Frugivores and the evolution of fruit colour

Abstract

The study used a comparative community approach, and tested whether distributions of fruit colours are consistent with the hypothesis that colour is an evolved signal to seed dispersers. The contrast between ripe fruits and leaf backgrounds are compared at two sites, one in Madagascar where seed dispersers are primarily night-active (red–green colour-blind lemurs), and the other in Uganda, where most vertebrate seed dispersers are day-active primates and birds with greater capacity for colour vision. Results indicate that fruit colour has evolved to contrast against background leaves in response to the visual capabilities of local seed disperser communities.

Description

Keywords

WILD ANIMALS, WILD PLANTS, EVOLUTION, WILDLIFE, FRUITS, SEED DISPERSAL, COLOUR, PHYSICAL PROPERTIES, PLANT PHYSIOLOGY, BOTANY, PHYLOGENY, TROPICAL FRUIT, BIRDS, LEMURS, MADAGASCAR, UGANDA, SOUTH OF SAHARA

Citation

DOI