44 Gene movement by bats and birds Review of gene movement by bats and birds and its potential significance for eucalypt plantation forestry S.G. Southerton1,2, P. Birt3, J. Porter4 and H.A. Ford5 1CSIRO Division of Forestry and Forest Products, PO Box E4008, Kingston ACT 2600, Australia 2Email:
[email protected] 3PO Box 108, Bellbowrie, Queensland 4070, Australia 43 Bougainvillea Ave, Indooroopilly, Queensland 4068, Australia 5Zoology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia Revised manuscript received 30 May 2003 Summary Pollen-carrying vectors are the principal agents of gene movement in eucalypt forests. Eucalypt flowers produce abundant nectar Pollen- and/or nectar-feeding lorikeets and bats and nectar-feeding and pollen and hence attract numerous visitors, especially insects honeyeaters, while less frequent visitors to eucalypt flowers than and birds. Insects vastly outnumber all other floral visitors and insects, may make a unique contribution to eucalypt population undoubtedly play a major role in pollen movement (House 1997). structure because of their capacity to move pollen large distances. While birds and bats are less frequently recorded visitors to Birds and bats may travel upwards of 50 km day–1 during feeding, eucalypt flowers than insects, some species are dependent on and further during migration or feeding bouts over several days. flowers for food. These have the capacity to transport pollen over Limited data suggest that they carry viable pollen. Several much greater distances than insects. In this paper we examine the eucalypts have adaptations favouring bird pollinators, while some foraging behaviour, and feeding and migratory movements, of species, particularly Corymbia spp., have adaptations commonly birds and bats that feed on eucalypt flowers.