Fruit Dispersal Ecology of Woody Taxa in Temperate to Tropical Forests of China and Japan

A significant variation in fruit dispersal modes and seed size distributions exists among different forest types, with animal dispersal predominant in broad-leaved evergreen and tropical moist forests, while wind dispersal is more common in subhumid sclerophyllous, tropical monsoon, and deciduous forests. Large seeds (>15 mm) of fleshy-fruited taxa are predominantly found in tropical moist forests but are nearly absent in other forest types. The study analyzed seed dispersal spectra and seed size distribution across various forest types in Japan (including Shirakami-Sanchi) and China, providing insights into ecosystem evolution and dynamics along latitudinal and altitudinal gradients.

KNÖRR, U. C., KOVAR-EDER, J., MAZOUCH, P., & ROTH-NEBELSICK, A. (2012). FRUIT DISPERSAL ECOLOGY OF WOODY TAXA IN TEMPERATE TO TROPICAL FORESTS OF CHINA AND JAPAN. Palaios, 27(8), 523–540. https://doi.org/10.2110/palo.2011.p11-113r