![]() In 2004, the Botanical Society of America's Plant Science Bulletin disputed Temple's research as flawed. Hershey (2004) reviewed the flaws in Temple's dodo-tambalacoque hypothesis. Catling (2001) in a summary cites Owadally and Temple (1979), and Witmer (1991). The decline of the tree may possibly be due to introduction of domestic pigs and crab-eating macaques, and competition from introduced plants. The difference in numbers is because young trees are not distinct in appearance and may easily be confused with similar species. ![]() Others have suggested the decline of the tree was exaggerated, or that other extinct animals may also have been distributing the seeds, such as giant tortoises, fruit bats or the broad-billed parrot. Temple's hypothesis that the tree required the dodo was contested. Reports made on tambalacoque seed germination by Hill (1941) and King (1946) found the seeds germinated without abrading. ![]() Temple did not try to germinate any seeds from control fruits not fed to turkeys so the effect of feeding fruits to turkeys was unclear. Temple planted the remaining ten fruits and three germinated. The remaining ten were either regurgitated or passed with the bird's feces. Seven of the fruits were crushed by the bird's gizzard. ![]() Temple (1977) force-fed seventeen tambalacoque fruits to wild turkeys. Stanley Temple hypothesized that the dodo, which became extinct in the 17th century, ate tambalacoque fruits, and only by passing through the digestive tract of the dodo could the seeds germinate. The true age could not be determined because tambalacoque has no growth rings. There were supposedly only 13 specimens left, all estimated to be about 300 years old. In 1973, it was thought that the species was becoming extinct. ![]()
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