Fruit Predation and Adaptive Strategies of <i>Garcinia imberti</i>, an Endangered Species of Southern Western Ghats

Abstract

Noma, N., Classification of bird-dispersed plants by fruiting phenology, fruit size, and growth form in a primary lucidophyllous forest: an analysis, with implications for the conservation of fruit-bird interactions.

Cloning capacity helps seeds of Garcinia xanthochymus counter animal predation

“…Seeds have a thin testa (<1 mm) and low tannin (1.56%) and also rich in nutrients (up to 28.26% fat content, 38.2% starch content). Seeds are reported to show dormancy owing to an impermeable seed testa similar with other Garcinia species (Anto et al., 2018 ; Malik et al., 2005 ). There are no differentiated embryos, endosperm, or embryonic axis in seeds of G. xanthochymus similar with other Garcinia species (Figure 1 ; Malik et al., 2005 ; Noor et al., 2016 ).…”

“…In tropical forests of Asia, fruits of Garcinia species produce a sugary water‐rich pulp that larger than 6 cm in diameter which may attract large frugivorous vertebrates for seed dispersal (Anto et al., 2018 ; Kitamura et al., 2002 ). However, many large frugivores can destroy seeds during mastication thus impose adverse effect on plant regeneration (Brodie et al, 2017 ; Campos‐Arceiz et al, 2012 ).…”

“…xanthochymus were only partially eaten by rodents although these seeds have very thin aril coats, many seed fragments left on the ground after rodent predation germinated and developed into seedlings (Unpublished data). The emergence of clonal seedlings from any seed fragments may be used in countering animal predation similar with other Garcinia species (Anto et al., 2018 ; Joshi et al., 2006 ; Malik et al., 2005 ), but field tests on animal or artificial damaged seed fragments have not been conducted. In this study, by conducting field‐ and laboratory‐based germination experiments with rodent damaged and artificially damaged seeds, we want to verify whether seeds of G. xanthochymus possessed the cloning capacity to account for rodent predation.…”

Population genetic structure of Garcinia imberti Bourd. an endangered endemic tree of southern Western Ghats, India

“…In the longterm viewpoint, reduce in genetic variation leads to lower population adaptability and enhanced the risk of extinction under varied habitats (34). The G. imberti populations are suffered with small population size, reduced gene flow due to lack of pollinators and seed dispersers (11,45) wide geographic separation among the populations besides various stress and slow seedling growth (46) invite serious attention to conserve the species.…”

Assessing the role of a mammalian frugivorous species on seed germination potential depends on study design: A case study using wild samango monkeys

“…Our in-situ germination experiments were subject to natural variation of abiotic factors: temperature, humidity and sunlight levels and are in contrast to ex-situ studies conducted under controlled conditions (e.g. Anto et al, 2018;Figueiredo, 1993;Kankam and Oduro, 2012). Significant differences between the gut passage and disinhibition effects in field experiments are rarely reported, with the majority of positive influences coming from studies conducted in laboratory settings (Fuzessy et al 2016).…”