靈長類動物的種子傳播對森林樹種的更新扮演著重要角色，其傳播後種子的分布與密度，將影響種子命運，進而影響森林的更新。本研究評估台灣獼猴(Macaca cyclopis)對茄苳(Bischofia javanica)的傳播效益，藉由實際追蹤猴群所得的移動路線與活動項目，以及餵食圈養獼猴所測得種子在消化道中的滯留時間，而推估出獼猴傳播種子的距離和傳播後種子的密度。被獼猴吞下的茄苳種子經消化道後排出，同時因獼猴的移動與而被帶離母樹，平均傳播距離為258.7 公尺，最遠可達662.5 公尺。獼猴進行不同活動時所傳播的茄苳種子呈現不同的密度，移動和休息時所吐出的茄苳種子呈現非叢聚的分布，而睡覺地點排遺所形成的種子密度則顯著較高。台灣獼猴食用茄苳果實後可將其種子帶離母樹，而在白天活動時吐出的種子形成較低的種子密度。因此，台灣獼猴可視為茄苳之高效益的種子傳播者，可能影響其小苗補充。 Seed dispersal by non-human primates plays an important role in forest regeneration. The distribution and density of dispersed seeds may influence the establishment and survival of seedlings and cast a significant impact on subsequent forest regeneration. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Taiwanese macaque (Macaca cyclopis) on seed dispersal of Bischofia javanica. The dispersal distances and density of the B. javanica seeds were estimated by the gut retention time of the seeds obtained from captive macaques, and ranging behavior and activities observed in the wild macaques. The B. javanica seeds were carried away from parent trees after they were ingested by the macaques and passed through the digestive tract. The mean dispersal distance was 258.7 meters and the farthest dispersal distance for B. javanica was 662.5 meters away from the parent tree. The macaques deposited seeds in different densities when they conducted different activities. The deposited density for seeds which were spat out by the macaques during moving and resting was significantly lower than seeds deposited at the sleeping site of the macaques. Our results indicated that the Taiwanese macaque are effective seed dispersers of B. javanica since they could move seeds away from the parent trees and deposited seeds at low densities, which may reduced density-dependent mortality caused by pathogens and seed predators.
