西双版纳食果鸟对植物果实颜色的取食选择

Natural fruit colour selection by frugivorous birds in Xishuangbanna

黑色和红色是最主要的果实颜色。虽然食果鸟的取食选择常被假设为果实颜色特征形成的主要进化动力,但能直接支持该假说的研究案例极少。该研究选择西双版纳常见的5种食果鸟,利用试验当季常见的黑、红、黄、绿4种果实进行室内和野外环境(开阔林地、林冠下层)果实颜色选择实验。结果表明,室内试验时5种食果鸟最喜欢的果实颜色是黑色和/或红色,而野外环境下,虽然开阔林地果实被取食总量远大于林冠下层果实被取食量,但黑色和红色仍均为该两类生境中被取食最多的果实颜色。即大部分食果鸟均喜好自然界最常见的果实颜色,其喜好程度能反映研究地果实颜色组成分布格局,提示果实颜色的进化或部分来自于食果鸟取食选择的压力。

Black and red are the most common colors of fruit, but the reason behind this has been subject to debate. Food preferences of avian frugivores for certain colors of food have been proposed as a selection mechanism that explains these traits, but there is little evidence supporting this hypothesis. Here, we conducted a lab experiment using four colors of natural fruit to evaluate color preferences of five avian species, and we also conducted this experiment in open area and tmderstory habitats. Our results showed that red and black fruits were selected most often in lab experiment; in field experiment, red and black fruits were also the most preferred food, but the total amount of consumed fruits differed significantly between open areas and understory habitats. Our study suggested that differences in color preferences among frugivores may potentially reflect the diversity of fruit color and frequency in Xishuangbanna.