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Zoological Research
Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
ISSN: 2095-8137
Vol. 33, No. 5, 2012, pp. 427-432
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Bioline Code: zr12068
Full paper language: English
Document type: Research Article
Document available free of charge
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Zoological Research, Vol. 33, No. 5, 2012, pp. 427-432
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Natural fruit colour selection by frugivorous birds in Xishuangbanna
DUAN, Qiong & QUAN, Rui-Chang
Abstract
Black and red are the most common colors of fruit, but the reason behind this has been subject to debate.
Food preferences of avian frugivores for certain colors of food have been proposed as a selection mechanism that
explains these traits, but there is little evidence supporting this hypothesis. Here, we conducted a lab experiment using
four colors of natural fruit to evaluate color preferences of five avian species, and we also conducted this experiment in
open area and understory habitats. Our results showed that red and black fruits were selected most often in lab experiment;
in field experiment, red and black fruits were also the most preferred food, but the total amount of consumed fruits
differed significantly between open areas and understory habitats. Our study suggested that differences in color
preferences among frugivores may potentially reflect the diversity of fruit color and frequency in Xishuangbanna.
Keywords
Fruit color; Forest edge; Understory; Plant-animal interaction; Fruit color distribution pattern
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