Endozoochory of frugivorous birds as potential dispersal of seed parasites from Pistacia chinesis: experimental evidence

AbstractThe plant–disperser–fruit pest triads involve 3 interacting animals or groups (plants, vertebrates and seed parasites), and the dispersal of both seeds and seed parasites, which can both benefit from endozoochory via defecation or regurgitation by frugivorous vertebrates. However, we have very limited knowledge about the ecological and evolutionary consequences of these plant–disperser–fruit pest triads. Across central Northern China, several seed wasps (mainly Eurytoma plotnikov attack Pistacia chinensis fruits, and seed wasp larvae can develop, diapause and finally emerge as adults inside a seed during the following 1–3 years. In this study, we experimentally investigated whether frugivorous birds discriminated P. chinesis fruits with or without seed parasites, and whether bird endozoochory (by defecation or regurgitation) affected larval survival of seed parasites. The infestation rate by seed parasites was 37% of the P. chinesis fruit crop but with up to 48% of aborted fruits. We found that all 5 bird species can discriminate and then reject all unhealthy fruits (including aborted and insect‐infested). However, 4 of the 5 bird species, in particular bulbul species, consumed 15–41% of aborted and insect‐infested fruits as complementary food only when these unhealthy fruits were provided. Moreover, all larva of seed parasites remained alive after bird defecation or regurgitation. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that endozoochory by frugivorous birds could lead to potential dispersal of seed parasites of P. chinensis but with a very low probability.