SPATIAL-DISTRIBUTION OF UNDERSTORY FRUIT-EATING BIRDS AND FRUITING PLANTS IN A NEOTROPICAL LOWLAND WET FOREST

Spatial distribution of fruit-eating birds and fruiting shrubs of the Melastomataceae and Rubiaceae were examined on a 10 ha plot in tropica l lowland wet forest of Costa Rica. Many plant species and most birds exhibited considerable spatial variation in their occurrence on the pl ot, as indicated by the distribution patterns of shrubs with ripe frui ts and captures in mist nets, respectively. In many cases, captures of fruit-eating birds were correlated with abundance of fruiting plants, particularly for species that rely heavily on fruits. In general, fru it-eating birds concentrated their use of the plot to areas rich in fr uiting shrubs. This differential use of certain areas likely results i n differential visitation to fruiting plants located in these areas an d in a heterogeneous dissemination of seeds into the habitat.