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Ticktin T, McGuigan A, Alo F, Balick MJ, Boraks A, Sam C, Doro T, Dovo P, Ibanez T, Naikatini A, Ranker TA, Tuiwawa MV, Wahe JP, Plunkett GM. High resilience of Pacific Island forests to a category- 5 cyclone. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 922:170973. [PMID: 38365026 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Assessing how forests respond to, and recuperate from, cyclones is critical to understanding forest dynamics and planning for the impacts of climate change. Projected increases in the intensity and frequency of severe cyclones can threaten both forests and forest-dependent communities. The Pacific Islands are subject to frequent low-intensity cyclones, but there is little information on the effects of high intensity cyclones, or on how forest stewardship practices may affect outcomes. We assess the resistance and resilience of forests in three community-stewarded sites on the island of Tanna, Vanuatu, to the wind-related effects of 2015 Category-5 Cyclone Pam, one of the most intense cyclones to make landfall globally. Drawing on transect data established pre-and post-cyclone, we (1) test whether windspeed and tree structural traits predict survival and damage intensity, and whether this varies across sites; (2) assess post-cyclone regeneration of canopy, ground cover, seedlings, and saplings, and how community composition shifts over time and across sites. In sites that sustained a direct hit, 88 % of trees were defoliated, 34 % sustained severe damage, and immediate mortality was 13 %. Initial mortality, but not severe damage, was lower in areas that received an indirect hit and had lower windspeed. Larger trees and those with lighter wood had a higher probability of uprooting and snapping, respectively. Canopy and ground cover regenerated within three years and seedling and sapling regeneration was widespread across life histories, from pioneer to mature forest species. Three species of non-native vines recruited post-cyclone but within 5 years had largely declined or disappeared with canopy closure. Tanna's historical cyclone frequency, combined with customary stewardship practices that actively maintain a diversity of species and multiplicity of regeneration pathways, are likely responsible for the island's resistance and resilience to an intense tropical cyclone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Ticktin
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA.
| | - Ashley McGuigan
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Frazer Alo
- Vanuatu National Herbarium, Vanuatu Department of Forestry, PMB 9064, Port Vila, Vanuatu
| | - Michael J Balick
- Institute of Economic Botany, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Andre Boraks
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Chanel Sam
- Vanuatu National Herbarium, Vanuatu Department of Forestry, PMB 9064, Port Vila, Vanuatu
| | - Thomas Doro
- Vanuatu National Herbarium, Vanuatu Department of Forestry, PMB 9064, Port Vila, Vanuatu
| | - Presley Dovo
- Vanuatu National Herbarium, Vanuatu Department of Forestry, PMB 9064, Port Vila, Vanuatu
| | - Thomas Ibanez
- AMAP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, CNRS, INRAE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Alivereti Naikatini
- South Pacific Regional Herbarium and Biodiversity Center, Institute of Applied Sciences, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji
| | - Tom A Ranker
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Marika V Tuiwawa
- South Pacific Regional Herbarium and Biodiversity Center, Institute of Applied Sciences, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji
| | | | - Gregory M Plunkett
- Cullman Program for Molecular Systematics, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY, USA
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2
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Novel plant-frugivore network on Mauritius is unlikely to compensate for the extinction of seed dispersers. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1019. [PMID: 36823195 PMCID: PMC9950440 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36669-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Insular communities are particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic extinctions and introductions. Changes in composition of island frugivore communities may affect seed dispersal within the native plant community, risking ecological shifts and ultimately co-extinction cascades. Introduced species could potentially mitigate these risks by replacing ecological functions of extinct species, but conclusive evidence is lacking. Here, we investigate changes in plant-frugivore interactions involving frugivorous birds, mammals and reptiles in Mauritius, an oceanic island with an exceptionally well-specified frugivore community and well-described species introduction history. We demonstrate substantial losses of binary interaction partnerships (at the species level) resulting from native species extinctions, but also gains of equal numbers of novel interactions with introduced species, potentially supporting the idea that non-native species might compensate for lost seed dispersal. However, closer investigation of animal seed handling behaviour reveals that most interactions with seed dispersers are replaced by ecologically different interactions with seed predators. Therefore, restoration of seed dispersal functionality in this novel plant-frugivore community is unlikely.
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3
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Spengler RN, Kienast F, Roberts P, Boivin N, Begun DR, Ashastina K, Petraglia M. Bearing Fruit: Miocene Apes and Rosaceous Fruit Evolution. BIOLOGICAL THEORY 2023; 18:134-151. [PMID: 37214192 PMCID: PMC10191964 DOI: 10.1007/s13752-022-00413-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Extinct megafaunal mammals in the Americas are often linked to seed-dispersal mutualisms with large-fruiting tree species, but large-fruiting species in Europe and Asia have received far less attention. Several species of arboreal Maloideae (apples and pears) and Prunoideae (plums and peaches) evolved large fruits starting around nine million years ago, primarily in Eurasia. As evolutionary adaptations for seed dispersal by animals, the size, high sugar content, and bright colorful visual displays of ripeness suggest that mutualism with megafaunal mammals facilitated the evolutionary change. There has been little discussion as to which animals were likely candidate(s) on the late Miocene landscape of Eurasia. We argue that several possible dispersers could have consumed the large fruits, with endozoochoric dispersal usually relying on guilds of species. During the Pleistocene and Holocene, the dispersal guild likely included ursids, equids, and elephantids. During the late Miocene, large primates were likely also among the members of this guild, and the potential of a long-held mutualism between the ape and apple clades merits further discussion. If primates were a driving factor in the evolution of this large-fruit seed-dispersal system, it would represent an example of seed-dispersal-based mutualism with hominids millions of years prior to crop domestication or the development of cultural practices, such as farming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert N. Spengler
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, Jena, Germany
- Domestication and Anthropogenic Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, Jena, Germany
| | - Frank Kienast
- Senckenberg Research Station of Quaternary, Palaeontology, Weimar, Germany
| | - Patrick Roberts
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, Jena, Germany
- isoTROPIC Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, Jena, Germany
| | - Nicole Boivin
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, Jena, Germany
- Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC USA
- School of Social Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - David R. Begun
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Kseniia Ashastina
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, Jena, Germany
- Domestication and Anthropogenic Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Petraglia
- Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC USA
- Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland Australia
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4
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Krishnan A, Osuri AM, Krishnadas M. Small mammals reduce distance dependence and increase seed predation risk in tropical rainforest fragments. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Aparna Krishnan
- Post‐Graduate Programme in Wildlife Biology and Conservation National Centre for Biological Sciences Bangalore Karnataka India
- Nature Conservation Foundation Mysore Karnataka India
| | | | - Meghna Krishnadas
- Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species CSIR – Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology Hyderabad Telangana India
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5
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Hale KRS, Maes DP, Valdovinos FS. Simple mechanisms of plant reproductive benefits yield different dynamics in pollination and seed dispersal mutualisms. Am Nat 2022; 200:202-216. [DOI: 10.1086/720204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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6
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Hale KRS, Valdovinos FS. Ecological theory of mutualism: Robust patterns of stability and thresholds in two-species population models. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:17651-17671. [PMID: 35003630 PMCID: PMC8717353 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutualisms are ubiquitous in nature, provide important ecosystem services, and involve many species of interest for conservation. Theoretical progress on the population dynamics of mutualistic interactions, however, comparatively lagged behind that of trophic and competitive interactions, leading to the impression that ecologists still lack a generalized framework to investigate the population dynamics of mutualisms. Yet, over the last 90 years, abundant theoretical work has accumulated, ranging from abstract to detailed. Here, we review and synthesize historical models of two-species mutualisms. We find that population dynamics of mutualisms are qualitatively robust across derivations, including levels of detail, types of benefit, and inspiring systems. Specifically, mutualisms tend to exhibit stable coexistence at high density and destabilizing thresholds at low density. These dynamics emerge when benefits of mutualism saturate, whether due to intrinsic or extrinsic density dependence in intraspecific processes, interspecific processes, or both. We distinguish between thresholds resulting from Allee effects, low partner density, and high partner density, and their mathematical and conceptual causes. Our synthesis suggests that there exists a robust population dynamic theory of mutualism that can make general predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla R. S. Hale
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Fernanda S. Valdovinos
- Department of Environmental Science and PolicyUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
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7
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Rogers HS, Donoso I, Traveset A, Fricke EC. Cascading Impacts of Seed Disperser Loss on Plant Communities and Ecosystems. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, AND SYSTEMATICS 2021. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-012221-111742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Seed dispersal is key to the persistence and spread of plant populations. Because the majority of plant species rely on animals to disperse their seeds, global change drivers that directly affect animals can cause cascading impacts on plant communities. In this review, we synthesize studies assessing how disperser loss alters plant populations, community patterns, multitrophic interactions, and ecosystem functioning. We argue that the magnitude of risk to plants from disperser loss is shaped by the combination of a plant species’ inherent dependence on seed dispersal and the severity of the hazards faced by their dispersers. Because the factors determining a plant species’ risk of decline due to disperser loss can be related to traits of the plants and dispersers, our framework enables a trait-based understanding of change in plant community composition and ecosystem functioning. We discuss how interactions among plants, among dispersers, and across other trophic levels also mediate plant community responses, and we identify areas for future research to understand and mitigate the consequences of disperser loss on plants globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haldre S. Rogers
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA
| | - Isabel Donoso
- Global Change Research Group, Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies, 07190 Esporles, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anna Traveset
- Global Change Research Group, Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies, 07190 Esporles, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Evan C. Fricke
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
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8
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Bombaci SP, Innes J, Kelly D, Flaherty V, Pejchar L. Excluding mammalian predators increases bird densities and seed dispersal in fenced ecosanctuaries. Ecology 2021; 102:e03340. [PMID: 33709447 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Islands are epicenters of animal extinctions and population declines. These losses exacerbate biodiversity loss and disrupt ecological services in areas of high endemism. Island defaunation is primarily driven by invasive mammalian predators, and mammal eradications are reversing population declines for some island species. Invasive mammal eradications may also have the capacity to restore ecological interactions, along with the recovery of island fauna. Here we show that invasive mammal eradication in fenced ecosanctuaries results in higher rates of bird foraging on fruit, and higher bird-mediated seed dispersal, than in similar forests without mammal eradication. We further show that higher foraging and seed dispersal is related to higher densities of native bird species, after accounting for natural variation in fruit availability. For the many other systems globally that are under threat from invasive mammals, New Zealand's fenced ecosanctuary model offers a promising tool for restoring biodiversity and ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara P Bombaci
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523, USA
| | - John Innes
- Manaaki Whenua, Landcare Research, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Dave Kelly
- Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand
| | - Victoria Flaherty
- College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 43210, USA
| | - Liba Pejchar
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523, USA
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9
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Spengler RN, Petraglia M, Roberts P, Ashastina K, Kistler L, Mueller NG, Boivin N. Exaptation Traits for Megafaunal Mutualisms as a Factor in Plant Domestication. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:649394. [PMID: 33841476 PMCID: PMC8024633 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.649394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Megafaunal extinctions are recurring events that cause evolutionary ripples, as cascades of secondary extinctions and shifting selective pressures reshape ecosystems. Megafaunal browsers and grazers are major ecosystem engineers, they: keep woody vegetation suppressed; are nitrogen cyclers; and serve as seed dispersers. Most angiosperms possess sets of physiological traits that allow for the fixation of mutualisms with megafauna; some of these traits appear to serve as exaptation (preadaptation) features for farming. As an easily recognized example, fleshy fruits are, an exaptation to agriculture, as they evolved to recruit a non-human disperser. We hypothesize that the traits of rapid annual growth, self-compatibility, heavy investment in reproduction, high plasticity (wide reaction norms), and rapid evolvability were part of an adaptive syndrome for megafaunal seed dispersal. We review the evolutionary importance that megafauna had for crop and weed progenitors and discuss possible ramifications of their extinction on: (1) seed dispersal; (2) population dynamics; and (3) habitat loss. Humans replaced some of the ecological services that had been lost as a result of late Quaternary extinctions and drove rapid evolutionary change resulting in domestication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert N. Spengler
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Petraglia
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany
- Department of Anthropology, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, United States
- School of Social Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Patrick Roberts
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany
| | - Kseniia Ashastina
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany
| | - Logan Kistler
- Department of Anthropology, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Natalie G. Mueller
- Department of Archaeology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Nicole Boivin
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany
- Department of Anthropology, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, United States
- School of Social Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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10
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Lim JY, Svenning JC, Göldel B, Faurby S, Kissling WD. Frugivore-fruit size relationships between palms and mammals reveal past and future defaunation impacts. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4904. [PMID: 32994391 PMCID: PMC7524719 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18530-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian frugivores are critical seed dispersers, but many are under threat of extinction. Futhermore, the impact of past and future defaunation on plant assemblages has yet to be quantified at the global scale. Here, we integrate palm and mammalian frugivore trait and occurrence data and reveal a global positive relationship between fruit size and frugivore body size. Global variation in fruit size is better explained by present-day frugivore assemblages than by Late Pleistocene assemblages, suggesting ecological and evolutionary reorganization after end-Pleistocene extinctions, except in the Neotropics, where some large-fruited palm species may have outlived their main seed dispersers by thousands of years. Our simulations of frugivore extinction over the next 100 years suggest that the impact of defaunation will be highest in the Old World tropics, and an up to 4% assemblage-level decrease in fruit size would be required to maintain the global body size–fruit size relationship. Overall, our results suggest that while some palm species may be able to keep pace with future defaunation through evolutionary changes in fruit size, large-fruited species may be especially vulnerable to continued defaunation. Extinctions of megafauna can have cascading effects on their ecological communities. Here, Lim et al. investigate the relationships of historical and current mammalian frugivore body size with palm fruit size, then project how further mammal extinctions are likely to affect palm communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Ying Lim
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands. .,School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637551, Singapore.
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity & Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
| | - Bastian Göldel
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity & Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
| | - Søren Faurby
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, 40530, Sweden.,Gothenberg Global Biodiversity Centre, Gothenburg, 40530, Sweden
| | - W Daniel Kissling
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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11
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Carpenter JK, Wilmshurst JM, McConkey KR, Hume JP, Wotton DM, Shiels AB, Burge OR, Drake DR. The forgotten fauna: Native vertebrate seed predators on islands. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Janet M. Wilmshurst
- Manaaki Whenua ‐ Landcare Research Lincoln New Zealand
- School of Environment University of Auckland Auckland New Zealand
| | - Kim R. McConkey
- School of Natural Sciences and Engineering National Institute of Advanced StudiesIndian Institute of Science Campus Bangalore India
- School of Geography University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus Selangor Malaysia
| | - Julian P. Hume
- Department of Life Sciences Natural History Museum Herts UK
| | - Debra M. Wotton
- Moa's Ark Research Paraparaumu New Zealand
- Biological Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
| | - Aaron B. Shiels
- USDAAPHISWSNational Wildlife Research Center Fort Collins CO USA
| | | | - Donald R. Drake
- School of Life Sciences University of Hawaiʻi Honolulu HI USA
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12
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Hoskins HM, McCann NP, Jocque M, Reid N. Rapid defaunation of terrestrial mammals in a protected Neotropical cloud forest remnant. J Nat Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2020.125861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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13
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Gopal A, Mudappa D, Raman TRS, Naniwadekar R. Forest cover and fruit crop size differentially influence frugivory of select rainforest tree species in Western Ghats, India. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Gopal
- Post‐Graduate Programme in Wildlife Biology and Conservation Wildlife Conservation Society‐India National Centre for Biological Sciences Bangalore India
- Nature Conservation Foundation Mysore India
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14
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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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15
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Cuénin N, Flores O, Rivière E, Lebreton G, Reynaud B, Martos F. Great Genetic Diversity but High Selfing Rates and Short-Distance Gene Flow Characterize Populations of a Tree (Foetidia; Lecythidaceae) in the Fragmented Tropical Dry Forest of the Mascarene Islands. J Hered 2020; 110:287-299. [PMID: 30726933 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esy069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Following the global trend of deforestation and degradation, tropical dry forests in the Mascarenes archipelago on Reunion has undergone harsh reduction and fragmentation within 3 centuries of human occupation. We investigated the genetic diversity, mating system, and gene flow in fragmented populations of the native tree Foetidia mauritiana (Lecythidaceae) on Reunion, using microsatellite genotyping of adults (in- and ex situ) and seed progenies (in situ only). To test genetic isolation between the Mascarene islands, we also genotyped conspecific adults on Mauritius, and trees of Foetidia rodriguesiana on Rodrigues. We found a high genetic diversity among the trees on Reunion, but no population structure (G'ST: 0.039-0.090), and an increase of the fixation index (FIS) from adults to progenies. A subsequent analysis of mating systems from progeny arrays revealed selfing rates >50% in fragmented populations and close to 100% in lone trees. A paternity analysis revealed pollen flow ranging from 15.6 to 296.1 m within fragments. At broader scale, the populations of F. mauritiana on Reunion and Mauritius are genetically differentiated. The morphologically allied taxa F. rodriguesiana and F. mauritiana are clearly isolated. Therefore, this case study shows that genetic diversity may persist after deforestation, especially in long-lived tree species, but the reproductive features may be deeply altered during this process. This would explain the low seed production and the absence of recruitment in F. mauritiana. Restoration programs should take into account these features, as well as the importance that trees ex situ represent in restoring and conserving diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Cuénin
- CIRAD, UMR PVBMT, Saint-Pierre, La Réunion, France.,Université de La Réunion, UMR PVBMT, Saint-Pierre, La Réunion, France
| | - Olivier Flores
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PVBMT, Saint-Pierre, La Réunion, France
| | - Eric Rivière
- CIRAD, UMR PVBMT, Saint-Pierre, La Réunion, France
| | | | - Bernard Reynaud
- CIRAD, UMR PVBMT, Saint-Pierre, La Réunion, France.,Université de La Réunion, UMR PVBMT, Saint-Pierre, La Réunion, France
| | - Florent Martos
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), MNHN, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
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16
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Godínez‐Alvarez H, Ríos‐Casanova L, Peco B. Are large frugivorous birds better seed dispersers than medium- and small-sized ones? Effect of body mass on seed dispersal effectiveness. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:6136-6143. [PMID: 32607219 PMCID: PMC7319144 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Frugivorous birds vary in seed dispersal effectiveness (SDE) depending on their body mass. It has been suggested that large birds are more effective dispersers than small ones because they consume a large number of fruits, disperse seeds of distinct sizes, and transport seeds over long distances. Yet, few studies have evaluated the impact of body mass on SDE of birds. In this study, we compiled one database for the quantity (i.e., frequency of visits to plants and number of seeds removed per visit) and quality (i.e., germination of seeds after gut passage and gut retention time of seeds) of seed dispersal by frugivorous birds to evaluate the impact of body mass on SDE. In addition, we compiled data on plant characteristics such as life-form, fruit type, number of seeds per fruit, and size of seed to evaluate their influence on the quantity and quality of seed dispersal. Data were analyzed with linear mixed effects models and quantile regressions to evaluate the relationship between body mass of birds and quantity, quality, and SDE, in addition to the influence of plant characteristics on SDE. The body mass of birds was negatively related to the frequency of visits to plants. Furthermore, it was positively related to the number of seeds removed per visit, although negatively related to seed size. The life-form of plants was the only factor explaining the germination of seeds after gut passage. Yet, the body mass of birds was positively related to the gut retention time of seeds. Small and medium birds have a relatively higher SDE than large birds. These results differ from the assertion that large birds are more effective dispersers of plants. Small and medium birds are also effective dispersers of plants that should be preserved and protected from the impact of human activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Héctor Godínez‐Alvarez
- Unidad de BiologíaTecnología y PrototiposFacultad de Estudios Superiores IztacalaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoTlalnepantlaMéxico
| | - Leticia Ríos‐Casanova
- Unidad de BiologíaTecnología y PrototiposFacultad de Estudios Superiores IztacalaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoTlalnepantlaMéxico
| | - Begoña Peco
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio GlobalDepartamento de EcologíaUniversidad Autónoma de MadridMadridEspaña
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17
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MacDonald SE, Ward MP, Sperry JH. Manipulating social information to promote frugivory by birds on a Hawaiian Island. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 29:e01963. [PMID: 31247121 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 05/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Animals across a range of taxa use social information when foraging. Fruit-eating vertebrates are no exception and use social information to find fruit, which may ultimately affect plant populations via seed dispersal. In many systems, mutualistic relationships between fruiting plants and frugivores are critical to maintain ecosystem functioning, especially in the tropics. On the island of O'ahu, Hawaii, USA, all native, fruit-eating birds are extinct and several plant species are experiencing reduced recruitment likely due to a lack of seed dispersal. Over the years, numerous bird species, many of which are frugivorous, have been introduced to the island. Yet, introduced birds may not recognize native fruits as a resource and social information may be needed for introduced frugivores to target and feed on native fruits. We investigated whether social information, in the form of broadcasted bird vocalizations, of introduced birds could increase visitations and more importantly frugivory on focal fruiting plants. We also tested whether the visitation rates of introduced bird species to focal plants were influenced by conspecific and/or heterospecific vocalizations. We conducted 80 playback experiments at native and introduced fruiting plants, and compared responses to silent control periods. Four times as many frugivores were detected and 10 times more frugivory events were recorded at plants with broadcasted vocalizations compared to control periods. The Japanese White-eye (Zosterops japonicus) exhibited the strongest response to both conspecific and heterospecific playbacks. White-eyes also consumed the most fruit from the widest array of plant species during trials. Introduced birds that use social information and readily identify novel resources may more effectively colonize new areas. We suggest that the White-eye's use of social information may help to support their robust population on O'ahu. Ecosystems throughout the world are affected by the loss of mutualistic relationships, many of which provide valuable ecological services. As humans continue to modify environments, novel conservation approaches may be required to maintain important ecological functions. The use of social information to facilitate frugivory may not only be important in Hawaii, but in other tropical systems where key frugivorous species are lost or abundances have been reduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- S E MacDonald
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1102 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - M P Ward
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1102 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - J H Sperry
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1102 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
- Engineer Research and Development Center, P.O. Box 9005, Champaign, Illinois, 61826, USA
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18
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Muñoz-Gallego R, Fedriani JM, Traveset A. Non-native Mammals Are the Main Seed Dispersers of the Ancient Mediterranean Palm Chamaerops humilis L. in the Balearic Islands: Rescuers of a Lost Seed Dispersal Service? Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
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19
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González-Castro A, Pérez-Pérez D, Romero J, Nogales M. Unraveling the Seed Dispersal System of an Insular “Ghost” Dragon Tree (Dracaena draco) in the Wild. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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20
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21
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Carpenter JK, Kelly D, Moltchanova E, O'Donnell CFJ. Introduction of mammalian seed predators and the loss of an endemic flightless bird impair seed dispersal of the New Zealand tree Elaeocarpus dentatus. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:5992-6004. [PMID: 29988419 PMCID: PMC6024123 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 04/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mutualistic services provided by species is critical when considering both the consequences of their loss or the benefits of their reintroduction. Like many other Pacific islands, New Zealand seed dispersal networks have been changed by both significant losses of large frugivorous birds and the introduction of invasive mammals. These changes are particularly concerning when important dispersers remain unidentified. We tested the impact of frugivore declines and invasive seed predators on seed dispersal for an endemic tree, hinau Elaeocarpus dentatus, by comparing seed dispersal and predation rates on the mainland of New Zealand with offshore sanctuary islands with higher bird and lower mammal numbers. We used cameras and seed traps to measure predation and dispersal from the ground and canopy, respectively. We found that canopy fruit handling rates (an index of dispersal quantity) were poor even on island sanctuaries (only 14% of seeds captured below parent trees on islands had passed through a bird), which suggests that hinau may be adapted for ground-based dispersal by flightless birds. Ground-based dispersal of hinau was low on the New Zealand mainland compared to sanctuary islands (4% of seeds dispersed on the mainland vs. 76% dispersed on islands), due to low frugivore numbers. A flightless endemic rail (Gallirallus australis) conducted the majority of ground-based fruit removal on islands. Despite being threatened, this rail is controversial in restoration projects because of its predatory impacts on native fauna. Our study demonstrates the importance of testing which species perform important mutualistic services, rather than simply relying on logical assumptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna K. Carpenter
- Centre for Integrative EcologySchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
| | - Dave Kelly
- Centre for Integrative EcologySchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
| | - Elena Moltchanova
- Department of Math and StatisticsUniversity of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
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22
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Egerer MH, Fricke EC, Rogers HS. Seed dispersal as an ecosystem service: frugivore loss leads to decline of a socially valued plant, Capsicum frutescens. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 28:655-667. [PMID: 29271019 PMCID: PMC5947168 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2017] [Revised: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Species interactions, both mutualistic and antagonistic, are widely recognized as providing important ecosystem services. Fruit-eating animals influence plant recruitment by increasing germination during gut passage and moving seeds away from conspecifics. However, relative to studies focused on the importance of frugivores for plant population maintenance, few studies target frugivores as ecosystem service providers, and frugivores are underappreciated as ecosystem service providers relative to other mutualists such as pollinators. Here, we use an accidental experiment to elucidate the role of seed dispersal by frugivores for maintaining a culturally and economically important plant, the donne' sali chili (Capsicum frutescens) in the Mariana Islands. One of the islands (Guam) has lost nearly all of its native forest birds due to an invasive snake (Boiga irregularis), whereas nearby islands have relatively intact bird populations. We hypothesized that frugivore loss would influence chili recruitment and abundance, which could have economic and cultural impacts. By using video cameras, we confirmed that birds were the primary seed dispersers. We used captive bird feeding trials to obtain gut-passed seeds to use in a seedling emergence experiment. The experiment showed that gut-passed seeds emerged sooner and at a higher proportion than seeds from whole fruits. Consistent with our findings that birds benefit chilies, we observed lower chili abundance on Guam than on islands with birds. In a survey questionnaire of island residents, the majority of residents reported an association between the wild chili and local cultural values and traditions. In addition, we identified a thriving market for chili products, suggesting benefits of wild chilies to people in the Marianas both as consumers and producers. Our study therefore documents seed dispersal as both a cultural and a supporting ecosystem service. We provide a comprehensive case study on how seed-dispersed plants decline in the absence of their disperser, and how to apply mixed-methods in ecosystem service assessments. Furthermore, we suggest that scientists and resource managers may utilize fruit-frugivore mutualisms concerning socially valuable plants to gather support for frugivore and forest conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika H. Egerer
- Department of Environmental StudiesUniversity of California1156 High Street, Mailstop: ENVSSanta CruzCalifornia95064USA
| | - Evan C. Fricke
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal BiologyIowa State University251 Bessey HallAmesIowa50011USA
| | - Haldre S. Rogers
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal BiologyIowa State University251 Bessey HallAmesIowa50011USA
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23
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Bovo AA, Ferraz KM, Magioli M, Alexandrino ER, Hasui É, Ribeiro MC, Tobias JA. Habitat fragmentation narrows the distribution of avian functional traits associated with seed dispersal in tropical forest. Perspect Ecol Conserv 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pecon.2018.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
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24
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Tarszisz E, Tomlinson S, Harrison ME, Morrogh-Bernard HC, Munn AJ. An ecophysiologically informed model of seed dispersal by orangutans: linking animal movement with gut passage across time and space. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 6:coy013. [PMID: 29942515 PMCID: PMC6007347 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coy013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Revised: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Fauna-mediated ecosystem service provision (e.g. seed dispersal) can be difficult to quantify and predict because it is underpinned by the shifting niches of multiple interacting organisms. Such interactions are especially complex in tropical ecosystems, including endangered peat forests of Central Borneo, a biodiversity hot spot and home to the critically endangered orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii). We combined studies of the digestive physiology of captive orangutans in Australia with detailed field studies of wild orangutans in the Natural Laboratory of Peat-Swamp Forest of Sabangau, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. By measuring the gut transit time (TT) of indigestible seed mimics (beads) in captivity and applying this as a temporal constraint to movement data of wild orangutans, we developed a mechanistic, time-explicit spatial model to project the seed dispersal patterns by these large-bodied, arboreal frugivores. We followed seven orangutans and established home range kernels using Time Local Convex Hull (T-LoCoH) modelling. This allowed us to model individual orangutan movements and to adjust these models according to gut transit times to estimate seed dispersal kernels. Female movements were conservative (core ranges of 55 and 52 ha in the wet and dry seasons, respectively) and revisitation rates to the same location of n = 4 in each 24-h block. Male movements were more unpredictable, yielding fragmented core ranges and revisitation rates to the same location of only 1.2 times each 24 h; males also demonstrated large disjunctions where they moved rapidly over long distances and were frequently lost from view. Seed dispersal kernels were nested predictably within the core ranges of females, but not males. We used the T-LoCoH approach to analyse movement ecology, which offered a powerful tool to predict the primary deposition of seeds by orangutans, thereby providing a reliable method for making a priori predictions of seed dispersal dynamics by other frugivores in novel ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Tarszisz
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
- Borneo Nature Foundation, Jl. Bukit Raya 82, Palangka Raya 73112, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
| | - Sean Tomlinson
- School of Molecular & Life Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, Kent Street Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
- Kings Park Science, Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions, Kattidj Close, Kings Park, WA 6005, Australia
| | - Mark E Harrison
- Borneo Nature Foundation, Jl. Bukit Raya 82, Palangka Raya 73112, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
- School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Helen C Morrogh-Bernard
- Borneo Nature Foundation, Jl. Bukit Raya 82, Palangka Raya 73112, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - Adam J Munn
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia
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25
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Kaushik M, Pejchar L, Crampton LH. Potential disruption of seed dispersal in the absence of a native Kauai thrush. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191992. [PMID: 29381764 PMCID: PMC5790251 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hawaii has experienced a catastrophic decline in frugivorous native birds coupled with the introduction of non-native species. Puaiohi (Myadestes palmeri), a critically endangered thrush, is the sole extant native songbird capable of dispersing fleshy fruited plants in the rainforest of Kauai island, Hawaii. As this species has declined to occupy a small proportion of its original range, a suite of largely omnivorous non-native birds have been introduced to this region, including the common and widespread Japanese White-eye (Zosterops japonicus). This reshuffling of the bird community could have long-term implications for plant community composition if introduced birds incompletely replace the ecological role of native species. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential consequences of the local extirpation of Puaiohi for seed dispersal. Specifically, we compared the diet of Puaiohi and Japanese White-eye, vegetation characteristics, and seed rain at sites with and without Puaiohi in the Na Pali-Kona Forest Reserve on the island of Kauai. We found high overlap in the composition of seeds consumed by the two bird species, but differences in the characteristics of seeds consumed; Japanese White-eye appeared more likely to consume smaller seeded species compared with Puaiohi. Sites with Puaiohi received substantially higher seed rain during the study period, despite no significant differences in overall fruit abundance. Our results suggest that non-native birds are unlikely to completely replace the seed dispersal services provided by Puaiohi. If Puaohi continue to be rare and range restricted, we predict a shift in plant community composition through an increase in non-native and small-seeded plants, and possible dispersal failure of other native species. Our findings lend further support to efforts to conserve Puaiohi across its current and former range, and to consider introductions to other suitable areas to ensure the persistence not only of the species and but also its functional role in Hawaii's montane ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Kaushik
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehardun, India
| | - Liba Pejchar
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Lisa H Crampton
- Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources and University of Hawaii Manoa, Kaua'i Forest Bird Recovery Project, Hanapepe, HI, United States of America
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26
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Traveset A, Navarro L. Plant reproductive ecology and evolution in the Mediterranean islands: state of the art. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2018; 20 Suppl 1:63-77. [PMID: 28945322 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The ca. 12,000 islands and islets that encompass the Mediterranean Basin represent a biodiversity hotspot. They have been disconnected from each other and from the continent for hundreds of thousands to millions of years and encompass a high incidence of endemic plant species, with values that can exceed 20% of the local flora. Despite this, relatively few studies have been carried out to unravel ecological and evolutionary aspects of plant reproduction. We synthesise here the available information on the breeding systems, pollination and seed dispersal mode of the Mediterranean island flora. The main objective is to identify general patterns as well as to detect the main gaps in information on reproductive ecology in these particular and vulnerable systems in the face of global change. We also briefly review the information on impacts of invasive species on plant reproduction and dispersal, as these are some of the main threats to island biodiversity in general and Mediterranean island plant diversity in particular. The review has revealed that most available information is very geographically biased towards the western Mediterranean islands, especially the Balearic Islands, although a good fraction of studies have also been carried out on the eastern islands in the Aegean archipelago. Moreover, the majority of data come from species-focused studies, mainly endemic species of restricted range, whereas only a small fraction of studies have been performed at a community level. Relatively little work has involved genetic analyses, mainly focused on assessing the genetic differentiation and variability on narrow endemics. Contrary to our expectations, most island species do not rely on autonomous selfing, which might be related to the relatively high diversity of pollinators. The small, uninhabited, islands might be the last refuges of peculiar interactions that evolved in them in ancient times; they thus should be considered as sanctuaries of extraordinary biodiversity. Finally, we point out the main gaps of information and formulate a set of hypotheses that we believe are worth testing in future studies if we are to advance knowledge on the reproductive biology of Mediterranean island plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Traveset
- Global Change Research Group, Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats IMEDEA (CSIC- UIB), Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - L Navarro
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ciencias del Suelo, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
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27
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Pérez-Méndez N, Rodríguez A, Nogales M. Intra-specific downsizing of frugivores affects seed germination of fleshy-fruited plant species. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2017.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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28
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Pigot AL, Bregman T, Sheard C, Daly B, Etienne RS, Tobias JA. Quantifying species contributions to ecosystem processes: a global assessment of functional trait and phylogenetic metrics across avian seed-dispersal networks. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 283:rspb.2016.1597. [PMID: 27928035 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.1597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantifying the role of biodiversity in ecosystems not only requires understanding the links between species and the ecological functions and services they provide, but also how these factors relate to measurable indices, such as functional traits and phylogenetic diversity. However, these relationships remain poorly understood, especially for heterotrophic organisms within complex ecological networks. Here, we assemble data on avian traits across a global sample of mutualistic plant-frugivore networks to critically assess how the functional roles of frugivores are associated with their intrinsic traits, as well as their evolutionary and functional distinctiveness. We find strong evidence for niche complementarity, with phenotypically and phylogenetically distinct birds interacting with more unique sets of plants. However, interaction strengths-the number of plant species dependent on a frugivore-were unrelated to evolutionary or functional distinctiveness, largely because distinct frugivores tend to be locally rare, and thus have fewer connections across the network. Instead, interaction strengths were better predicted by intrinsic traits, including body size, gape width and dietary specialization. Our analysis provides general support for the use of traits in quantifying species ecological functions, but also highlights the need to go beyond simple metrics of functional or phylogenetic diversity to consider the multiple pathways through which traits may determine ecological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander L Pigot
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, PO Box 11103, Groningen 9700 CC, The Netherlands .,Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Tom Bregman
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK.,Global Canopy Programme, 23 Park End Street, Oxford OX1 1HU, UK
| | - Catherine Sheard
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK.,Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Bristol, 43 Woodland Drive, Bristol BS8 1UU, UK
| | - Benjamin Daly
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Rampal S Etienne
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, PO Box 11103, Groningen 9700 CC, The Netherlands
| | - Joseph A Tobias
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK.,Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK
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29
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Tarszisz E, Tomlinson S, Harrison ME, Morrogh-Bernard HC, Munn AJ. Gardeners of the forest: effects of seed handling and ingestion by orangutans on germination success of peat forest plants. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blx133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Esther Tarszisz
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
- Boreno Nature Foundation Jl. Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
| | - Sean Tomlinson
- Science Directorate, Kings Park & Botanic Gardens, West Perth, WA, Australia
- School of Environment & Agriculture, Curtin University of Technology, Australia
| | - Mark E Harrison
- Boreno Nature Foundation Jl. Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
- Department of Geography, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Helen C Morrogh-Bernard
- Boreno Nature Foundation Jl. Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
- University of Exeter, College of Life and Environmental Science, UK
| | - Adam J Munn
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, UNSW Australia, Australia
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30
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Gleditsch JM, Hruska AM, Foster JT. Connecting Resource Tracking by Frugivores to Temporal Variation in Seed Dispersal Networks. Front Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2017.00098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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31
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Donoso I, Schleuning M, García D, Fründ J. Defaunation effects on plant recruitment depend on size matching and size trade-offs in seed-dispersal networks. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 284:20162664. [PMID: 28566481 PMCID: PMC5454253 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.2664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Defaunation by humans causes a loss of large animals in many ecosystems globally. Recent work has emphasized the consequences of downsizing in animal communities for ecosystem functioning. However, no study so far has integrated network theory and life-history trade-offs to mechanistically evaluate the functional consequences of defaunation in plant-animal networks. Here, we simulated an avian seed-dispersal network and its derived ecosystem function seedling recruitment to assess the relative importance of different size-related mechanisms. Specifically, we considered size matching (between bird size and seed size) and size trade-offs, which are driven by differences in plant or animal species abundance (negative size-quantity relationship) as well as in recruitment probability and disperser quality (positive size-quality relationship). Defaunation led to impoverished seedling communities in terms of diversity and seed size, but only if models accounted for size matching. In addition, size trade-off in plants, in concert with size matching, provoked rapid decays in seedling abundance in response to defaunation. These results underscore a disproportional importance of large animals for ecosystem functions. Downsizing in ecological networks will have severe consequences for ecosystem functioning, especially in interaction networks that are structured by size matching between plants and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Donoso
- Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas and Unidad Mixta de Investigación en Biodiversidad (UMIB, CSIC-Uo-PA), University of Oviedo, Valentín Andrés Álvarez s/n, 33071 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Matthias Schleuning
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt (Main), Germany
| | - Daniel García
- Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas and Unidad Mixta de Investigación en Biodiversidad (UMIB, CSIC-Uo-PA), University of Oviedo, Valentín Andrés Álvarez s/n, 33071 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Jochen Fründ
- Biometry and Environmental System Analysis, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Strasse 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
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32
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Endangered plant-parrot mutualisms: seed tolerance to predation makes parrots pervasive dispersers of the Parana pine. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31709. [PMID: 27546381 PMCID: PMC4992845 DOI: 10.1038/srep31709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Parrots are largely considered plant antagonists as they usually destroy the seeds they feed on. However, there is evidence that parrots may also act as seed dispersers. We evaluated the dual role of parrots as predators and dispersers of the Critically Endangered Parana pine (Araucaria angustifolia). Eight of nine parrot species predated seeds from 48% of 526 Parana pines surveyed. Observations of the commonest parrot indicated that 22.5% of the picked seeds were dispersed by carrying them in their beaks. Another five parrot species dispersed seeds, at an estimated average distance of c. 250 m. Dispersal distances did not differ from those observed in jays, considered the main avian dispersers. Contrary to jays, parrots often dropped partially eaten seeds. Most of these seeds were handled by parrots, and the proportion of partially eaten seeds that germinated was higher than that of undamaged seeds. This may be explained by a predator satiation effect, suggesting that the large seeds of the Parana pine evolved to attract consumers for dispersal. This represents a thus far overlooked key plant-parrot mutualism, in which both components are threatened with extinction. The interaction is becoming locally extinct long before the global extinction of the species involved.
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Carvalho CS, Galetti M, Colevatti RG, Jordano P. Defaunation leads to microevolutionary changes in a tropical palm. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31957. [PMID: 27535709 PMCID: PMC4989191 DOI: 10.1038/srep31957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Many large species have declined worldwide due to habitat fragmentation and poaching. The defaunation of large frugivores and the consequent reductions of seed dispersal services may have immediate effects on plant demography. Yet, the lasting effects of frugivore defaunation on microevolutionary processes of the plants they disperse remain understudied. We tested if the loss of large seed dispersers can lead to microevolutionary changes of a tropical palm. We show that frugivore defaunation is the main driver of changes in allelic frequency among populations. Turnover of alleles accounted for 100% of dissimilarity in allelic frequencies of individuals between defaunated and non-defaunated forests; and individuals from defaunated sites are 1.5 times more similar genetically than those found in pristine sites. Given that sizeable fractions of the palm fruit crops remain undispersed in defaunated sites due to lack of large-bodied frugivores, this distinct pattern of gene pool composition of early recruits may reveal strong dispersal limitation for specific genotypes, or collapses of gene flow between fragmented areas, or both. Because most of tropical tree species rely on seed dispersal by vertebrates, our results show that defaunation has a lasting effect on microevolutionary processes, with potential consequences for persistence under scenarios of environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina S. Carvalho
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), 13506-900, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mauro Galetti
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), 13506-900, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rosane G. Colevatti
- Laboratório de Genética & Biodiversidade, ICB, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Pedro Jordano
- Integrative Ecology Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (EBD-CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
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Conservation genetics of the annual hemiparasitic plant Melampyrum sylvaticum (Orobanchaceae) in the UK and Scandinavia. CONSERV GENET 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-015-0803-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Pérez-Méndez N, Jordano P, García C, Valido A. The signatures of Anthropocene defaunation: cascading effects of the seed dispersal collapse. Sci Rep 2016; 6:24820. [PMID: 27091677 PMCID: PMC4835773 DOI: 10.1038/srep24820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2015] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic activity is driving population declines and extinctions of large-bodied, fruit-eating animals worldwide. Loss of these frugivores is expected to trigger negative cascading effects on plant populations if remnant species fail to replace the seed dispersal services provided by the extinct frugivores. A collapse of seed dispersal may not only affect plant demography (i.e., lack of recruitment), but should also supress gene flow via seed dispersal. Yet little empirical data still exist demonstrating the genetic consequences of defaunation for animal-dispersed plant species. Here, we first document a significant reduction of seed dispersal distances along a gradient of human-driven defaunation, with increasing loss of large- and medium-bodied frugivores. We then show that local plant neighbourhoods have higher genetic similarity, and smaller effective population sizes when large seed dispersers become extinct (i.e., only small frugivores remain) or are even partially downgraded (i.e., medium-sized frugivores providing less efficient seed dispersal). Our results demonstrate that preservation of large frugivores is crucial to maintain functional seed dispersal services and their associated genetic imprints, a central conservation target. Early signals of reduced dispersal distances that accompany the Anthropogenic defaunation forecast multiple, cascading effects on plant populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Néstor Pérez-Méndez
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), C/Americo Vespucio s/n, La Cartuja, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Pedro Jordano
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), C/Americo Vespucio s/n, La Cartuja, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Cristina García
- Plant Biology, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Geneticos (CIBIO/InBio), Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, Vairão. 4485-661, Porto, Portugal
| | - Alfredo Valido
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), C/Americo Vespucio s/n, La Cartuja, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
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Wotton DM, Drake DR, Powlesland RG, Ladley JJ. The role of lizards as seed dispersers in New Zealand. J R Soc N Z 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/03036758.2015.1108924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Byrom AE, Innes J, Binny RN. A review of biodiversity outcomes from possum-focused pest control in New Zealand. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2016. [DOI: 10.1071/wr15132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Worldwide, introduced vertebrate pests impact primary production, native biodiversity, and human health. In New Zealand, extensive pest control (~10 million ha) is undertaken to protect native biota and to prevent losses to the primary sector from wildlife vectors of bovine tuberculosis (TB), primarily possums (Trichosurus vulpecula). Control is conducted by TBfree New Zealand and by conservation agencies. Remote, forested terrain is treated using the toxin 1080 via aerial delivery in bait with a return time of ~5 years. Ground-based control is conducted annually using traps and/or poison bait. Possums are controlled to very low abundance by these operations. Aerial 1080 is effective against another forest-dwelling vertebrate pest, the ship rat (Rattus rattus). Possum control has reduced TB rates, but collateral benefits for native biodiversity have not been quantified, making it difficult to demonstrate a return on investment. We review information from 47 accounts of responses of native biota to possum control. Of these, 60% quantified responses to aerial 1080; the remainder were ground-based. Possum control benefited vegetation by increasing foliage and fruit production, and by reducing tree mortality. Controlling ship rats and possums together improved bird populations, but rats recovered rapidly and long-term outcomes for rat-vulnerable birds are unknown.Large-bodied invertebrates also benefited from extensive pest control. We conducted a meta-analysis of 84 response measures from 35 of these 47 studies in order to provide a quantitative assessment of these findings. The analysis demonstrated that both ground and aerial control of this invasive pest in New Zealand has provided substantial collateral benefits for native biota. Few studies have taken advantage of decades of extensive pest control in New Zealand to monitor ecosystem-level outcomes, which have received only short-term attention thus far. Non-treatment experimental controls and replicate sites that enable validated assessments of outcomes for native biota are vital. Future studies would benefit from a standardised set of biodiversity indicators from a range of taxonomic and functional groupings, and from standardising experimental designs so individual studies can contribute to future meta-analyses, to strengthen the evidence base for the impacts of invasive pests on native biota in New Zealand and worldwide.
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Perry GLW, Wilmshurst JM, Ogden J, Enright NJ. Exotic Mammals and Invasive Plants Alter Fire-Related Thresholds in Southern Temperate Forested Landscapes. Ecosystems 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-015-9898-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Pejchar L. Introduced birds incompletely replace seed dispersal by a native frugivore. AOB PLANTS 2015; 7:plv072. [PMID: 26139183 PMCID: PMC4526755 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plv072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Accepted: 06/01/2015] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The widespread loss of native species and the introduction of non-native species has important consequences for island ecosystems. Non-native species may or may not functionally replace the role of native species in ecological processes such as seed dispersal. Although the majority of Hawaii's native plants require bird-mediated seed dispersal, only one native frugivore, Omao (Myadestes obscurus), persists in sufficient numbers to fill this functional role. Omao are restricted to less than half their original range, but two introduced frugivores are abundant throughout Hawaii. Given large-scale extinctions on islands, it is important to understand whether introduced birds serve as functional replacements or whether the absence of native frugivores alters plant communities. To assess seed dispersal by native and introduced birds, seed rain, vegetation characteristics, bird diet, density and habitat use were measured at three sites with Omao and three sites without Omao on Hawaii Island. The diet of native and introduced birds overlapped substantially, but Omao dispersed a variety of native species (n = 6) relatively evenly. In contrast, introduced birds dispersed an invasive species and fewer native species (n = 4), and >90 % of seeds dispersed by introduced birds were from two ubiquitous small-seeded species. Seed rain was significantly greater and more species rich at sites with Omao. These findings suggest that patterns of seed dispersal are altered following the local extinction of a native island frugivore. To more directly evaluate the relative roles of native and introduced frugivores in ecological processes, future studies could include reintroducing Omao to a suitable habitat within its historic range, or novel introductions to nearby islands where closely related species are now extinct. In an era of widespread extinction and invasion of island ecosystems, understanding the consequences of novel animal assemblages for processes like seed dispersal will be critical for maintaining diverse and self-regenerating plant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liba Pejchar
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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Correa SB, Costa-Pereira R, Fleming T, Goulding M, Anderson JT. Neotropical fish-fruit interactions: eco-evolutionary dynamics and conservation. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015; 90:1263-78. [PMID: 25599800 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2014] [Revised: 09/22/2014] [Accepted: 10/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Frugivorous fish play a prominent role in seed dispersal and reproductive dynamics of plant communities in riparian and floodplain habitats of tropical regions worldwide. In Neotropical wetlands, many plant species have fleshy fruits and synchronize their fruiting with the flood season, when fruit-eating fish forage in forest and savannahs for periods of up to 7 months. We conducted a comprehensive analysis to examine the evolutionary origin of fish-fruit interactions, describe fruit traits associated with seed dispersal and seed predation, and assess the influence of fish size on the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish (ichthyochory). To date, 62 studies have documented 566 species of fruits and seeds from 82 plant families in the diets of 69 Neotropical fish species. Fish interactions with flowering plants are likely to be as old as 70 million years in the Neotropics, pre-dating most modern bird-fruit and mammal-fruit interactions, and contributing to long-distance seed dispersal and possibly the radiation of early angiosperms. Ichthyochory occurs across the angiosperm phylogeny, and is more frequent among advanced eudicots. Numerous fish species are capable of dispersing small seeds, but only a limited number of species can disperse large seeds. The size of dispersed seeds and the probability of seed dispersal both increase with fish size. Large-bodied species are the most effective seed dispersal agents and remain the primary target of fishing activities in the Neotropics. Thus, conservation efforts should focus on these species to ensure continuity of plant recruitment dynamics and maintenance of plant diversity in riparian and floodplain ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Bibiana Correa
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter St., Columbia, SC 29208, U.S.A
| | - Raul Costa-Pereira
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Ecologia & Biodiversidade, Universidade Estadual Paulista 'Julio de Mesquita Filho', Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Theodore Fleming
- Emeritus, Department of Biology, University of Miami, 1301 Memorial Dr., Coral Gables, FL 33124, U.S.A
| | - Michael Goulding
- Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY 10460, U.S.A
| | - Jill T Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter St., Columbia, SC 29208, U.S.A
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Chaves OM, Arroyo-Rodríguez V, Martínez-Ramos M, Stoner KE. Primate extirpation from rainforest fragments does not appear to influence seedling recruitment. Am J Primatol 2014; 77:468-78. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2014] [Revised: 11/02/2014] [Accepted: 11/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Oscarm M. Chaves
- Departamento de Biodiversidade e Ecologia; Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS); Porto Alegre Rio Grande do Sul Brazil
| | - Víctor Arroyo-Rodríguez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Morelia Michoacán Mexico
| | - Miguel Martínez-Ramos
- Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Morelia Michoacán Mexico
| | - Kathryne E. Stoner
- Department of Fish; Wildlife and Conservation Ecology; New Mexico State University; Las Cruces New Mexico
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Periago ME, Chillo V, Ojeda RA. Loss of mammalian species from the South American Gran Chaco: empty savanna syndrome? Mamm Rev 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maria E. Periago
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV); Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales; Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Casilla de Correo 495 5000 Córdoba Argentina
- Grupo de Investigaciones de la Biodiversidad (GiB); Centro Científico y Tecnológico Mendoza (CCT); Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Zonas Áridas (IADIZA); Av. Ruiz Leal s/n Parque General San Martín CP 5500 Mendoza Argentina
| | - Verónica Chillo
- Grupo de Investigaciones de la Biodiversidad (GiB); Centro Científico y Tecnológico Mendoza (CCT); Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Zonas Áridas (IADIZA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones sCientíficas y Técnicas (CONICET); Av. Ruiz Leal s/n Parque General San Martín CP 5500 Mendoza Argentina
| | - Ricardo A. Ojeda
- Grupo de Investigaciones de la Biodiversidad (GiB); Centro Científico y Tecnológico Mendoza (CCT); Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Zonas Áridas (IADIZA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Av. Ruiz Leal s/n Parque General San Martín CP 5500 Mendoza Argentina
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Hierarchical levels of seed predation variation by introduced beetles on an endemic Mediterranean palm. PLoS One 2014; 9:e109867. [PMID: 25340462 PMCID: PMC4207678 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2014] [Accepted: 08/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Seed predators can limit plant recruitment and thus profoundly impinge the dynamics of plant populations, especially when diverse seed predators (e.g., native and introduced) attack particular plant populations. Surprisingly, however, we know little concerning the potential hierarchy of spatial scales (e.g., region, population, patch) and coupled ecological correlates governing variation in the overall impact that native and introduced seed predators have on plant populations. We investigated several spatial scales and ecological correlates of pre-dispersal seed predation by invasive borer beetles in Chamaerops humilis (Arecaceae), a charismatic endemic palm of the Mediteranean basin. To this end, we considered 13 palm populations (115 palms) within four geographical regions of the Iberian Peninsula. The observed interregional differences in percentages of seed predation by invasive beetles were not significant likely because of considerable variation among populations within regions. Among population variation in seed predation was largely related to level of human impact. In general, levels of seed predation were several folds higher in human-altered populations than in natural populations. Within populations, seed predation declined significantly with the increase in amount of persisting fruit pulp, which acted as a barrier against seed predators. Our results revealed that a native species (a palm) is affected by the introduction of related species because of the concurrent introduction of seed predators that feed on both the introduced and native palms. We also show how the impact of invasive seed predators on plants can vary across a hierarchy of levels ranging from variation among individuals within local populations to large scale regional divergences.
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Stevenson PR, Link A, Onshuus A, Quiroz AJ, Velasco M. Estimation of Seed Shadows Generated by Andean Woolly Monkeys (Lagothrix lagothricha lugens). INT J PRIMATOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-014-9795-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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45
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Fruit consumption and seed dispersal by birds in native vs. ex situ individuals of the endangered Chinese yew, Taxus chinensis. Ecol Res 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s11284-014-1180-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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García D, Martínez D, Stouffer DB, Tylianakis JM. Exotic birds increase generalization and compensate for native bird decline in plant-frugivore assemblages. J Anim Ecol 2014; 83:1441-50. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2013] [Accepted: 04/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel García
- Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas; Universidad de Oviedo and Unidad Mixta de Investigación en Biodiversidad (UMIB CSIC-UO-PA); C/ Valentín Andrés Álvarez s/n Oviedo 33006 Spain
| | - Daniel Martínez
- Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas; Universidad de Oviedo and Unidad Mixta de Investigación en Biodiversidad (UMIB CSIC-UO-PA); C/ Valentín Andrés Álvarez s/n Oviedo 33006 Spain
| | - Daniel B. Stouffer
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Canterbury; Private Bag 4800 Christchurch 8140 New Zealand
| | - Jason M. Tylianakis
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Canterbury; Private Bag 4800 Christchurch 8140 New Zealand
- Department of Life Sciences; Imperial College London; Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road London SL5 7PY UK
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Berens DG, Chama L, Albrecht J, Farwig N. High Conservation Value of Forest Fragments for Plant and Frugivore Communities in a Fragmented Forest Landscape in South Africa. Biotropica 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dana G. Berens
- Department of Ecology - Conservation Ecology; Fachbereich Biologie; Philipps-Universität Marburg; Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8 DE-35043 Marburg Germany
| | - Lackson Chama
- Department of Ecology - Conservation Ecology; Fachbereich Biologie; Philipps-Universität Marburg; Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8 DE-35043 Marburg Germany
| | - Jörg Albrecht
- Department of Ecology - Conservation Ecology; Fachbereich Biologie; Philipps-Universität Marburg; Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8 DE-35043 Marburg Germany
| | - Nina Farwig
- Department of Ecology - Conservation Ecology; Fachbereich Biologie; Philipps-Universität Marburg; Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8 DE-35043 Marburg Germany
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Fricke EC, Tewksbury JJ, Rogers HS. Multiple natural enemies cause distance-dependent mortality at the seed-to-seedling transition. Ecol Lett 2014; 17:593-8. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.12261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2013] [Revised: 01/14/2014] [Accepted: 01/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Evan C. Fricke
- Department of Biology; University of Washington; Seattle WA 98195 USA
| | | | - Haldre S. Rogers
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Rice University; Houston TX 77005 USA
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Grass I, Berens DG, Farwig N. Guild-specific shifts in visitation rates of frugivores with habitat loss and plant invasion. OIKOS 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2013.00920.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Zhou Y, Newman C, Xie Z, Macdonald DW. Peduncles elicit large-mammal endozoochory in a dry-fruited plant. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2013; 112:85-93. [PMID: 23644364 PMCID: PMC3690987 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mct096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2013] [Accepted: 03/22/2013] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Plants have evolved a variety of seed dispersal mechanisms to overcome lack of mobility. Many species embed seeds in fleshy pulp to elicit endozoochory, i.e. disseminating seed through the animal gut. In contrast to well-studied fleshy fruited plants, dry-fruited plants may exploit this dispersal mutualism by producing fleshy appendages as a nutritional reward to entice animals to swallow their diaspores, but this has been little studied. In this study, it is hypothesized that these accessory fruits represent co-adaptations facilitating the syndrome of mammalian endozoochorous dispersal. METHODS Field observations (focal tree watches, faecal surveys and fruiting phenology) with experimental manipulations (examination of seed germination and feeding trials) were conducted over 2 years in a native population of the raisin tree, Hovenia dulcis, which produces enlarged, twisted brown peduncles with external black seeds, in central China. KEY RESULTS Birds were not observed to swallow seeds or carry infructescences away during 190 h of focal tree watches. However, H. dulcis seeds were detected in 247 faecal samples, representative of two herbivore and four carnivore mammalian species. Feeding trials revealed that peduncles attracted mammals to consume the entire infructescence, thereby facilitating effective seed dispersal. The germination rate of egested seeds proved higher than that of unconsumed seeds. It was also noted that this mutualism was most vulnerable in degraded forest. CONCLUSIONS Hovenia dulcis peduncle sets are confirmed to adapt primarily to mammalian endozoochory, a mutualistic association similar in function to fleshy pulp or foliage. This demonstrates that plant organ systems can be adapted to unique mutualisms that utilize animal dispersal agents. Such an ecological role has until now been attributed only to bird epizoochory. Future studies should consider more widely the putative role of peduncle sets and mammalian endozoochory as a dispersal mechanism, particularly for those plants that possess relatively large accessory fruits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youbing Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093, China
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Tubney, Abingdon OX13 5QL, UK
| | - Chris Newman
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Tubney, Abingdon OX13 5QL, UK
| | - Zongqiang Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093, China
| | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Tubney, Abingdon OX13 5QL, UK
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