Bats and their role with the carbon stock in the Atlantic Forest

• Grant number: 15/19092-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2016
• End date: December 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Mauro Galetti Rodrigues
• Grantee: Denise Montan
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 14/01986-0 - Ecological consequences of defaunation in the Atlantic Rainforest, AP.TEM

Abstract

The Atlantic Forest has undergone an intense process of defaunation and led groups of animals to the same situation. The defaunation of large animals leads to serious effects on the characteristics and functioning of ecosystems by trophic cascade effect. One effect is the carbon storage. Plants large, high density and volume are potentially storing carbon and the seeds are dispersed by dispersing large. These plant species with large seeds are also effectively dispersed by fruit bats. This paper will examine the fruit bats relationship as substitutes for large animals frugivores dispersing. (AU)