Does Ficus species fruit mastication and ingestion by Wahlberg's epauletted fruit bats enhance seed germination and seedling emergence?

Abstract

Seed passage through frugivorous bats' gastrointestinal tracts is important in seed dispersal, germination and seedling emergence. We investigated the ingestion and effects of Wahlberg's epauletted fruit bats, Epomophorus wahlbergi, on the germination and seedling emergence of four Ficus species in separate laboratory feeding trials in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. We observed seedling emergence and germination rates for all ingested seeds, whole and de-pulped fruits. Our results showed that ingestion amounts were high and the germination of Ficus seeds was positively influenced by mastication and/or gut passage of E. wahlbergi, underscoring the potential of fruit bats as effective seed dispersers.