Phenology and demography of Ficus superba of Singapore

Abstract

The reproductive and leaf production phenologies of Ficus superba in Singapore was studied. Owing to the small population size, a census of all individuals was possible, allowing estimation of potential pollinator flight distances. Syconium production is aseasonal, strongly associated with leaf change. Larger trees reproduce and undergo leaf change more frequently. One the other hand, leaf change is seasonal. Though total crop failure of pollination was rare, unpollinated syconia and parasites were common in any crop. Ficus superba demographies of man-modified and natural habitats were different probably because of niche availability, growth spurts, selective felling and natural mortality. A logistic regression model, derived from the phenological study, was used with the demographic information to identify probable reproductive individuals. Most flights occur between trees below 1.0 km apart, accounting for more than 25% of inferred flights b this probably attributable to the clumping of the coastal and insular species.