1
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Leal LC, Koski MH. Linking pollen limitation and seed dispersal effectiveness. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14347. [PMID: 38073068 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Seed production and dispersal are crucial ecological processes impacting plant demography, species distributions and community assembly. Plant-animal interactions commonly mediate both seed production and seed dispersal, but current research often examines pollination and seed dispersal separately, which hinders our understanding of how pollination services affect downstream dispersal services. To fill this gap, we propose a conceptual framework exploring how pollen limitation can impact the effectiveness of seed dispersal for endozoochorous and myrmecochorous plant species. We summarize the quantitative and qualitative effects of pollen limitation on plant reproduction and use Optimal Foraging Theory to predict its impact on the foraging behaviour of seed dispersers. In doing so, we offer a new framework that poses numerous hypotheses and empirical tests to investigate links between pollen limitation and seed dispersal effectiveness and, consequently, post-dispersal ecological processes occurring at different levels of biological organization. Finally, considering the importance of pollination and seed dispersal outcomes to plant eco-evolutionary dynamics, we discussed the implications of our framework for future studies exploring the demographic and evolutionary impacts of pollen limitation for animal-dispersed plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Leal
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Matthew H Koski
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
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2
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Silva GG, Pizo MA, Green AJ, Sebastián‐González E, Bugoni L, Maltchik L. A waterfowl seed‐dispersal network from the Neotropical region is nested and modular. Biotropica 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Giliandro G. Silva
- Graduate Program in Biology of Continental Aquatic Environments Universidade Federal do Rio Grande – FURG Rio Grande Brazil
| | - Marco Aurélio Pizo
- Department of Biodiversity, Institute of Biosciences Universidade Estadual Paulista Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Andy J. Green
- Department of Wetland Ecology Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD‐CSIC) Sevilla Spain
| | | | - Leandro Bugoni
- Graduate Program in Biology of Continental Aquatic Environments Universidade Federal do Rio Grande – FURG Rio Grande Brazil
| | - Leonardo Maltchik
- Graduate Program in Biology of Continental Aquatic Environments Universidade Federal do Rio Grande – FURG Rio Grande Brazil
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3
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Abundance and trait-matching both shape interaction frequencies between plants and birds in seed-dispersal networks. Basic Appl Ecol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2022.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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4
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Barrett IC, McIntosh AR, Febria CM, Graham SE, Burdon FJ, Pomeranz JPF, Warburton HJ. Integrative analysis of stressor gradients reveals multiple discrete trait‐defined axes underlie community assembly. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle C. Barrett
- School of Biological Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
- Department of Environmental Management Lincoln University Lincoln New Zealand
| | - Angus R. McIntosh
- School of Biological Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
| | - Catherine M. Febria
- School of Biological Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research (GLIER) Windsor Ontario Canada
| | - S. Elizabeth Graham
- School of Biological Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
- National Institute of Water and Atmosphere Hamilton New Zealand
| | - Francis J. Burdon
- School of Biological Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
- School of Science University of Waikato Hamilton New Zealand
| | - Justin P. F. Pomeranz
- School of Biological Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
- Department of Biology University of South Dakota Vermillion South Dakota USA
| | - Helen J. Warburton
- School of Biological Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
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5
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Pizo MA, Fontanella AB, Carlo TA, González‐Castro A. Abundance predominates over niche factors as determinant of the frequency of interactions between frugivorous birds and plants. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marco A. Pizo
- Departamento de Biodiversidade Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista Rio Claro, São Paulo Brazil
| | - Antonio B. Fontanella
- Departamento de Biodiversidade Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista Rio Claro, São Paulo Brazil
| | - Tomás A. Carlo
- Biology Department & Ecology Program Penn State University University Park Pennsylvania USA
| | - Aarón González‐Castro
- Canary Islands’ Ornithology and Natural History Group (GOHNIC) Buenavista del Norte Spain
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6
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Fuzessy L, Sobral G, Carreira D, Rother DC, Barbosa G, Landis M, Galetti M, Dallas T, Cardoso Cláudio V, Culot L, Jordano P. Functional roles of frugivores and plants shape hyper‐diverse mutualistic interactions under two antagonistic conservation scenarios. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisieux Fuzessy
- São Paulo State University UNESP Rio Claro SP Brazil
- Estación Biológica de Doñana EBD‐CSIC Sevilla Spain
| | | | - Daiane Carreira
- University of São Paulo Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" Esalq USP Piracicaba SP Brazil
| | - Débora Cristina Rother
- University of São Paulo USP São Paulo SP Brazil
- University of São Paulo Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" Esalq USP Piracicaba SP Brazil
| | | | | | - Mauro Galetti
- São Paulo State University UNESP Rio Claro SP Brazil
- Department of Biology University of Miami Coral Gables Florida USA
| | - Tad Dallas
- Louisiana State University Baton Rouge Louisiana USA
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7
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Pocock MJO, Schmucki R, Bohan DA. Inferring species interactions from ecological survey data: A mechanistic approach to predict quantitative food webs of seed feeding by carabid beetles. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:12858-12871. [PMID: 34594544 PMCID: PMC8462163 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological networks are valuable for ecosystem analysis but their use is often limited by a lack of data because many types of ecological interaction, for example, predation, are short-lived and difficult to observe or detect. While there are different methods for inferring the presence of interactions, they have rarely been used to predict the interaction strengths that are required to construct weighted, or quantitative, ecological networks.Here, we develop a trait-based approach suitable for inferring weighted networks, that is, with varying interaction strengths. We developed the method for seed-feeding carabid ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) although the principles can be applied to other species and types of interaction.Using existing literature data from experimental seed-feeding trials, we predicted a per-individual interaction cost index based on carabid and seed size. This was scaled up to the population level to create inferred weighted networks using the abundance of carabids and seeds from empirical samples and energetic intake rates of carabids from the literature. From these weighted networks, we also derived a novel measure of expected predation pressure per seed type per network.This method was applied to existing ecological survey data from 255 arable fields with carabid data from pitfall traps and plant seeds from seed rain traps. Analysis of these inferred networks led to testable hypotheses about how network structure and predation pressure varied among fields.Inferred networks are valuable because (a) they provide null models for the structuring of food webs to test against empirical species interaction data, for example, DNA analysis of carabid gut regurgitates and (b) they allow weighted networks to be constructed whenever we can estimate interactions between species and have ecological census data available. This permits ecological network analysis even at times and in places when interactions were not directly assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Reto Schmucki
- UK Centre for Ecology & HydrologyWallingford, OxfordshireUK
| | - David A. Bohan
- Agroécologie, AgroSup DijonINRAE, Université de Bourgogne Franche‐ComtéDijonFrance
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8
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Messeder JVS, Silveira FAO, Cornelissen TG, Fuzessy LF, Guerra TJ. Frugivory and seed dispersal in a hyperdiverse plant clade and its role as a keystone resource for the Neotropical fauna. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2021; 127:577-595. [PMID: 33151331 PMCID: PMC8052926 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcaa189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Much of our understanding of the ecology and evolution of seed dispersal in the Neotropics is founded on studies involving the animal-dispersed, hyperdiverse plant clade Miconia (Melastomataceae). Nonetheless, no formal attempt has been made to establish its relevance as a model system or indeed provide evidence of the role of frugivores as Miconia seed dispersers. METHODS We built three Miconia databases (fruit phenology/diaspore traits, fruit-frugivore interactions and effects on seed germination after gut passage) to determine how Miconia fruiting phenology and fruit traits for >350 species interact with and shape patterns of frugivore selection. In addition, we conducted a meta-analysis evaluating the effects of animal gut passage/seed handling on Miconia germination. KEY RESULTS Miconia produce numerous small berries that enclose numerous tiny seeds within water- and sugar-rich pulps. In addition, coexisting species provide sequential, year long availability of fruits within communities, with many species producing fruits in periods of resource scarcity. From 2396 pairwise interactions, we identified 646 animal frugivore species in five classes, 22 orders and 60 families, including birds, mammals, reptiles, fish and ants that consume Miconia fruits. Endozoochory is the main dispersal mechanism, but gut passage effects on germination were specific to animal clades; birds, monkeys and ants reduced seed germination percentages, while opossums increased it. CONCLUSIONS The sequential fruiting phenologies and wide taxonomic and functional diversity of animal vectors associated with Miconia fruits underscore the likely keystone role that this plant clade plays in the Neotropics. By producing fruits morphologically and chemically accessible to a variety of animals, Miconia species ensure short- and long-distance seed dispersal and constitute reliable resources that sustain entire frugivore assemblages.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Vitor S Messeder
- Biology Department & Ecology Program, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Centre for Ecological Synthesis and Conservation, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Fernando A O Silveira
- Centre for Ecological Synthesis and Conservation, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Tatiana G Cornelissen
- Centre for Ecological Synthesis and Conservation, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Lisieux F Fuzessy
- Departamento de Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biociências de Rio Claro, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Tadeu J Guerra
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- For correspondence. E-mail
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9
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Acevedo-Quintero JF, Saldaña-Vázquez RA, Mendoza E, Zamora-Abrego JG. Sampling bias affects the relationship between structural importance and species body mass in frugivore-plant interaction networks. ECOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecocom.2020.100870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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10
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da Frota AVB, Vitorino BD, Nunes JRDS, da Silva CJ. Main trends and gaps in studies for bird conservation in the Pantanal wetland. NEOTROPICAL BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION 2020. [DOI: 10.3897/neotropical.15.e52905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Birds are considered one of the most well-known groups of animals in the Pantanal, playing an important ecological role in wetland ecosystems. Our aim was to identify the main themes and gaps in current knowledge of these birds, considering thirty years of scientific research to direct future studies. We performed a scientometric analysis based on five platforms with the search words “Aves” and “Pantanal” as well as “Bird” and “Pantanal”. We identified 145 scientific studies, with themes of ecology (64), conservation (23), health (17), fauna (15), genetics (12), geographic distribution (7), and environmental education (7). The number of publications has increased significantly over the years. However, the focus is predominantly on certain Pantanal regions, such as the municipalities of Corumbá in Mato Grosso do Sul state and Poconé in Mato Grosso state. Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus and Mycteria americana are among the species with the largest number of studies in the Pantanal, with 12 and 11 papers, respectively. We highlighted the need for new studies in regions such as the north-west and themes such as threatened species and ecosystem services. Integrated knowledge and interdisciplinary approaches can be useful in strategic decision-making and more effective for bird conservation in wetlands.
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11
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Sorensen MC, Donoso I, Neuschulz EL, Schleuning M, Mueller T. Community‐wide seed dispersal distances peak at low levels of specialisation in size‐structured networks. OIKOS 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marjorie C. Sorensen
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre Frankfurt Germany
- Dept of Integrative Biology, Univ. of Guelph Guelph ON Canada
| | - Isabel Donoso
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre Frankfurt Germany
| | | | | | - Thomas Mueller
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre Frankfurt Germany
- Dept of Biological Sciences, Goethe Univ. Frankfurt Frankfurt Germany
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12
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Acevedo-Quintero JF, Zamora-Abrego JG, García D. From structure to function in mutualistic interaction networks: Topologically important frugivores have greater potential as seed dispersers. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:2181-2191. [PMID: 32495479 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Networks of mutualistic interactions between animals and plants are considered a pivotal part of ecological communities. However, mutualistic networks are rarely studied from the perspective of species-specific roles, and it remains to be established whether those animal species more relevant for network structure also contribute more to the ecological functions derived from interactions. Here, we relate the contribution to seed dispersal of vertebrate species with their topological role in frugivore-plant interaction networks. For one year in two localities with remnant patches of Colombian tropical dry forest, we sampled abundance, morphology, behaviour and fruit consumption from fleshy-fruited plants of various frugivore species. We assessed the network topological role of each frugivore species by integrating their degree of generalization in interactions with plants with their contributions to network nestedness and modularity. We estimated the potential contribution of each frugivore species to community-wide seed dispersal, on the basis of a set of frugivore ecological, morphological and behavioural characteristics important for seed dispersal, together with frugivore abundance and frugivory degree. The various frugivore species showed strong differences in their network structural roles, with generalist species contributing the most to network modularity and nestedness. Frugivores also showed strong variability in terms of potential contribution to seed dispersal, depending on the specific combinations of frugivore abundance, frugivory degree and the different traits and behaviours. For both localities, the seed dispersal potential of a frugivore species responded positively to its contribution to network structure, evidencing that the most important frugivore species in the network topology were also those making the strongest contribution as seed dispersers. Contribution to network structure was correlated with frugivore abundance, diet and behavioural characteristics. This suggests that the species-level link between structure and function is due to the fact that the occurrence of frugivore-plant interactions depends largely on the characteristics of the frugivore involved, which also condition its ultimate role in seed dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Fernando Acevedo-Quintero
- Departamento de Ciencias Forestales, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Joan Gastón Zamora-Abrego
- Departamento de Ciencias Forestales, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Daniel García
- Departmento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas, Unidad Mixta de Investigación en Biodiversidad (CSIC-Uo-PA), Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
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13
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Messeder JVS, Guerra TJ, Dáttilo W, Silveira FAO. Searching for keystone plant resources in fruit‐frugivore interaction networks across the Neotropics. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- João Vitor S. Messeder
- Departamento de Botânica Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Minas Gerais Brazil
- Center for Ecological Synthesis and Conservation Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Tadeu J. Guerra
- Departamento de Botânica Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Wesley Dáttilo
- Red de Ecoetología Instituto de Ecología A.C. Veracruz Mexico
| | - Fernando A. O. Silveira
- Center for Ecological Synthesis and Conservation Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Minas Gerais Brazil
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14
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Marjakangas E, Abrego N, Grøtan V, Lima RAF, Bello C, Bovendorp RS, Culot L, Hasui É, Lima F, Muylaert RL, Niebuhr BB, Oliveira AA, Pereira LA, Prado PI, Stevens RD, Vancine MH, Ribeiro MC, Galetti M, Ovaskainen O. Fragmented tropical forests lose mutualistic plant–animal interactions. DIVERS DISTRIB 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Emma‐Liina Marjakangas
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim Norway
| | - Nerea Abrego
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim Norway
- Department of Agricultural Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Vidar Grøtan
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim Norway
| | - Renato A. F. Lima
- Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo Brazil
| | - Carolina Bello
- Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Ricardo S. Bovendorp
- Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Laurence Culot
- Departamento de Zoologia e Centro de Aquicultura Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Érica Hasui
- Instituto de Ciências da Natureza Universidade Federal de Alfenas Alfenas Brazil
| | - Fernando Lima
- Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
- IPÊ – Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas Nazaré Paulista Brazil
| | - Renata Lara Muylaert
- Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Bernardo Brandão Niebuhr
- Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Alexandre A. Oliveira
- Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo Brazil
| | - Lucas Augusto Pereira
- Departamento de Zoologia e Centro de Aquicultura Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Paulo I. Prado
- Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo Brazil
| | - Richard D. Stevens
- Department of Natural Resources Management Texas Tech University Lubbock TX USA
- Museum of Texas Tech University Lubbock TX USA
| | - Maurício Humberto Vancine
- Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Milton Cezar Ribeiro
- Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Mauro Galetti
- Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
- Department of Biology University of Miami Miami FL USA
| | - Otso Ovaskainen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim Norway
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
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15
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How do fruit productivity, fruit traits and dietary specialization affect the role of birds in a mutualistic network? JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467419000178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
AbstractMany plant traits might explain the different ecological and network roles of fruit-eating birds. We assessed the relationship of plant productivity, fruit traits (colour, seed size and nutritional quality) and dietary specialization, with the network roles of fruit-eating birds (number of partners, centrality and selectivity) in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil. We classified bird species according to their dietary specialization into three categories: obligate, partial and opportunistic fruit-eating birds. To test if network roles changed according to dietary specialization, fruit productivity and traits, we used a generalized linear model analysis. The selected 14 species of plant interacted with 52 bird species, which consumed 2199 fruits. The most central and generalist fruit-eating bird, Turdus albicolis, interacted with plants that produced more fruits, such as Miconia cinerascens, and had, on average, larger seeds, such as Myrcia splendens. The most selective birds interacted with fruits with a higher concentration of lipids and less intense colour, and plants that produced fewer fruits. Obligate fruit-eating birds, such as Patagioenas plumbea, were more selective than partial and opportunistic birds. Different plant traits are therefore related to the different network roles of fruit-eating birds in the Atlantic Forest, which are also dependent on bird dietary specialization.
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16
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Naniwadekar R, Chaplod S, Datta A, Rathore A, Sridhar H. Large frugivores matter: Insights from network and seed dispersal effectiveness approaches. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:1250-1262. [PMID: 31063251 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
While large avian frugivores are known to be key dispersers for large-seeded tree species, their role in community-wide plant-disperser networks is still poorly known. Large avian frugivores are also among the most threatened due to anthropogenic impacts. We evaluated the role of large avian frugivores in a plant-disperser community by (a) determining whether the plant-disperser community was modular, with a distinct community of large frugivores (thereby highlighting their importance), (b) determining relative qualitative and quantitative roles played by large-bodied frugivores vis-à-vis other frugivores and (c) determining impacts of large-bodied frugivore loss on the plant-disperser community. The study was carried out at a tropical forest site in north-east India, which is part of the Eastern Himalaya Biodiversity Hotspot. We collected tree watch data (20:55 hr) from 46 tree species, which represented 85% of tree species that are predominantly bird-dispersed in the area. We found that the plant-disperser community was modular, with a distinct module of large-seeded tree species and large frugivores. Intermediate-sized frugivores such as barbets and bulbuls were the most connected, while large-sized frugivores, such as hornbills and imperial pigeons, were moderately well connected. Qualitative and quantitative roles played by different dispersers varied across the gradient of frugivore body size. Hornbills, the largest avian frugivores, consumed a significantly greater number of fruits and swallowed larger proportions of fruits compared with other avian groups. In comparison with similar-sized frugivores, imperial pigeons fed on larger-sized fruits, highlighting their importance for dispersal of large-seeded plants. Under simulated extinction scenarios, larger extinction cascades were not necessarily caused by larger frugivores; however, extinctions of certain large-bodied frugivores (hornbills, imperial pigeons) caused extinction cascades. Integrating information from networks and seed dispersal effectiveness approaches enabled a better understanding of large frugivore role in a plant-disperser community. While large-bodied frugivores may not be playing a central role in plant-disperser communities, they are crucial as seed dispersal service providers for large-seeded plants. In conjunction with the reported local extinctions of large frugivores like hornbills from the south Asian region, this study's findings highlight the irreplaceable quantitative and qualitative impacts that tropical plant communities are likely to experience in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Akanksha Rathore
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
| | - Hari Sridhar
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
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19
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Sebastián‐González E, Pires MM, Donatti CI, Guimarães PR, Dirzo R. Species traits and interaction rules shape a species-rich seed-dispersal interaction network. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:4496-4506. [PMID: 28649359 PMCID: PMC5478084 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2016] [Revised: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Species phenotypic traits affect the interaction patterns and the organization of seed-dispersal interaction networks. Understanding the relationship between species characteristics and network structure help us understand the assembly of natural communities and how communities function. Here, we examine how species traits may affect the rules leading to patterns of interaction among plants and fruit-eating vertebrates. We study a species-rich seed-dispersal system using a model selection approach to examine whether the rules underlying network structure are driven by constraints in fruit resource exploitation, by preferential consumption of fruits by the frugivores, or by a combination of both. We performed analyses for the whole system and for bird and mammal assemblages separately, and identified the animal and plant characteristics shaping interaction rules. The structure of the analyzed interaction network was better explained by constraints in resource exploitation in the case of birds and by preferential consumption of fruits with specific traits for mammals. These contrasting results when looking at bird-plant and mammal-plant interactions suggest that the same type of interaction is organized by different processes depending on the assemblage we focus on. Size-related restrictions of the interacting species (both for mammals and birds) were the most important factors driving the interaction rules. Our results suggest that the structure of seed-dispersal interaction networks can be explained using species traits and interaction rules related to simple ecological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Sebastián‐González
- Department of BiologyStanford UniversityStanfordCAUSA
- Departamento de EcologiaUniversidade de São PauloSão PauloBrazil
- Present address: Department of Applied BiologyMiguel Hernández UniversityElcheSpain
| | - Mathias M. Pires
- Departamento de EcologiaUniversidade de São PauloSão PauloBrazil
| | - Camila I. Donatti
- Department of BiologyStanford UniversityStanfordCAUSA
- The Betty and Gordon Moore Center for ScienceConservation InternationalArlingtonVAUSA
| | | | - Rodolfo Dirzo
- Department of BiologyStanford UniversityStanfordCAUSA
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