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Mittelman P, Dracxler CM, Santos-Coutinho PRO, Pires AS. Sowing forests: a synthesis of seed dispersal and predation by agoutis and their influence on plant communities. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:2425-2445. [PMID: 34156131 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Granivorous rodents have been traditionally regarded as antagonistic seed predators. Agoutis (Dasyprocta spp.), however, have also been recognized as mutualistic dispersers of plants because of their role as scatter-hoarders of seeds, especially for large-seeded species. A closer look shows that such definitions are too simplistic for these Neotropical animals because agoutis can influence plant communities not only through seed dispersal of large seeds but also through predation of small seeds and seedlings, evidencing their dual role. Herein, we summarize the literature on plant-agouti interactions, decompose agouti seed dispersal into its quantitative and qualitative components, and discuss how environmental factors and plant traits determine whether these interactions result in mutualisms or antagonisms. We also look at the role of agoutis in a community context, assessing their effectiveness as substitutes for extinct megafaunal frugivores and comparing their ecological functions to those of other extant dispersers of large seeds. We also discuss how our conclusions can be extended to the single other genus in the Dasyproctidae family (Myoprocta). Finally, we examine agoutis' contribution to carbon stocks and summarize current conservation threats and efforts. We recorded 164 interactions between agoutis and plants, which were widespread across the plant phylogeny, confirming that agoutis are generalist frugivores. Seed mass was a main factor determining seed hoarding probability of plant species and agoutis were found to disperse larger seeds than other large-bodied frugivores. Agoutis positively contributed to carbon storage by preying upon seeds of plants with lower carbon biomass and by dispersing species with higher biomass. This synthesis of plant-agouti interactions shows that ecological services provided by agoutis to plant populations and communities go beyond seed dispersal and predation, and we identify still unanswered questions. We hope to emphasise the importance of agoutis in Neotropical forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Mittelman
- Wildlife Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Buesgenweg 3, 37077, Germany.,Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-590, Brazil
| | - Caroline Marques Dracxler
- Department of Theoretical and Computational Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, 94240, Amsterdam, 1090 GE, The Netherlands
| | - Pollyanna R O Santos-Coutinho
- Departamento de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, 23890-000, Brazil
| | - Alexandra S Pires
- Departamento de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, 23890-000, Brazil
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Rosa C, Hegel CGZ, Passamani M. Seed removal of Araucaria angustifolia by native and invasive mammals in protected areas of Atlantic Forest. BIOTA NEOTROPICA 2021. [DOI: 10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2020-1111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Araucaria Forest is one of the most threatened tropical forests in the world. Wild pig (Sus scrofa) are invasive pig that is expanding through these forests and seed removing that would be available to native fauna. Our aim was to evaluate the rates of seed Araucaria (Araucaria angustifolia) removal by both small, medium, and large mammals in areas with and without wild pig. We conducted a seed-removal experiment with three treatments differing in mammals’ access to seeds, in areas with and without the occurrence of wild pig. Similar numbers of seeds Araucaria were removed by small, medium and large mammals, even in areas with wild pig. However, we verified that seed removal by small mammals is graduate over time, while large mammals, especially wild pig, remove in one event. So, we recommend long-term studies to investigate competition between wild pig and native biota and the effects of wild pig on seed dispersal and seed survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa Rosa
- Universidade Federal de Lavras, Brasil; Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Brasil
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Silveira de Oliveira Ê, Ludwig da Fontoura Rodrigues M, Machado Severo M, Gomes dos Santos T, Kasper CB. Who's afraid of the big bad boar? Assessing the effect of wild boar presence on the occurrence and activity patterns of other mammals. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0235312. [PMID: 32663204 PMCID: PMC7360034 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Wild boar are considered one the world’s worst invasive species and linked to biodiversity loss, competition for resources, predation of native species, and habitat modifications. In this study, we use camera traps to evaluate whether the invasive wild boar had an effect on the medium-sized mammal community of a protected area in southern Brazil. Based on photographic records, we evaluated whether the presence and relative abundance of wild boar was associated with a decrease in diversity or change in activity of medium-sized mammals. All comparisons were made between samples where wild boar were present or absent. The records of each camera during a season were considered a sample. The wild boar was the fourth most common species in the study area being present in 7.8% of the photographic records. The species richness of mammals was not negatively affected by the occurrence of wild boar and most common species did not exhibit changes in the daily activity pattern. However, we recorded an increase in the time elapsed between an observation of wild boar and the record of the next species relative to the average latency period observed among other mammalian species. This average latency period was similar to that observed in the case of large predators such as Puma, and its increase could be reflective partly of the avoidance of native species to wild boar. Nevertheless, our results show that the effect of invasive wild boar on the mammal community is not large as expected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Êmila Silveira de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Biologia de Mamíferos e Aves (LABIMAVE) e Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), São Gabriel, Brazil
| | - Manoel Ludwig da Fontoura Rodrigues
- Departamento de Zoologia, Programa de Pós Graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil
| | - Magnus Machado Severo
- Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade—Ministério do Meio Ambiente (ICMBio/MMA), Mostardas/RS, Brazil
| | - Tiago Gomes dos Santos
- Laboratório de Estudos em Biodiversidade Pampiana (LEBIP), Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), São Gabriel, Brazil
| | - Carlos Benhur Kasper
- Laboratório de Biologia de Mamíferos e Aves (LABIMAVE) e Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), São Gabriel, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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4
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Meiga AYY, Christianini AV. Potential impact of mammal defaunation on the early regeneration of a large-seeded palm in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. NEOTROPICAL BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION 2020. [DOI: 10.3897/neotropical.15.e54017] [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
Defaunation, the decline in animal species and populations, is biased towards large-bodied animals that have unique roles as dispersers of large seeds. However, it is speculated that these roles may still be performed by smaller animals, such as small mammals like rodents and marsupials, that thrive in defaunated sites. We investigated if small mammals can disperse the large-seeded palm Attalea dubia. We performed the study in a well-conserved Atlantic Forest remnant in southeast Brazil that still harbours large mammals, such as tapirs. Focal observations showed that capuchin-monkeys consumed the mesocarp of the fruits and dropped the seeds beneath the plant crown thereafter. Mammals preyed on ca. 1% and removed ca. 15% of the fallen fruit/seed and deposited them up to 15 m away. Amongst them, small mammals (< 1 kg), such as the squirrel Guerlinguetus brasiliensis and non-identified nocturnal Sigmodontinae, as well as the marsupial Philander frenatus performed the bulk of interactions. Dispersal enhances recruitment, but the short distances of seed removal did not match the current spatial distribution of palm seedlings and juveniles. Recaching rates of hoarded seeds were small (2%) and unlikely to increase distances of seed dispersal achieved. Short distances of dispersal would increase plant clumpiness and negative density-dependent effects with time. Although small mammals can provide legitimate dispersal, they cannot fully replace larger frugivorous mammals and maintain long-distance seed dispersal that feeds plant metapopulation dynamics and seed gene flow.
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Smith RL, Smith P. Wild observation of infanticide and cannibalism by Azara’s Agouti (
Dasyptocta azarae
) (Mammalia: Dasyproctidae) in Paraguay. Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L. Smith
- Fundación Para La Tierra, Centro IDEAL Pilar Paraguay
- School of Biological Sciences University of Aberdeen Aberdeen Scotland
| | - Paul Smith
- Fundación Para La Tierra, Centro IDEAL Pilar Paraguay
- FAUNA Paraguay Encarnacion Paraguay
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Gómez JM, Schupp EW, Jordano P. Synzoochory: the ecological and evolutionary relevance of a dual interaction. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2018; 94:874-902. [PMID: 30467946 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Revised: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- José María Gómez
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Ctra Sacramento s/n, La Cañada de San Urbano, E-04120 Almería, Spain
| | - Eugene W Schupp
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, S. J. and Jesse E. Quinney College of Natural Resources, 5230 Old Main Hill, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5230,, U.S.A
| | - Pedro Jordano
- Departamento de Ecología Integrativa, Integrative Ecology Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avda. Americo Vespucio S/N, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain
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7
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Combined impacts of multiple non-native mammals on two life stages of a critically endangered Neotropical tree. Biol Invasions 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-018-1758-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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Milesi FA, Guichón ML, Monteverde MJ, Piudo L, Sanguinetti J. Ecological consequences of an unusual simultaneous masting ofAraucaria araucanaandChusquea culeouin North-West Patagonia, Argentina. AUSTRAL ECOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando A. Milesi
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA, UNCo-CONICET); Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Neuquén (CEAN); Ruta 61 Km. 3 8371 Junín de los Andes Argentina
| | - María Laura Guichón
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA, UNCo-CONICET); Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Neuquén (CEAN); Ruta 61 Km. 3 8371 Junín de los Andes Argentina
| | - Martín J. Monteverde
- Dirección de Ecosistemas Terrestres; Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Neuquén (CEAN); Junín de los Andes Argentina
| | - Luciana Piudo
- Dirección de Ecosistemas Terrestres; Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Neuquén (CEAN); Junín de los Andes Argentina
| | - Javier Sanguinetti
- Parque Nacional Lanín; Administración de Parques Nacionales (APN); San Martín de los Andes Argentina
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Ribeiro JF, Vieira EM. Microhabitat selection for caching and use of potential landmarks for seed recovery by a neotropical rodent. J Zool (1987) 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. F. Ribeiro
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos - Zoologia; Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS); São Leopoldo RS Brazil
| | - E. M. Vieira
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos - Zoologia; Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS); São Leopoldo RS Brazil
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Lichti NI, Steele MA, Swihart RK. Seed fate and decision‐making processes in scatter‐hoarding rodents. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015; 92:474-504. [PMID: 26587693 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Revised: 10/12/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nathanael I. Lichti
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 U.S.A
| | | | - Robert K. Swihart
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 U.S.A
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