Plant and Animal Interactions

Thai-French Seminar on Natural Substances and Drug PotentialPlant and Animal InteractionsWarren Y. BrockelmanEcology Laboratory, BIOTEC Central Research UnitandDept. of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Salaya

Evolutionary EcologyHow do interactions between species affect the fitness(reproduction and survival) of the species interacting?• Herbivory• Predation• Parasitism• Mutualisms• Competition

When is warefare most intense?Are there secret weapons?

Forest on Mo Singto Plot

Group A resting in dipterocarp tree

Anuttarasurveying plot

Tree tags

All treeson plot

Mo Singto Permanent Plot, KhaoYai National Park• Gibbon research area since 1980• Surveyed and censused 2000-2001• 30 hectares• Trees from 10 cm dbh, ca. 200 species• Lianas censused, 120 + species• Seasonal evergreen forest

Mo Singto relief map (from south)

Eatingrambutans

Dispersal mutualisms• Dispersing species must be attracted butpredators and pathogens must be repelled• Green fruits should not be attractive• Rind should be repellent• Seeds must be protected• Very strong effects on plant fitness

Nephelium melliferum (wild rambutan)(Sapindaceae)

Fruits traps under Nephelium melliferum

Eatingrambutans(Nepheliummelliferum)

Fallen Nepheliummelliferum fruits and seeds

Nephelium melliferum seeds

Garcninia griffithi (Guttiferae)

Platymitra gacrocarpa(Annonaceae)

Alphonsea boniana (Annonaceae)

Aphananthe cuspidata fruit

Aphananthe cuspidata (Ulmaceae)eaten by squirrels or monkeys

Aquilaria crassnafruit traps

Choerospondias axillaris(Anacardiaceae)

Choerospondias axillarisRipe fruits and seeds

Choerospondias axillaris (Anacardiaceae) greenfruits eaten by squirrels

Elaeagnus conferta

Elaeagnus conferta seeds

Salaccia chinensis fruit

Seedlings of Prunus javanica (Rosaceae)

Dalbergia horrida (Leguminosae)

Epigynum griffithianum

Spatholobus harmandii (Leguminosae)

Unknown killer fungus

Killer fungus

Killer fungusspreads on contact