Frugivory and seed dispersal contribute to the maintenance and regeneration of plant communities through transportation of seeds and enhancing germination through seed processing mechanisms. The effects of mammalian frugivore seed processing mechanisms on seed germination are generally well studied and the potential benefits include disinhibition (pulp removal), scarification (gut passage) and fertilisation (from faecal matrix). Nevertheless, our review found that there is bias in the comparative treatments included in seed dispersal studies through exclusion of entire fruit control groups and the fertiliser effect. In this study, we aimed to address such bias by using ecologically relevant experiments to investigate the influence of seed processing mechanisms on germination probability and latency of selected locally abundant fleshy-fruiting plant species, common in the diet of samango monkeys (Cercopithecus albogularis schwarzi), who are seed-spitters (disinhibition) and seed-swallowers (gut-passage and fertiliser effects). We designed experiments to isolate the cumulative effects of seed processing mechanisms and tested the effects of five treatments and one control treatment (entire fruit). We further assessed if exclusion of ecologically relevant seed treatments or relevant controls would affect our interpretation of the impact of the disperser on seed germination. Comparing gut passage and disinhibition indicated negative effects, whereas comparing gut passage and entire fruit controls indicated neutral effects in one species. Compared with gut passage alone, the fertiliser effects indicated positive or neutral benefits on germination probability. Our study demonstrated that the impacts of mammalian frugivores on germination may be under- or over-estimated in ecological literature where relevant treatments and meaningful controls are excluded.

节食和种子传播通过种子运输和通过种子加工机制增强发芽，从而有助于植物群落的维持和再生。哺乳动物节食种子加工机制对种子发芽的影响通常已得到很好的研究，其潜在益处包括去抑制作用（去除果肉），划痕作用（肠通过）和受精作用（来自粪便基质）。然而，我们的审查发现，通过排除整个水果对照组和肥料的作用，种子传播研究中包括的比较处理存在偏见。在这个研究中，穿山甲），它们是散种种子的种子（抑制作用）和散种种子的种子（肠胃通道和肥料的作用）。我们设计了实验来隔离种子加工机制的累积效应，并测试了五种处理和一种对照处理（整个果实）的效果。我们进一步评估了排除生态上相关的种子处理或相关控制措施是否会影响我们对分散剂对种子发芽的影响的解释。比较肠道传代和抑制作用表明了负面影响，而比较肠道传代和整个水果对照组则显示了一种物种的中性作用。与单独通过肠道相比，施肥效果对发芽率显示出正或中性的好处。