Dispersal of invasive Phytolacca americana seeds by birds in an urban garden in China.
Although seed dispersal is a key process determining the regeneration and spread of invasive plant populations, few studies have explicitly addressed the link between dispersal vector behavior and seedling recruitment to gain insight into the invasion process within an urban garden context. We evaluated the role of bird vectors in the dispersal of pokeweed (Phytolacca americana), a North American herb that is invasive in urban gardens in China. Fruiting P. americana attracted both generalist and specialist bird species that fed on and dispersed its seeds. The generalist species Pycnonotus sinensis and Urocissa erythrorhyncha were the most frequent dispersers. Seedling numbers of P. americana were strongly associated with the perching behavior of frugivorous birds. If newly recruited bird species use seedling-safe perching sites, the P. americana will regenerate faster, which would enhance its invasive potential. Based on our observations, we conclude that the 2 main bird vectors, P. sinensis and U. erythrorhyncha, provide potential effective dispersal agents for P. americana. Our results highlight the role of native birds in seed dispersal of invasive plants in urban gardens.
School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
Ning
N
Li
School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
Wen
W
Yang
Fisheries and Life Science School, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China.
Shubo
S
Fang
Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Xinhai
X
Li
College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China.
Zhanchen
Z
Liu
School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
Xin
X
Leng
School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
Shuqing
S
An
D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000502:physiology*; D002681:China; D002947:Cities; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005638:Fruit; D000072506:Gardens; D058865:Introduced Species; D029604:Phytolacca americana; D058614:Seed Dispersal
Phytolacca americana; dispersal patterns; frugivorous bird; seed dispersal; urban ecosystem