The reason why forests can multiply from generation to generation, and why tree species can blossom everywhere, except wind and running water, is almost all because of animals, birds and reptiles that eat the fruits of trees. Without these tireless tree species "sowers", the forests on the earth will be reduced day by day, or even disappear completely. Especially among these "sowers" who promote the healthy reproduction of forests, bats have made the most outstanding contribution.
Experts point out that bats living in the tropical rain forest can eat the fruits of trees twice their weight overnight. When they fly through the open areas of the forest in a shuttle way, they will grow into forests, and the seeds of the fruits will be scattered in a wide area through feces. Moreover, the flying ability of bats is extremely strong, even small bats can fly more than 37 kilometers overnight; Therefore, the distance and range of bat sowing tree seeds is much larger than that of any other tropical rainforest animal. In this regard, Dunnard of Sherbrooke University? Professor Thomas spent three years studying the ability of a beige fruit-eating bat in West Africa to spread tree seeds, and found that this bat can spread tens of thousands of kilograms of tree seeds in all directions in one night.
Some people will ask, can tree seeds excreted by gastrointestinal digestion of bats and other animals germinate and grow well? Dunnard? Professor Thomas has done the following experiments many times: he studied the germination of seeds directly from mature trees with seeds found in the feces of bats and ruminants. As a result, only about 65,438+00% of the seeds directly taken from mature trees germinated, while 100% of the seeds taken from bat feces germinated, and the germination rate of tree seeds in ruminant feces was also quite high.