birds and plants regeneration
TRANSCRIPT
AIM
To study the importance of birds in plant regeneration.
To observe the mutualistic interactions between birds and the trees.
Land as a resource is limited. It can’t be created nor be replaced. Disturbance in the equilibrium of ecosystems by cutting of trees has resulted in the serious problem of land degradation and desertification.
This project draw attention to the role the birds play in the natural process of regeneration, and the contribution they make towards the sustained productivity of our diverse ecosystem.
INTRODUCTION
SEED DISPERSAL MUTUALISMS
birds disperse seeds via defecation.
birds benefit from fruitthat surrounds seed.
Plants benefit by having seeds moved to favorablegermination sites.
SEED DISPERSAL
Plants have evolved several different mechanisms of seed dispersal to achieve dispersal from the mother plant including:
Anemochory (Wind-Dispersed),Hydrochory (Water Dispersed) Barochory (Gravity-Dispersed), Autochory (Self-Dispersal By Explosion), Zoochory (Animal-Dispersed).
Zoochory may be further divided into two categories:
exozoochory where the seeds are physically attached to the outside of the animal’s body.
endozoochory where the seeds are inside the animal’s body.
POLLINATION
By NectarinivoresWhile pollination their body parts
comes in contact with the pollen which they carry along with them.Type of dispersion called as
exozoochory.
SEED DISPERSION BY FRUGIVORES:• the seed is passed through the entire digestive tract and then voided with the feaces• some fruits are often regurgitated• the feeding behaviour BY INSECTIVORES: mimesis
(from left to right:
berries of mistletoe, The sticky seed
of the mistletoe on a branch,
Mistletoe in an apple tree)
BIRDS ADAPTATION FOR TREES
•specially adapted brushy tongues and in many cases bills designed to fit co-adapted flowers. •The bills are basically modified according to the food they eat.
TREES ADAPTATION FOR BIRD
• Plants adapt themselves to suit the natural attraction for bright colours.• Bird flowers’ are usually unscented .
Erythrina sp. Bahunia purpurea
Hence both the plants as well as birds have co-evolved to adapt each other.
DIFFERENT BIRDS LIKE WHITE EYE, INDIAN KOEL COMMON MYNA, AND ROCK PIGEON SEEN FEEDING
AFTER 1 MONTH
THE TREE UNDER OBSERVATION
THEIR DROPPINGS WERE COLLECTED AND DRIED, AS TEST
FRUIT OF THE SAME TREE COLLECTED, AS CONTROL
AFTER 2 MONTH
OBSERVATION
Seed ingestion generally increases substantially germinability and germination rate.Birds have developed physiological adaptation to
speedup the digestive process and rapidly empty their gut load. Seed size also influences gut effect. Larger seeds are more
likely to withstand the gut treatment than smaller seeds.
Syzygium cumini Samanea saman Ficus religiosa
Azadirachta indica Ficus benghalensis Saraca asoca
TREES PROPAGATED BY BIRDS
Ficus racemosa Bombax malabaricum Moringa oleifera
Michelia champaka Delonix regia
.
Butea monosperma
Coppersmith Barbet Grey Hornbill Indian Koel Parakeet
Red -Vented Bulbul Common Myna Golden Oriole Sunbird
BIRDS AS AFFORESTATOR
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
Birds are agents for afforestation. They help in pollination as well as seed dispersal.Pollination help in development of new variety of seeds by cross pollination.Plants with small-seeded fleshy fruits are dispersed by a very diverse assemblage of birds.Birds due to mobility prove to be good seed dispersal and pollinator.Habitat loss can directly impact birds.