Affiliation:
1. Bishop Heber College, Affiliated to Bharathidasan University
Abstract
Ficus species (Moraceae), play a pivotal role as keystone species within the forest ecosystem. They serve as a source of food for the frugivores in the forest, throughout the year. We conducted a survey of the frugivores in the protected area of Kariyanshola forest in Topslip and recorded the avian frugivores that feed on the fruits of fig trees. The study brought to light 31 species of birds from 7 families feeding on the figs of 7 different species of Ficus. Accentuating the richness of frugivores in the forest ecosystem helps in emphasizing the value of the keystone resources for those frugivores, which is the Ficus species. These fig trees that attract the various avian frugivores are suggested to be introduced in forest restoration activities to enrich the biodiversity of the area and enhance the health of the ecosystem.
Publisher
Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh
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