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Reproductive phenology of Hong Kong shrubland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Richard T. Corlett
Richard T. Corlett
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong
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Abstract

Hong Kong is on the northern edge of the tropics and near the boundary of the Paleotropical and Holarctic floral kingdoms. The phenological states of 105 plant species in secondary shrubland were recorded weekly for three years. Community patterns of reproductive phenology are highly seasonal and vary little between years. There is a flowering maximum in May and a fruiting maximum in December/January. The winter fruiting peak coincides with diet switching by resident omnivorous birds and the arrival of partially frugivorous migrants from the Eastern Palearctic. However, wind-dispersed species also have a fruiting maximum at the same time, suggesting that fruiting in winter has other advantages.

Keywords

bird migrationChinafloweringfruitingHong Kongphenologyshrubland
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 9 , Issue 4 , November 1993 , pp. 501 - 510
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

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References

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