Preliminary observations indicate that giant tortoise ingestion improves seed germination for an endemic ebony species in Mauritius

African Journal of Ecology

Volumn 46, Issue 2, 2008, Pages 217-219

  Moolna, Adam ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

DICOTYLEDON; ENDEMIC SPECIES; EXTINCTION; GERMINATION; INGESTION RATE; TURTLE;

INDIAN OCEAN; INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS; MASCARENE ISLANDS; MAURITIUS;

EID: 44849127043     PISSN: 01416707     EISSN: 13652028     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2028.2007.00807.x     Document Type: Article

References (9)

1. Hnatiuk, S.H. (1978) Plant dispersal by the Aldabran giant tortoise, Geochelone gigantea (Schweigger). Oecologia 36, 345 350.
2. Nyhagen, D.F., Turnbull, S.D., Olesen, J.M. Jones, C.G. (2005) An investigation into the role of the Mauritian flying fox, Pteropus niger, in forest regeneration. Biol. Conserv. 122, 491 497.
3. Page, W. D'Argent, G. (1997) A Vegetation Survey of Mauritius to Identify Priority Rainforest Areas for Conservation Management. Mauritius Wildlife Foundation & IUCN, Mauritius.
4. Rick, C.M. Bowman, R.I. (1961) Galapagos tomatoes and tortoises. Evolution 15, 407 417.
5. Robertson, A.W., Trass, A., Ladley, J.J. Kelly, D. (2006) Assessing the benefits of frugivory for seed germination: the importance of the deinhibition effect. Funct. Ecol. 20, 58 66.
6. Safford, R.J. (1997) A survey of the occurrence of native vegetation remnants on Mauritius in 1993. Biol. Conserv. 80, 181 188.
7. Samuels, I.A. Levey, D.J. (2006) Effects of gut passage on seed germination: do experiments answer the questions they ask? Funct. Ecol. 19, 365 368.
8. Temple, S.A. (1977) Plant-animal mutualism: coevolution with dodo leads to near extinction of plant. Science 197, 885 886.
9. Venkatasamy, S., Khittoo, G., Nowbuth, P. Vencatasamy, D.R. (2006) Phylogenetic relationships based on morphology among the Diospyros (Ebenaceae) species endemic to the Mascarene Islands. Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 150, 307 313.