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Posso SR, Brinck RRL, Ragusa-Netto J, Hepp LU, Milesi SV. How bird community responds to different ages of reforestation? Implications for restoration of a highly threatened Atlantic Forest phytophysiognomy. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2024; 96:e20220691. [PMID: 38808806 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202420220691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
We evaluated the bird composition, forest dependence, trophic guilds and avian representativeness associated with 7, 10 and 15 years old reforestations and mature forest patches in order to verify the successional process and avian contribution to the forest restoration. Analyses revealed a segregation of bird composition with a gradual increasing in forest dependent species from 7 years to mature forest. Detrended Correspondence Analysis ranged from those birds often present in semi-open habitats to forest birds, canopy frugivorous and understory insectivorous as the successional stages progressed from the most recent reforestation to the most mature. Although 7 and 10 years of reforestation had the largest composition range, the more generalist, granivorous and forest independent birds, three years were enough to have different bird diversity between them. Avifauna of 15 years patches resembled most closely that of mature forest but still lacked 18 species. In this way, we addressed: 1) planting of herbaceous/shrub and freshy-fruited species in reforestations and; 2) establish riparian forest corridors along the Paraná river to connect these reforestation patches with mature forest. These measures will allow higher avian beta-diversity to maximize the diaspores dispersed by birds to expand and accelerate the rehabilitation of this threatened for forest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sérgio Roberto Posso
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul - UFMS, LESCAN - Laboratório de Ecologia, Sistemática e Conservação de Aves Neotropicais, Av. Ranulpho Marques Leal, 3484, Distrito industrial, C.P. 210, 79620-080 Três Lagoas, MS, Brazil
| | - Rosiani R L Brinck
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul - UFMS, LESCAN - Laboratório de Ecologia, Sistemática e Conservação de Aves Neotropicais, Av. Ranulpho Marques Leal, 3484, Distrito industrial, C.P. 210, 79620-080 Três Lagoas, MS, Brazil
| | - José Ragusa-Netto
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul - UFMS, LAMCON - Laboratório de Morfogenética e Conservação, Av. Ranulpho Marques Leal, 3484, Distrito industrial, C.P. 210, 79620-080 Três Lagoas, MS, Brazil
| | - Luiz U Hepp
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul - UFMS, LABIND - Laboratório de Indicadores Ambientais, Av. Ranulpho Marques Leal, 3484, Distrito industrial, C.P. 210, 79620-080 Três Lagoas, MS, Brazil
| | - Silvia V Milesi
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul - UFMS, LABIND - Laboratório de Indicadores Ambientais, Av. Ranulpho Marques Leal, 3484, Distrito industrial, C.P. 210, 79620-080 Três Lagoas, MS, Brazil
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Durand-Bessart C, Akomo-Okoue EF, Ebang Ella GW, Porcher V, Bitome Essono PY, Bretagnolle F, Fontaine C. Local people enhance our understanding of Afrotropical frugivory networks. Curr Biol 2024; 34:1541-1548.e3. [PMID: 38452760 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Afrotropical forests are undergoing massive change caused by defaunation, i.e., the human-induced decline of animal species,1 most of which are frugivorous species.1,2,3 Frugivores' depletion and their functional disappearance are expected to cascade on tree dispersal and forest structure via interaction networks,4,5,6,7 as the majority of tree species depend on frugivores for their dispersal.8 However, frugivory networks remain largely unknown, especially in Afrotropical areas,9,10,11 which considerably limits our ability to predict changes in forest dynamics and structures using network analysis.12,13,14,15 While the academic workforce may be inadequate to fill this knowledge gap before it is too late, local ecological knowledge appears as a valuable source of ecological information and could significantly contribute to our understanding of such crucial interactions for tropical forests.16,17,18,19,20,21 To investigate potential synergies between local ecological knowledge and academic knowledge,20,21 we compiled frugivory interactions linking 286 trees to 100 frugivore species from the academic literature and local ecological knowledge coming from interviews of Gabonese forest-dependent people. Here, we showed that local ecological knowledge on frugivory interactions was substantial and original, with 39% of these interactions unknown by science. We demonstrated that combining academic and local ecological knowledge affects the functional relationship linking frugivore body mass to seed size, as well as the network structure. Our results highlight the benefits of bridging knowledge systems between academics and local communities for a better understanding of the functioning and response to perturbations of Afrotropical forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clémentine Durand-Bessart
- Biogeosciences, UMR 6282, Université Bourgogne Franche Comte-CNRS, 21000 Dijon, France; Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation, CESCO, UMR 7204, MNHN-CNRS-SU, 75005 Paris, France; SENS, IRD, CIRAD, 34000 Montpellier, France.
| | | | | | - Vincent Porcher
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain; SENS, IRD, CIRAD, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | | | - François Bretagnolle
- Biogeosciences, UMR 6282, Université Bourgogne Franche Comte-CNRS, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Colin Fontaine
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation, CESCO, UMR 7204, MNHN-CNRS-SU, 75005 Paris, France
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3
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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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Zhang J, Wang B. Intraspecific variation in seed size is mediated by seed dispersal modes and animal dispersers - evidence from a global-scale dataset. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 241:461-470. [PMID: 37858964 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Seed dispersal mechanisms play a crucial role in driving evolutionary changes in seed and fruit traits. While previous studies have primarily focussed on the mean or maximum values of these traits, there is also significant intraspecific variation in them. Therefore, it is pertinent to investigate whether dispersal mechanisms can explain intraspecific variations in these traits. Taking seed size as a case study, we compiled a global dataset comprising 3424 records of intraspecific variation in seed size (IVSS), belonging to 691 plant species and 131 families. We provided the first comprehensive quantification of dispersal mechanism effects on IVSS. Biotic-dispersed species exhibited a larger IVSS than abiotic-dispersed species. Synzoochory species had a larger IVSS than endozoochory, epizoochory, and myrmecochory species. Vertebrate-dispersed species exhibited a larger IVSS than invertebrate-dispersed species, and species dispersed by birds exhibited a larger IVSS than mammal-dispersed species. Additionally, a clear negative correlation was detected between IVSS and disperser body mass. Our results prove that the IVSS is associated with the seed dispersal mechanism. This study advances our understanding of the dispersal mechanisms' crucial role in seed size evolution, encompassing not only the mean value but also the variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyu Zhang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China
| | - Bo Wang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China
- Anhui Shengjin Lake Wetland Ecology National Long-Term Scientific Research Base, Dongzhi, Anhui, 247230, China
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Fell A, Silva T, Duthie AB, Dent D. A global systematic review of frugivorous animal tracking studies and the estimation of seed dispersal distances. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10638. [PMID: 37915807 PMCID: PMC10616751 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Seed dispersal is one of the most important ecosystem functions globally. It shapes plant populations, enhances forest succession, and has multiple, indirect benefits for humans, yet it is one of the most threatened processes in plant regeneration, worldwide. Seed dispersal distances are determined by the diets, seed retention times and movements of frugivorous animals. Hence, understanding how we can most effectively describe frugivore movement and behaviour with rapidly developing animal tracking technology is key to quantifying seed dispersal. To assess the current use of animal tracking in frugivory studies and to provide a baseline for future studies, we provide a comprehensive review and synthesis on the existing primary literature of global tracking studies that monitor movement of frugivorous animals. Specifically, we identify studies that estimate dispersal distances and how they vary with body mass and environmental traits. We show that over the last two decades there has been a large increase in frugivore tracking studies that determine seed dispersal distances. However, some taxa (e.g. reptiles) and geographic locations (e.g. Africa and Central Asia) are poorly studied. Furthermore, we found that certain morphological and environmental traits can be used to predict seed dispersal distances. We demonstrate that flight ability and increased body mass both significantly increase estimated seed dispersal mean and maximum distances. Our results also suggest that protected areas have a positive effect on mean seed dispersal distances when compared to unprotected areas. We anticipate that this review will act as a reference for future frugivore tracking studies, specifically to target current taxonomic and geographic data gaps, and to further explore how seed dispersal relates to key frugivore and fruit traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Fell
- Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of StirlingStirlingUK
| | - Thiago Silva
- Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of StirlingStirlingUK
| | - A. Bradley Duthie
- Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of StirlingStirlingUK
| | - Daisy Dent
- Department of Environmental Systems ScienceInstitute of Integrative Biology, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Max Planck Institute for Animal BehaviourKonstanzGermany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteBalboaPanama
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Mokotjomela TM, Vukeya LR, Pamla L, Scott Z. The critical role of coastal protected areas in buffering impacts of extreme climatic conditions on bird diversity and their ecosystem services' provisioning in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10452. [PMID: 37869441 PMCID: PMC10587736 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we documented the diversity of bird species in the Eastern Cape coastal nature reserves (i.e., Hluleka, Dwesa, Silaka and Mkhambati nature reserves), and determined the potential role of each bird species in habitat maintenance using two functional traits (i.e., body mass and feeding mode) as the function's proxy. We applied the timed species count approach during bird observations, coupled with drive-by surveys to maximise spatial coverage of each nature reserve over four years. To evaluate functional diversity, bird species were classified based on functional traits such as the adult body, and their potential ecological role derived from their feeding mode and habitat associations. Over 864 h, we accumulated 818 bird records containing 178 different bird species that were classified into 58 families with 32 species occurring in all nature reserves. Shannon-Wiener Diversity Indices showed very high overall species diversity across the nature reserves (H > 3.5) with no differences detected across sites. Although no significant correlations between vegetation changes measured through Normalised Difference vegetation Index (NDVI) in each nature reserve and the number of bird records, forest bird species were dominant (42.1%; N = 178) throughout years of observation and diversity remained high (H > 3.5). Bird species abundance only increased significantly across all nature reserves during 2018-2019. All four nature reserves had a similar distribution of bird functional traits with both high functional richness (FRic = 1), and divergence (FDiv = 0.8) and moderate evenness (FEve = 0.4). Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) demonstrated a positive correlation between bird sizes and functions with large birds mainly associated with predators and carrion. Small birds and medium birds had a similar composition of species in terms of functionality being seed dispersers across the nature reserves. A significant effect that insectivores and carrions displayed in MCA plots, suggest the availability of indirect pollination services. Despite extreme drought conditions across the country in 2019, NDVI levels remained largely consistent over time in these four reserves; and thus, they offer important refuge for birds during extreme climatic conditions such as drought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thabiso Michael Mokotjomela
- South Africa National Biodiversity InstituteFree State National Botanical GardenBloemfonteinSouth Africa
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalPietermaritzburgSouth Africa
| | | | - Lwandiso Pamla
- Scientific Services UnitEastern Cape Parks and Tourism AgencyEast LondonSouth Africa
| | - Zimbini Scott
- South Africa National Biodiversity InstituteFree State National Botanical GardenBloemfonteinSouth Africa
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Nevo O, Filla C, Valenta K, Schupp EW. What drives seed dispersal effectiveness? Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10459. [PMID: 37664501 PMCID: PMC10468987 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Seed dispersal is a critical phase in plant reproduction and forest regeneration. In many systems, the vast majority of woody species rely on seed dispersal by fruit-eating animals. Animals differ in their size, movement patterns, seed handling, gut physiology, and many other factors that affect the number of seeds they disperse, the quality of treatment each individual seed receives, and consequently their relative contribution to plant fitness. The seed dispersal effectiveness framework (SDE) was developed to allow systematic and standardized quantification of these processes, offering a potential for understanding the large-scale dynamics of animal-plant interactions and the ecological and evolutionary consequences of animal behavior for plant reproductive success. Yet, despite its wide acceptance, the SDE framework has primarily been employed descriptively, almost always in the context of local systems. As such, the drivers of variation in SDE across systems and the relationship between its components remain unknown. We systematically searched studies that quantified endozoochorous SDE for multiple animal species dispersing one or more plant species in a given system and offered an integrative examination of the factors driving variation in SDE. Specifically, we addressed three main questions: (a) Is there a tradeoff between high dispersal quality and quantity? (b) Does animal body mass affect SDE or its main components? and (c) What drives more variation in SDE, seed dispersal quality, or quantity? We found that: (a) the relationship between quality and quantity is mediated by body size; (b) this is the result of differential relationships between body mass and the two components, while total SDE is unaffected by body mass; (c)neither quality nor quantity explain more variance in SDE globally. Our results also highlight the need for more standardized data to assess large-scale patterns in SDE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omer Nevo
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiodiversityFriedrich Schiller University JenaJenaGermany
| | - Caitlynn Filla
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Kim Valenta
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Eugene W. Schupp
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology CenterUtah State UniversityLoganUtahUSA
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD‐CSIC)Integrative Ecology GroupSevillaSpain
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8
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Durand‐Bessart C, Cordeiro NJ, Chapman CA, Abernethy K, Forget P, Fontaine C, Bretagnolle F. Trait matching and sampling effort shape the structure of the frugivory network in Afrotropical forests. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 237:1446-1462. [PMID: 36377098 PMCID: PMC10108259 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Frugivory in tropical forests is a major ecological process as most tree species rely on frugivores to disperse their seeds. However, the underlying mechanisms driving frugivore-plant networks remain understudied. Here, we evaluate the data available on the Afrotropical frugivory network to identify structural properties, as well as assess knowledge gaps. We assembled a database of frugivory interactions from the literature with > 10 000 links, between 807 tree and 285 frugivore species. We analysed the network structure using a block model that groups species with similar interaction patterns and estimates interaction probabilities among them. We investigated the species traits related to this grouping structure. This frugivory network was simplified into 14 tree and 14 frugivore blocks. The block structure depended on the sampling effort among species: Large mammals were better-studied, while smaller frugivores were the least studied. Species traits related to frugivory were strong predictors of the species composition of blocks and interactions among them. Fruits from larger trees were consumed by most frugivores, and large frugivores had higher probabilities to consume larger fruits. To conclude, this large-scale frugivory network was mainly structured by species traits involved in frugivory, and as expected by the distribution areas of species, while still being limited by sampling incompleteness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clémentine Durand‐Bessart
- Biogeosciences, UMR 6282Université Bourgogne Franche Comte‐CNRS21000DijonFrance
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la ConservationCESCO, UMR 7204, MNHN‐CNRS‐SU75005ParisFrance
| | - Norbert J. Cordeiro
- Department of Biology (mc WB 816)Roosevelt University430 S. Michigan AvenueChicagoIL60605USA
- Science & EducationThe Field Museum1400 S. Lake Shore DriveChicagoIL60605USA
| | - Colin A. Chapman
- Wilson Center1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NWWashingtonDC20004USA
- Department of AnthropologyCenter for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington UniversityWashingtonDC20037USA
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalScottsville3201PietermaritzburgSouth Africa
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal ConservationNorthwest University710069Xi'anChina
| | - Katharine Abernethy
- African Forest Ecology Group, School of Natural SciencesUniversity of StirlingStirlingFK9 4LAUK
- Institut de Recherches en Ecologie TropicaleCENARESTGros Bouquet2144LibrevilleGabon
| | - Pierre‐Michel Forget
- Muséum National d'Histoire NaturelleUMR 7179 MECADEV CNRS‐MNHN1 Avenue du Petit Château91800BrunoyFrance
| | - Colin Fontaine
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la ConservationCESCO, UMR 7204, MNHN‐CNRS‐SU75005ParisFrance
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9
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Effects of seed size and toucan regurgitation on the germination of the tropical tree Eugenia uniflora. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1017/s026646742200044x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Understanding the quality of seed dispersal effectiveness of frugivorous species can elucidate how endozoochory structures tropical forests. Large seeds, containing more resources for growth, and gut passage by frugivores, which remove seed pulp, both typically enhance the speed and probability of germination of tropical seeds. However, the interaction of seed size and gut passage has not been well studied. We assessed the role of two species of toucans (Ramphastos spp.) in seed germination of the tropical tree Eugenia uniflora, which produces seeds that vary considerably in size (3.7–14.3 mm), using 151 control and 137 regurgitated seeds in germination trials. We found that toucan regurgitation did not increase germination success, although 93.4% germinated compared to 76.8% of control seeds; however, larger seeds germinated more often at faster rates. Although only marginally significant, germination rates were 3.6× faster when seeds were both large and regurgitated by toucans, demonstrating that toucan regurgitation can disproportionally benefit larger E. uniflora seeds. As tropical forests are increasingly disturbed and fragmented by human activities, the ability of toucans to continue providing seed dispersal services to degraded habitats may be vital to the persistence of many tropical plants that contain larger seeds and depend on larger dispersers.
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Body mass determines the role of mammal species in a frugivore-large fruit interaction network in a Neotropical savanna. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467422000505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Frugivorous mammals play an important role in maintaining biodiversity and are considered one of the main dispersers of large seeds. In this study, we describe the structure of the interaction network between non-flying mammals and seven plant species with large fruits in a megadiverse savanna-forest mosaic in the Brazilian Cerrado. We also evaluated the individual contribution of each species to the organization of the interaction network and tested whether body mass determined the mammals’ role in the network. To record frugivory events of mammals with arboreal and terrestrial habits, camera traps were installed at ground and canopy levels. We identified 18 mammal species interacting with seven plant species in 515 frugivory events. Our observations highlight an interaction network with a modular and non-nested topology and the important role of large mammals in the network structure, which reflects the importance of the group in potential seed dispersal. The extinction of large frugivorous mammals can cause several damages to ecosystem services in the Brazilian Cerrado through changes in network structure, especially threatening the survival of plant species with large fruits.
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11
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Bonfim FCG, Dodonov P, Guimarães PR, Cazetta E. Habitat loss shapes the structure and species roles in tropical plant–frugivore networks. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09399] [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]
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando César Gonçalves Bonfim
- Graduate Program in Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation, Applied Ecology and Conservation Lab, Univ. Estadual de Santa Cruz Ilhéus Brazil
| | - Pavel Dodonov
- Graduate Program in Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation, Applied Ecology and Conservation Lab, Univ. Estadual de Santa Cruz Ilhéus Brazil
- Spatial Ecology Lab, Inst. of Biology, Federal Univ. of Bahia Salvador Brazil
| | - Paulo R. Guimarães
- Depto de Ecologia, Inst. de Biociências, Univ. de São Paulo São Paulo Brazil
| | - Eliana Cazetta
- Graduate Program in Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation, Applied Ecology and Conservation Lab, Univ. Estadual de Santa Cruz Ilhéus Brazil
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12
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Manhães MA, de Lima WO, Palácio FB. Variation in bird taxonomic distinctness, but not body mass or niche overlap, explains the robustness of Neotropical seed dispersal networks. ANIM BIOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1163/15707563-bja10086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Frugivory and seed dispersal are fundamental ecological processes for the maintenance and conservation of tropical forest areas and ecosystem resilience. Here we investigated factors that could affect the relationship between frugivorous birds and fruit consumption, such as body mass, niche relationships, and species taxonomic groups, and the effects of such factors on the robustness of mutualistic bird-plant interaction networks. More specifically, we used Horn-Morisita niche overlap, the body mass coefficient of variation, and the variation in taxonomic distinctness index (varTD) as explanatory variables, and we applied multiple linear regression to test the that increased robustness in bird-plant frugivory networks occurs where birds have larger trophic niche overlaps and lower body mass variations and decreased robustness where they are more taxonomically diverse, in response to less functional redundancy. The analysis was based on literature data and fecal samples of birds collected after mist netting procedures. Bird body mass and niche overlap did not explain the variation in robustness in seed dispersal networks. However, different from expected, the results showed an effect of variations in taxonomic distinctness, suggesting that the larger the taxonomic distinctness of birds in a frugivore assemblage, the larger the robustness of the networks. Some hypotheses were suggested to explain this effect. Regardless of the factors that lead varTD to favor the robustness of mutualistic bird-plant networks, the results demonstrated that conserving diversity above the species level, and not just species limited to a few taxonomic groups, can be an important strategy for ecosystem conservation over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco A. Manhães
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, s/n – Campus Universitário, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, 36036-900, Brazil
| | - Wesley O. de Lima
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação da Natureza, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, s/n – Campus Universitário, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, 36036-900, Brazil
| | - Fábio B. Palácio
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação da Natureza, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, s/n – Campus Universitário, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, 36036-900, Brazil
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13
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Vukeya LR, Mokotjomela TM, Malebo NJ, Saheed O. Seed dispersal phenology of encroaching woody species in the Free State National Botanical Garden, South Africa. Afr J Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.13013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Loyd R. Vukeya
- South Africa National Biodiversity Institute Free State National Botanical Garden Bloemfontein South Africa
- Faculty of Health and Environmental Science Central University of Technology Bloemfontein South Africa
| | - Thabiso M. Mokotjomela
- Centre for Invasion Biology, South Africa National Biodiversity Institute Free State National Botanical Garden Bloemfontein South Africa
- School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal Pietermaritzburg South Africa
| | - Ntsoaki J. Malebo
- Faculty of Health and Environmental Science Central University of Technology Bloemfontein South Africa
| | - Oke Saheed
- Faculty of Health and Environmental Science Central University of Technology Bloemfontein South Africa
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Nie S, Zhou L, Xu W. Effect of Seed Traits and Waterbird Species on the Dispersal Effectiveness of Wetland Plants. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:629. [PMID: 35625357 PMCID: PMC9137643 DOI: 10.3390/biology11050629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Seed dispersal is an important ecological process in wetland ecosystems and helps maintain community structure and ecosystem biodiversity. Waterbird-mediated endozoochory is an effective and feasible dispersal mechanism for wetland plants; however, the influence of vectors and seed traits on this mechanism remains unclear. To investigate the effects of vector species and seed traits (length and lignin) on retention time, retrieval and germination of gut-surviving seeds, we fed Baikal teals (Anas formosa) and green-winged teals (Anas crecca) eight common plant seeds (Polygonum aviculare, Rumex dentatus, Polygonum orientale, Vallisneria natans, Ranunculus polii, Polygonum hydropiper, Carex cinerascen and Euphrasia pectinata) in the Shengjin Lake wetland (a Ramsar site). We collected fecal samples at intervals of 2-6 h for 36 h, and found that the percentage of recovered seeds differed significantly among teal and plant species (3%~30%); 94% of viable seeds were recovered within 12 h after feeding. Moreover, the germination rate of the recovered seeds (25%~56%) was higher than that of the control. The seed retention time was affected by seed lignin and disperser species; higher lignin made digestion difficult with higher retrieval. Smaller seeds passed through the guts but had no significant effect on recovered seeds. Seed length and disperser species showed no significant correlation with germination. These findings suggested endozoochory by dabbling ducks as an effective wetland seed dispersal mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenghong Nie
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China;
- Anhui Shengjin Lake Wetland Ecology National Long-Term Scientific Research Base, Chizhou 247230, China;
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Lizhi Zhou
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China;
- Anhui Shengjin Lake Wetland Ecology National Long-Term Scientific Research Base, Chizhou 247230, China;
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Wenbin Xu
- Anhui Shengjin Lake Wetland Ecology National Long-Term Scientific Research Base, Chizhou 247230, China;
- Management Bureau of Anhui Shengjin Lake National Nature Reserve, Chizhou 247210, China
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15
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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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16
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Fruit Size and Structure of Zoochorous Trees: Identifying Drivers for the Foraging Preferences of Fruit-Eating Birds in a Mexican Successional Dry Forest. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11123343. [PMID: 34944120 PMCID: PMC8697955 DOI: 10.3390/ani11123343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Tropical dry forests are highly threatened by human activities such as agriculture, livestock, and selective logging. These activities have resulted in fragments of tropical dry forest under different successional stages that negatively affect the interaction between plants and fruit-eating birds. We analyzed the consumption of the fruits of zoochorous trees by birds during the dry season in a tropical dry forest and evaluated whether the horizontal and vertical structure of these trees explains fruit consumption. We also related the bird body mass and fruit size removed from zoochorous trees. We found that the tree structure can influence the visitation of fruit-eating birds, and therefore, the number of fruits consumed as the succession progresses. There was a relationship between fruit sizes and bird body mass in the successional gradient. Our results indicate that structural and fruit traits of zoochorous trees drive foraging preferences of fruit-eating birds, whose interactions in different successional stages can help to reverse the negative effects of fragmentation in tropical dry forests of the study area. Abstract Tropical dry forests (TDFs) are affected by land-use changes. These modifications impact their composition and arboreal structure, as well as the availability of food for several bird groups. In this study, we evaluated the foraging preferences in zoochorous trees of fruit-eating birds during the dry season of the year in three successional stages (early, intermediate, and mature) of TDFs in southern Mexico. The fruits of these trees are important in the diet of several birds during the dry season, a period during which food resources are significantly reduced in TDFs. We estimated foliar cover (FC) and foliage height diversity (FHD) of zoochorous trees in 123 circular plots. These variables were recognized as proxies of food availability and tree productivity. Foraging preferences were evaluated at the community level, by frugivore type, and by bird species. We evaluated the effect of the structural variables and the fruit size of zoochorous plants on fruit removal by birds and related the bird body mass and fruit size removed in the successional gradient. A total of 14 zoochorous tree species and 23 fruit-eating bird species were recorded along the successional gradient. Intermediate and mature stages showed greater fruit removal. The birds removed mainly B. longipes fruits across the three successional stages. The FHD and fruit size were important drivers in the selection of zoochorous trees and fruit removal by fruit-eating birds. Fruit size and bird body mass were positively related along the successional gradient. The results suggest that fruit removal by fruit-eating birds in the successional gradient can promote the demographic dynamics of several zoochorous tree species, especially of Bursera spp. along the TDFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Manuel Morales
- Grupo de Ecología Cuantitativa, INIBIOMA‐CONICET, Univ. Nacional del Comahue Bariloche Argentina
| | - Teresa Morán López
- Grupo de Ecología Cuantitativa, INIBIOMA‐CONICET, Univ. Nacional del Comahue Bariloche Argentina
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18
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Heleno RH, Mendes F, Coelho AP, Ramos JA, Palmeirim JM, Rainho A, de Lima RF. The upsizing of the São Tomé seed dispersal network by introduced animals. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruben H. Heleno
- Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE‐UC), Dept of Life Sciences, Univ. of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas Coimbra Portugal
| | - Filipa Mendes
- Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE‐UC), Dept of Life Sciences, Univ. of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas Coimbra Portugal
| | - Ana P. Coelho
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) and Dept of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Univ. of Lisbon Lisboa Portugal
- Dept of Biology and CESAM, Univ. of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago Aveiro Portugal
| | - Jaime A. Ramos
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) and Dept of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Univ. of Lisbon Lisboa Portugal
| | - Jorge M. Palmeirim
- Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE), Dept of Life Sciences, Univ. of Coimbra Coimbra Portugal
| | - Ana Rainho
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) and Dept of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Univ. of Lisbon Lisboa Portugal
| | - Ricardo F. de Lima
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) and Dept of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Univ. of Lisbon Lisboa Portugal
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19
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González‐Castro A, Morán‐López T, Nogales M, Traveset A. Changes in the structure of seed dispersal networks when including interaction outcomes from both plant and animal perspectives. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aarón González‐Castro
- Canary Islands Ornithology and Natural History Group (GOHNIC) Tenerife Canary Islands Spain
- Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group (CSIC‐IPNA) Tenerife Canary Islands Spain
| | - Teresa Morán‐López
- Grupo de ecología cuantitativa, INIBIOMA‐CONICET San Carlos De Bariloche Rio Negro Argentina
| | - Manuel Nogales
- Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group (CSIC‐IPNA) Tenerife Canary Islands Spain
| | - Anna Traveset
- Global Change Research Group, Inst. Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (CSIC‐UIB) Mallorca Balearic Islands Spain
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20
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Vukeya LR, Mokotjomela TM, Malebo NJ, Oke S. Interspecific competition in germination of bird-dispersed seeds in a habitat with sparse tree vegetation in South Africa. BOTANICAL STUDIES 2021; 62:10. [PMID: 34110534 PMCID: PMC8192655 DOI: 10.1186/s40529-021-00317-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND By transporting and scarifying the seeds during ingestion, avian frugivores reduce the competition with siblings, and may improve the germination which is critical for dispersal effectiveness and population recruitment. However, generally, there is limited knowledge on how deposited seeds interact/compete in the new microsite. We tested the hypothesis that the bird-dispersed seeds benefit from improved germination after their passage through the bird's gut; and we investigated the potential impact of seed density on competition at the microsites by determining whether seed density and species diversity influence germination in the Free State Province, South Africa. RESULTS Overall, the results partly supported the hypothesis. Germination trials with defecated seeds of five plant species compared with the manually depulped seeds showed that only Searsia lancea had significantly higher seed germination success and improved germination speed after passage through the bird gut while Ziziphus mucronata only benefited rapid germination. There was a significant correlation between seed size and the germination of bird-ingested seeds except in Olea subsp. africana possibly due to possession of extremely hard protective seed cover. Seed competition experiments pointed to Z. mucronata and O. subsp. africana having significant germination performance that was positively correlated to seed density and seed size while Ehretia rigida did not germinate at all. Seed species diversity in the germination trays did not have a significant impact since the seeds of two former plant species consistently displayed significantly higher germination across the competition levels. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that different plant species respond differently to seed ingestion by birds, and that further long-term tests for germination physiological responses of the seeds' samples used in this study are required since poor germination observed in other tree/shrub species cannot be attributed to competition solely.
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Affiliation(s)
- L R Vukeya
- South Africa National Biodiversity Institute, Free State National Botanical Garden, Free State, Rayton, Dan Pienaar, Danhof, P.O Box 29036, Bloemfontein, 9310, South Africa
- Faculty of Health and Environmental Science, Central University of Technology, Private Bag X20539, Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa
| | - T M Mokotjomela
- Centre for Invasion Biology, South Africa National Biodiversity Institute, Free State National Botanical Garden, Free State, Rayton, Dan Pienaar, Danhof, P.O Box 29036, Bloemfontein, 9310, South Africa.
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P/Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa.
| | - N J Malebo
- Faculty of Health and Environmental Science, Central University of Technology, Private Bag X20539, Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa
| | - S Oke
- Faculty of Health and Environmental Science, Central University of Technology, Private Bag X20539, Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa
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21
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Yang Y, Lin Y, Shi L. The effect of lizards on the dispersal and germination of Capparis spinosa (Capparaceae). PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247585. [PMID: 33635876 PMCID: PMC7909692 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Seed dispersal is a key component of the interactions between plants and animals. There is little research on the effects of lizard seed dispersal, which is more common on islands than elsewhere. In this study, the effects of the passage of Capparis spinosa seeds through Teratoscincus roborowskii lizard digestive tracts on the seed coats, water uptake rates and germination rates were investigated. In addition, the spatial patterns of fecal deposition by lizards in various microhabitats were assessed. Our results showed that the mean retention time (MRT) of mealworms was significantly longer than that of C. spinosa seeds in both adult and juvenile lizards. The defecation rate of C. spinosa tended to be lower than that of mealworms, which might be beneficial for seed dispersal. It was determined that the longer MRT of C. spinosa seeds enhanced the permeability of the seed coats, which promoted fast water uptake, broke seed dormancy and increased the seed germination rate. Furthermore, the seeds that passed through the digestive tracts of lizards were deposited in favorable germination microhabitats. By enhancing seed germination and depositing intact and viable seeds in safe potential recruitment sites, the lizard T. roborowskii acts, at least qualitatively, as an effective disperser of C. spinosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yang
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Yingying Lin
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Lei Shi
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
- * E-mail:
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22
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Naniwadekar R, Gopal A, Page N, Ghuman S, Ramachandran V, Joshi J. Large frugivores matter more on an island: Insights from island-mainland comparison of plant-frugivore communities. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:1399-1412. [PMID: 33598140 PMCID: PMC7863668 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Endozoochory, a mutualistic interaction between plants and frugivores, is one of the key processes responsible for maintenance of tropical biodiversity. Islands, which have a smaller subset of plants and frugivores when compared with mainland communities, offer an interesting setting to understand the organization of plant-frugivore communities vis-a-vis the mainland sites. We examined the relative influence of functional traits and phylogenetic relationships on the plant-seed disperser interactions on an island and a mainland site. The island site allowed us to investigate the organization of the plant-seed disperser community in the natural absence of key frugivore groups (bulbuls and barbets) of Asian tropics. The endemic Narcondam Hornbill was the most abundant frugivore on the island and played a central role in the community. Species strength of frugivores (a measure of relevance of frugivores for plants) was positively associated with their abundance. Among plants, figs had the highest species strength and played a central role in the community. Island-mainland comparison revealed that the island plant-seed disperser community was more asymmetric, connected, and nested as compared to the mainland community. Neither phylogenetic relationships nor functional traits (after controlling for phylogenetic relationships) were able to explain the patterns of interactions between plants and frugivores on the island or the mainland pointing toward the diffused nature of plant-frugivore interactions. The diffused nature is a likely consequence of plasticity in foraging behavior and trait convergence that contribute to governing the interactions between plants and frugivores. This is one of the few studies to compare the plant-seed disperser communities between a tropical island and mainland and demonstrates key role played by a point-endemic frugivore in seed dispersal on island.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Vivek Ramachandran
- National Centre for Biological SciencesTata Institute of Fundamental ResearchBengaluruIndia
| | - Jahnavi Joshi
- CSIR‐Centre for Cellular and Molecular BiologyHyderabadIndia
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