FSD 2010 - 1985-2010

5th International Symposium-Workshop on Frugivores and Seed Dispersal (1985-2010)

History FSD 1985-2010*

In 1985, Ted Fleming and Alejandro Estrada called an international meeting in Mexico of about 50 scientists studying the interactions between frugivores (fruit-eaters) and the seeds they disperse. The book published in 1986 resulting from this 1st International Symposium-Workshop on Frugivores and Seed Dispersal soon became a key reference for students and researchers around the world.

The 2nd and 3rd Symposium-Workshop, in Mexico (1991) and Brazil (2000), respectively, demonstrated the growth in research on this important topic. The books published in 1993 and 2002 from these conferences have also been highly important texts for scientists, students and environmental managers.

At the close of the 3rd Symposium the out-going committee decided to hold the next meeting in Australia. This provides an important opportunity for academics and managers west of the Pacific (e.g. Australia, southeast Asia) to meet with leaders in the field and new researchers from around the world, and also to demonstrate progress within this region.

The 4th International Symposium-Workshop on Frugivores and Seed Dispersal was held in July 2005 at the Nathan campus of Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia, and the proceedings were published in 2007.

During the last day of FSD2005, a vote of participants decided that FSD2010 will be held in Montpellier France, to celebrate 25 years of the Symposium-Workshop (1985-2010) and Pierre-Michel Forget accepted to chair it, invited a number of participants to help him as Academic committee, and later, invited other colleagues in France to compose the Organizing Committee.

* Based on an original text by Ronda Green, slightly adapted by Pierre-Michel Forget

2010 - Montpellier, France - Chair : Dr. Pierre-Michel Forget (MNHN)

2015 - Pietermaritzburg, South Africa - Chair : Pr. Colleen Downs (University of KwaZulu-Natal)