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Influence of food availability and distribution on the movement patterns of a forest avian frugivore, the puff-throated bulbul (Alophoixus pallidus)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 December 2011

Daphawan Khamcha ,
Tommaso Savini ,
Warren Y. Brockleman ,
Vijak Chimchome  and
George A. Gale
Daphawan Khamcha*
Affiliation:
Conservation Ecology Program, School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, 49 Bangkhuntien-Chaitha-lay Road Thakham, Bangkhuntien, Bangkok, Thailand10150
Tommaso Savini
Affiliation:
Conservation Ecology Program, School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, 49 Bangkhuntien-Chaitha-lay Road Thakham, Bangkhuntien, Bangkok, Thailand10150
Warren Y. Brockleman
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand10400
Vijak Chimchome
Affiliation:
Department of Forest Biology, Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand10900
George A. Gale
Affiliation:
Conservation Ecology Program, School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, 49 Bangkhuntien-Chaitha-lay Road Thakham, Bangkhuntien, Bangkok, Thailand10150
*
1Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract:

Bulbul species (family Pycnonotidae) are important seed dispersers in Asian forests, but almost nothing is known of their movement patterns inside intact forest, which are likely to impact forest dynamics. We examined the movement patterns of the forest-dwelling puff-throated bulbul (Alophoixus pallidus) in relation to fruit productivity and distribution of fruiting trees/lianas in an evergreen forest in north-eastern Thailand. Movement patterns of 10 groups were precisely mapped by following colour-ringed individuals in each group 4 h mo−1 for 1 y. We evaluated fruit productivity and dispersion of fruiting trees/lianas based on monthly phenologies. There were clear seasonal fluctuations in fruit availability, which appeared to affect movement patterns, particularly distance moved between fruiting trees, time spent feeding and food selection. When fruit availability was low, bulbuls spent more time on average at a given food plant and moved longer distances between fruiting plants than compared with periods of higher fruit availability (low availability: 58 s, 83.2 m; high availability: 10 s, 43.4 m). This study points to the importance of seasonal availability of fruit resources on frugivore movement patterns. Seasonal dynamics of movement may be useful for understanding interactions between fruiting trees and their dispersers, and forest tree recruitment patterns.

Keywords

bulbulsforaging patternsfruit availabilityresource distributionThailandtropical birds
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , January 2012 , pp. 1 - 9
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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