establishment. However,under heavy browsing may be strongly reduced leadingtomicrohabitat homogeneity