Preferential consumption of larger fruits of Piper arboreum (Piperaceae) by Carollia perspicillata (Phyllostomidae) in the brazilian tropical dry forest

Authors

  • Luís Paulo Pires Universidade Federal de Uberlândia
  • Kleber Del Claro Universidade Federal de Uberlândia
  • Wilson Uieda Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14393/BJ-v31n2a2015-26963

Keywords:

bats, fruits, cerrado, urban

Abstract

Frugivorous animals may use morphological traits of food items such as size, hardness, shape, color and smell as cues that allow them to assess cost-benefit relationship of foraging activity. Fruit size is an important trait that influences feeding behavior of most frugivores, since there is a functional correlation between fruit size and frugivores' body size. Therefore, size-based preference is fundamental to understand plant-frugivore interactions and seed dispersal. In this sense, we tested the hypothesis of preferential consumption of larger fruits of Piper arboreum by the short-tailed fruit bat Carollia perspicillata in the Brazilian tropical dry forest. Results showed considerable variation in fruit size among and within plants. There was also significant difference in fruit ripening time among plants, which was not related to fruit size. Average size of remaining fruits reduced as they were removed from plants by the bats, which indicates preferential consumption of larger fruits. On the other hand, plant phenology constrained consumption of bigger fruits. Only a small fraction of plant crop was available for consumption each night, regardless of fruit size, which probably coerced bats to feed on smaller fruits as the availability of larger ones decreased. Results suggest that bat preference on fruit size is mediated by plant phenological strategies.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Downloads

Published

2015-02-25

How to Cite

PIRES, L.P., DEL CLARO, K. and UIEDA, W., 2015. Preferential consumption of larger fruits of Piper arboreum (Piperaceae) by Carollia perspicillata (Phyllostomidae) in the brazilian tropical dry forest . Bioscience Journal [online], vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 634–642. [Accessed22 November 2024]. DOI 10.14393/BJ-v31n2a2015-26963. Available from: https://seer.ufu.br/index.php/biosciencejournal/article/view/26963.

Issue

Section

Biological Sciences