Abstract

ARTEAGA, Luis L.  and  MOYA, M. Isabel. Removal variation of Coccocypselum lanceolatum fruits (Rubiaceae) when experimentally modifying their location and display. Ecología en Bolivia [online]. 2005, vol.40, n.1, pp.3-9. ISSN 1605-2528.

Fruits of Coccocypselum lanceolatum (Rubiaceae) are characterized by being blue colored and to present little reward for fruit eating animals. We use these fruits to study the variation of number of fruits removed and speed removal when modifying the location (0.1 and 2 m of height) and color display of the fruits (blue fruits and blue fruits with red tapes). We determine that the fruits located at 2 m of height are removed with more intensity that those at 0.1 m. On the contrary, there was no difference in removal when including red color in the display. However, removal speed of fruits with multicolored display was significantly higher than the display of blue fruits. These results contribute to the understanding that some factors influence removal of fruits and also contribute to the whole study of mechanisms determining fruit-fruit eating animals relationships.

Keywords : Coccocypselum lanceolatum; fruit removal; fruit colour; fruit location; birds; montane forest.

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