Restricted pollination on Oceanic islands: pollination of Ceiba pentandra by flying foxes in Samoa
Elmqvist T, Cox PA, Rainey WE, Pierson ED. 1992. Restricted pollination on Oceanic islands: pollination of Ceiba pentandra by flying foxes in Samoa. Biotropica. 24(1):15-23
The very low diversity of animal pollinators on remote oceanic islands can act as a potent biotic filter to potential plant immigrants. To assess the relative difficulties faced by colonizing plants species, a study of the pollination ecology of kapok, Ceiba pentandra (Bombacaceae), a widespread aboriginal introduction to the Pacific islands was conducted in 1988. The Samoan form of this tree is self-fertile, but requires pollination for fruit set. The study highlights the importance of conserving pollinators in remote oceanic islands with depauperate pollinator faunas.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Elmqvist, Thomas; Cox, Paul; Rainey, William; Pierson, Elizabeth
- Units
- NPSA , PACN
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, kapok tree (Ceiba pentrandra), Pacific Fruit Bats (Pteropodidae), Plant Studies, Tongan fruit bat (Pteropus tonganus), Western Samoa