Seed Dispersal by Animals in Forests

Dear Colleagues,

Animal-mediated seed dispersal represents a pivotal ecological process that plays a fundamental role in forest regeneration dynamics. In recent decades, the intensification of anthropogenic land use practices, particularly cultivation activities, has substantially transformed secondary forest landscapes. These landscape modifications have precipitated a progressive decline in primary forest ecosystems, thereby exerting profound impacts on the sustainability of both plant and animal populations. For fruiting plant species, successful population regeneration is contingent upon two critical factors: the preservation of mutualistic seed dispersal interactions between plants and their animal vectors and the maintenance of functional diversity within seed disperser assemblages. In light of these ecological imperatives, the investigation of animal-mediated seed dispersal mechanisms has emerged as a central focus in contemporary ecological research. This Special Issue welcomes scholarly contributions that explore various aspects of animal-mediated seed dispersal processes in forest ecosystems, with a particular emphasis on elucidating the complex mutualistic relationships between plant species and their animal dispersers.

Prof. Dr. Ning Li
Prof. Dr. Xianfeng Yi
Dr. Zheng Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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