Important role of flying foxes (Megachiroptera) to forest ecosystem

Abstract

Abstract: Chiroptera,including 1107 species belonging to 19 families,are real flying mammals and consist of Microchiroptera and Megachiroptera.The later are often called as Old World fruit bat or flying fox and include 188 species.They can be found in tropical and subtropical area,with 9 of them naturally distributed in China.In this paper,we reviewed the status of decrease of plant species and loss of economic fruits because some species of flying foxes are becoming rare or extinct by exceeded trapping and habitat loss in some area.The importance of flying foxes in gene exchange and regeneration of forest system by predating fruits and pollinating was summerized.The importance of flying foxes for the stability,biodiversity and rejuvenation of forest was pointed out.

Key words: Water stress, Insect pest, Active oxygen species, Antioxidant enzyme

CLC Number:

Q958

MA Jie, ZHANG Jinguo, ZHANG Enquan, ZHANG Jinshuo, LIANG Bing, ZHANG Shuyi, SHEN Junxian. Important role of flying foxes (Megachiroptera) to forest ecosystem[J]. cje, 2004, (3): 115-119.

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