2.5.1. Dynamic Changes in *S.* × *hainanensis* Seeds under Natural Conditions

Three parental trees were randomly selected, and there were no *S.* × *hainanensis* trees within 50 m around the three mother trees. In order to calculate the number of fruits dropped, at the beginning of the fruit drop, every 5 days all the fruits dropped were collected and brought back to the laboratory for germination experiments until fruit dropping ceased.

One small quadrat of 1 m × 1 m was set in four regions of 1 m, 3 m, 5 m, and 10 m away from each parent tree. Thirty mature fruits covered with wire netting (mesh size was 50 mm × 50 mm) were naturally placed in each quadrat. A seed germination experiment was set up, not far from each quadrat. Eighty seeds were scattered on the ground, and the seeds were covered with a plastic mesh (mesh size was 1 mm × 1 mm). There were 3 replicates around a parental tree. The number of fruit predated by animals and seed germination rate at different distances from the parent trees were counted.
