A review of durian plant-bat pollinator interactions. Issue 1 (31st December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Baqi, Aminuddin; Lim, Voon-Ching; Yazid, Hafiz; Anwarali Khan, Faisal Ali; Lian, Chong Ju; Nelson, Bryan Raveen; Sathiya Seelan, Jaya Seelan; Appalasamy, Suganthi; Mokhtar, Seri Intan; Kumaran, Jayaraj Vijaya
• Is Part Of: Journal of plant interactions. Volume 17:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: 105
• Page End: 126
• Publication Date: 2022-12-31
• Subjects: Durio zibethinus -- Pteropodidae -- plant-pollinator relationship -- ecosystem services -- Paleotropics; Plant ecophysiology -- Periodicals; Plants -- Periodicals; Toxins -- Periodicals; 581.7
• DOI: 10.1080/17429145.2021.2015466
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1742-9145

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Durian ( Durio zibethinus ) brings in princely revenue for the fruit economy in Southeast Asia, ushering the current trend of clearing forests for durian plantations. Despite the thorny fruit's popularity and increasing bat-durian papers, not many associate their vital plant-pollinator relationship. This unfamiliarity has led to the persisting negative connotations of bats as agricultural pests and worse, a disease carrier amplified by the Covid-19 pandemic. This review focuses on the bat-durian relationship comprising botanical insights and pollination ecology in relevance to the wider pteropodid-plant interactions. The majority of the studies compiled have concluded that bats are the most effective pollinator for durian than insects. Six fruit bat species (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) have been recorded pollinating durian flowers, with several other pteropodid species speculated to pollinate durian, including in non-native countries. Lastly, we address the research gaps for the bat-durian relationship, which can also be applied to other chiropterophilous plants.