Ecology
Frugivore
An animal that primarily eats fruit. Frugivores play crucial roles in seed dispersal, carrying seeds in their gut and depositing them away from parent plants.
Biological Context
Many tropical trees depend entirely on frugivores for reproduction. Fruit bats, birds, primates, and even some fish are important frugivores. The relationship is mutualistic: plants provide nutrition; animals provide dispersal. Loss of frugivores can collapse seed dispersal networks.
Business Application
Frugivores are distribution partners who benefit from carrying your 'seeds.' Affiliate marketers, resellers, and influencers function as business frugivores—they gain from promoting products while spreading them to new markets. Designing attractive 'fruit' (incentives) is key to distribution strategy.