BAT-EARED BAT AND EARED BAT: a Notable Example of Plant-Animal Relationship on the Island Cuba

An interspecific relationship is the interaction that takes place between two or more individuals of different species and can manifest itself through the food chain, the use of shelter, and during reproduction-occasions when the plant provides the animal with food, shelter, or a nesting site.In tropical forests, 90 percent of trees rely on animals to disperse their seeds. In comparison, in other types of forests, 50 percent or more of trees rely on the wind to do so.These relationships between plants and animals are beneficial to both. Some animals protect plant species from their predators, while plants provide shelter. In exchange for a place to live, ants protect the plant by driving away potential predators as soon as they detect their presence.In the specific case of the Cuban Jata palm savannas, a very unique plant-animal relationship exists between the Jata palm and the Jata bat. This is the central theme of this book.