Fruit Size and Structure of Zoochorous Trees: Identifying Drivers for the Foraging Preferences of Fruit-Eating Birds in a Mexican Successional Dry Forest.

ABSTRACT: Tropical dry forests (TDFs) are affected by land-use changes. These modifications impact their composition and arboreal structure, as well as the availability of food for several bird groups. In this study, we evaluated the foraging preferences in zoochorous trees of fruit-eating birds during the dry season of the year in three successional stages (early, intermediate, and mature) of TDFs in southern Mexico. The fruits of these trees are important in the diet of several birds during the dry season, a period during which food resources are significantly reduced in TDFs. We estimated foliar cover (FC) and foliage height diversity (FHD) of zoochorous trees in 123 circular plots. These variables were recognized as proxies of food availability and tree productivity. Foraging preferences were ev

SUBMITTER: Almazan-Nunez RC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8697955 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature