Pre-dispersal seed predation in a specie-rich forest community: temporal variability and the determinants

摘要

As a fundamental animal-plant interaction, seed predation plays a critical role in regulating the structure, species composition and regeneration of plant communities(Harper ef al 1970, Moore 1978). Pre-dispersal seed predation, however, has been inadequately studied, and its impact on seed dispersal is mostly unclear. In this research, we aimed to explore the seasonal and interannual variability of pre-dispersal predation, estimate the interspecific difference in predation press, as well as the contributions of the determinants to this process.