Abstract booklet - gtö – Society for Tropical Ecology

102 PARALLEL SESSION HALL H IV: ANIMAL PLANT INTERACTIONPARALLEL SESSION H IV: ANIMAL PLANT INTERACTION103NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS OF FRUIT CONSUMPTION IN THE COMMONFRUIT BAT, ARTIBEUS JAMAICENSISTWO SPECIES, TWO ECOLOGICAL STRATEGIES – A CASE STUDYOF THE REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF UNDERSTORY HERBS INSOUTHEASTERN BRAZILLarissa Albrecht 1 , Elisabeth Kalko 1Katharina Stein 1 , Isabell Hensen 11University of Ulm, Ulm, DE, Larissa.Albrecht@uni-ulm.de1University of Halle, Halle/Saale, DE, steinkatharina@hotmail.comWEDNESDAY 10:15 Hall H IVIn tropical forests, interactions between fruit trees and frugivores play veryimportant roles in maintaining biodiversity. In exchange for seed dispersalservices, trees have to provide sufficient nutrients and minerals to attract andmaintain frugivores. Frugivorous bats are among the most important seeddispersers in Neotropical forests. On Barro Colorado Island in Panamá, figs (Ficussp.) form the main food resource for the very abundant Jamaican fruit-eating batArtibeus jamaicensis, although other fruits are known to be consumed as well.Figs are often considered as low-quality fruits, which are only attractive becauseof their abundance and year-round availability. We analyzed the nutrient andmineral content of figs and other fruits eaten by A. jamaicensis to determinedifferences in pulp composition. Figs generally have a higher concentration ofmost minerals, particularly calcium, than non-fig fruits, although concentrationsof other nutrients are mostly low to medium. Assimilation experiments indicatethat A. jamaicensis is able to extract sufficient of most nutrients and mineralsto cover their needs from figs, and often in higher amounts than from non-figfruits.Outcrossing and sexual reproduction of many plants depend on pollinators thatprovide an essential ecosystem service to maintain overall biological diversityof natural ecosystems.Furthermore, the reproductive success of a plant species is crucial formaintaining vigorous populations, which might be especially important intropical forests with their intensive pressure from competitors, predators andabiotic agents.Aim of this study was to investigate the pollination ecology, breeding system,female reproductive output and germination of two understory herbs. Thefield study was performed in the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil. Pollinators wererecorded in natural populations. The breeding systems were studied throughpollination experiments.We found out that both species suffer from pollen limitation. They are partiallyself-compatible, which might compensate the insufficient natural outcrossingdue to the lack of pollinators, typical for tropical species with a patchilydistribution in forests. Nevertheless fruit set in general was low. The floral nectaris sucrose-dominant, typical for hummingbird pollinated plants.WEDNESDAY 10:30 Hall H IVgtöSociety for Tropical Ecology | Gesellschaft für Tropenökologie e.V. Status and future of tropical biodiversity | Frankfurt, 21 - 24 February 2011gtö