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Successful germination of seeds following passage through orang-utan guts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2011

Nynne H. Nielsen ,
Magnus W. Jacobsen ,
Laura L. L. B. Graham ,
Helen C. Morrogh-Bernard ,
Laura J. D'Arcy  and
Mark E. Harrison
Nynne H. Nielsen
Affiliation:
Biological Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark Orang-utan Tropical Peatland Project, Centre for the International Cooperation in Tropical Peatlands, Universitas Palangka Raya, Jl. Yos Sudarso, Palangka Raya 73112, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
Magnus W. Jacobsen
Affiliation:
Biological Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark Orang-utan Tropical Peatland Project, Centre for the International Cooperation in Tropical Peatlands, Universitas Palangka Raya, Jl. Yos Sudarso, Palangka Raya 73112, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
Laura L. L. B. Graham
Affiliation:
Geography Department, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
Helen C. Morrogh-Bernard
Affiliation:
Orang-utan Tropical Peatland Project, Centre for the International Cooperation in Tropical Peatlands, Universitas Palangka Raya, Jl. Yos Sudarso, Palangka Raya 73112, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
Laura J. D'Arcy
Affiliation:
Orang-utan Tropical Peatland Project, Centre for the International Cooperation in Tropical Peatlands, Universitas Palangka Raya, Jl. Yos Sudarso, Palangka Raya 73112, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
Mark E. Harrison*
Affiliation:
Orang-utan Tropical Peatland Project, Centre for the International Cooperation in Tropical Peatlands, Universitas Palangka Raya, Jl. Yos Sudarso, Palangka Raya 73112, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia Wildlife Research Group, The Anatomy School, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
*
1Corresponding author. Email: [email protected].
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Extract

Orang-utans (Pongo spp.) are primarily frugivorous (Morrogh-Bernard et al. 2009) and are often regarded as important seed dispersers (Corlett 1998). In Tanjung Puting, Borneo, Galdikas (1982) found intact seeds in 94% of faecal samples, with a median 111 seeds per defecation; and in Ketambe, Sumatra, Rijksen (1978) found seeds in 44% of faecal samples. Furthermore, orang-utans have large day ranges (e.g. mean = 968 m, range = 280–2834 m across adults in Sabangau; Harrison 2009) and slow passage rates of digesta through the gut (Caton et al. 1999), and, hence, may disperse seeds far from parent trees. Many seeds are also spat out or discarded at distances up to 75 m from parent trees (Galdikas 1982).

Keywords

ApeBorneoIndonesiapeat-swamp forestPongoSabangauseed dispersalseed germination
Type
Short Communication
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 27 , Issue 4 , July 2011 , pp. 433 - 435
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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References

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