Relationship between gut retention time of four primate species, fiber ratio in diets and seed germination
Date Issued
2011
Date
2011
Author(s)
Chang, Ni-Chen
Abstract
Gut retention time (GRT), which is defined as the time needed for seeds swallowed by frugivores to pass the digestive tracts, may affect both the germination rate and spatial distribution of seeds. Previous GRT studies indicated that the source and amount of fibers in the diet may cause significant variation in the GRT of primates, which are important seed dispersers because they consume a large amount of fruits and defecate lots of viable seeds, and affect seed germination. This study was set to investigate the relationship between the fiber content in diets and GRT in four hindgut-fermenting primate species (Macaca cyclopis, M. fascicularis, Hylobates lar, and Pongo pygmmaeus), and the effect of GRT on germination rate of seeds with different types of dormancy, i.e. the non-dormancy seeds (Ficus septica) and shallow dormancy seeds (Trema orientalis). The GRT was longer for digesting higher fiber ratio diets in Hylobates lar (LF: 20.6±0.6 vs. HF: 24.5±0.7 hr) and P. pygmmaeus (LF: 124.7±9.0 vs. HF: 146.5±11.4 hr), but not in macaques. The germination percentages of F. septica seeds in control group were different between seeds collected in September and November (100%; 63%). Nevertheless, the germination percentage of most F. septica seeds after passing guts of primates was lower and germination time was longer than controls. Trema orientalis seeds had lower germination percentage and shorter germination time after passing guts of M. cyclopis and P. pygmmaeus. GRT impacted the germination percentage and germination time of F. septica seeds but the impact was different on T. orientalis seeds. In conclusion, different fiber content diet may cause GRT variation in primates, and thus affect spatial distribution and germination pattern of seeds when they swallowed.
Subjects
diet
fiber ratio
gut retention time
primates
seed germination
seed dormancy
Type
thesis
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