Inhibition of seed dispersal by indirect effects of fruit- and seed-feeding insects

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26850094
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Forest science
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan University (2016); University of Tsukuba (2014-2015)
• Principal Investigator: Takagi Etsuro 首都大学東京, 都市環境科学研究科, 助教 (60718675)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 生物間相互作用 / 間接相互作用 / モチノキ / モチノキタネオナガコバチ / ニホンオナガコバチ / クロガネモチ / 種子食性昆虫 / 果実食性昆虫

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To demonstrate the inhibition of seed dispersal by frugivorous birds via trait-mediated indirect effects of fruit- and seed-feeding insects, fruit sampling and estimation of fruit amount were conducted from 2014 to 2016. To reveal trait-mediated indirect effects of fruit- and seed-feeding insects which are closely related to the study species and inhabit in other forest ecosystems, field surveys and experiments were also conducted.
I revealed the following phenomenon: 1) Macrodasyceras japonicum, which is the closely related wasp to M. hirsutum, infested the novel host tree species Ilex serrata, which is the closely related tree to I. integra, and 2) it is suggested that number of total and sound nuts of Fagus crenata could be estimated by the amount of male inflorescences captured in a few traps until summer; therefore, emergences of Japanese black bear might be predicted with less effort. On the other hands, further studies about species interactions related to I. integra were needed.

Free Research Field

森林動物学