Seed dispersal by bats across four successional stages of a subandean landscape

Abstract

The mutual relationships between bats and vegetation, in addition to the individual benefits, are significant contributors to the tropical forest regeneration through seed dispersal. As the bats eat the fruits of pioneer plants they provide secondary succession dispersing the ingested seeds into the forest as well as in the degraded areas. This study compared the structure and composition of the fruit bats and the seeds dispersed in different successional habitats (mature forest, secondary growth with seven years of regeneration, secondary growth with one year of regeneration and pasture) in the Forest Reserve Bremen-La Popa (Filandia-Quindío, Colombia). Mist nets were used to capture the bats and samples of their feces were also obtained. Abundance, richness and equity of the fruit bats and the seeds dispersed were higher in those habitats with older regeneration. The bats Artibeus lituratus and Sturnira lilium were more abundant in the pasture and in the early successional stages of one and seven years. The seeds most dispersed by bats were Cecropia telealba, Solanum undullata, Solanum aphydendron and Solanum acerifolium.

Keywords

• Frugivorous bats
• Forest regeneration
• Pioneer species
• Secondary succession
• Colombia