BIRDS AND PLANTS

REGENERATIONBy

Laxmi D. SinghM.Sc.Environmental Science

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.

The Bird-Plant Inter-Relationship

Extinction Of Dodo Threatens Calvaria Tree

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.

 

Birds mainly perform two function:

PollinationSeed dispersion

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)

THE SEED DISPERSAL CYCLE

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.

THE ROLE OF BIRDS IN ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION

EXPERIMENT PERFORMED

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.

BIRDS IN ACTION

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.

THANK YOU