General flowering (and subsequent mast fruiting) is unique to dipterocarp forests in Southeast Asian tropics, which occurs every few years. It offers an interesting situation for animals, as they need to cope with extreme, unpredictable supra-annual changes in food availability. Studies on animal response during general flowering/mast fruiting have largely been confined to insects; however, recently, several studies began in forests in eastern Sabah, Borneo, where large frugivores still remain. In this symposium, we compare the two phylogenetically distantly-related groups of animals, insects and large mammals, and examine their response to seasonal changes in flower/fruit availability in SE Asian tropics. We discuss the similarities and differences of the animal responses with respect to the animals' ability to cope with seasonality, including migration, life history, and fat deposition.

Commentator: Shoko Sakai (RIHN)