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<p>The two hypotheses of forager preference and habitat heterogeneity have been previously applied to explain the maintenance mechanism of fruit color polymorphism; however, very few examples have been effectively verified. A study in northeastern China examined frugivorous bird preferences for color morphs and seed germination performance across three populations. Observations were conducted from November 2018 to March 2019, focusing on fruit removal rates and seed collection. Fruit counts and seed germination experiments were conducted to assess color morph preferences and germination rates at different observation stages and under various temperature conditions. Results indicated no preference for frugivorous birds between color morphs, contrary to the forager preference hypothesis. However, in the northern population (FY), the germination speed of red morph seeds was sooner under low-temperature conditions (15&#xa0;°C) than that of yellow morph seeds. In contrast, in the southern population (FC), seeds of the yellow morph germinated sooner under higher temperatures (20&#xa0;°C) than red morph seeds. These differences in germination speed were attributed to fitness differences among populations, supporting the habitat heterogeneity hypothesis. Frugivorous birds didn’t favor specific color morphs, but seed germination rates vary subtly with local conditions, indicating adaptation to habitat differences. This study underscores how habitat variation influences <i>Viscum coloratum</i>’s ecological dynamics.</p>

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Investigation of two hypotheses on the maintenance mechanism of fruit color dimorphism of Viscum coloratum in northeastern China

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年5月14日

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  • Qi Sun,
  • Lei Wu,
  • Jimin Zhao,
  • Yanwen Zhang

摘要

The two hypotheses of forager preference and habitat heterogeneity have been previously applied to explain the maintenance mechanism of fruit color polymorphism; however, very few examples have been effectively verified. A study in northeastern China examined frugivorous bird preferences for color morphs and seed germination performance across three populations. Observations were conducted from November 2018 to March 2019, focusing on fruit removal rates and seed collection. Fruit counts and seed germination experiments were conducted to assess color morph preferences and germination rates at different observation stages and under various temperature conditions. Results indicated no preference for frugivorous birds between color morphs, contrary to the forager preference hypothesis. However, in the northern population (FY), the germination speed of red morph seeds was sooner under low-temperature conditions (15 °C) than that of yellow morph seeds. In contrast, in the southern population (FC), seeds of the yellow morph germinated sooner under higher temperatures (20 °C) than red morph seeds. These differences in germination speed were attributed to fitness differences among populations, supporting the habitat heterogeneity hypothesis. Frugivorous birds didn’t favor specific color morphs, but seed germination rates vary subtly with local conditions, indicating adaptation to habitat differences. This study underscores how habitat variation influences Viscum coloratum’s ecological dynamics.