Small vertebrates are key elements in the frugivory networks of a hyperdiverse tropical forest

Author(s)

Carreira, Daiane C. ^{[1, 2]} ; Dattilo, Wesley ^[3] ; Bruno, Dafini L. ^[4] ; Percequillo, Alexandre Reis ^[5] ; Ferraz, Katia M. P. M. B. ^[6] ; Galetti, Mauro ^{[7, 8]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo ESALQ USP, Escola Super Agr Luiz de Queiroz, Programa Interunidades Pos Grad Ecol Aplicada, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[2] Fundacao Herminio Ometto FHO Uniararas, BR-13607339 Araras, SP - Brazil

^[3] Inst Ecol AC, Red Ecoetol, Xalapa 91070, Veracruz - Mexico

^[4] Univ Fed Sao Carlos UFSCar, Programa Pos Grad Ecol & Recursos Nat, BR-13565905 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo ESALQ USP, Dept Ciencias Biol, Escola Super Agr Luiz de Queiroz, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[6] Univ Sao Paulo ESALQ USP, Dept Ciencias Florestais, Escola Super Agr Luiz de Queiroz, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[7] Univ Miami, Dept Biol, Coral Gables, FL 33146 - USA

^[8] Univ Estadual Paulista UNESP, Dept Biodiversidade, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS; v. 10, n. 1 JUN 29 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

The local, global or functional extinction of species or populations of animals, known as defaunation, can erode important ecological services in tropical forests. Many mutualistic interactions, such as seed dispersal of large seeded plants, can be lost in large continuous forests due to the rarity of large-bodied mammalian frugivores. Most of studies that try to elucidate the effects of defaunation on seed dispersal focused on primates or birds, and we lack a detailed understanding on the interactions between ground-dwelling fauna and fleshy fruits. Using camera traps in forest areas with different degrees of defaunation, we described the organization of frugivory networks involving birds, mammals and plants. We recorded 375 frugivory interactions between 21 frugivores and 150 fruiting trees of 30 species of fleshy fruit plants in six sites in continuous Atlantic forest of Brazil. We found that small frugivores-particularly small rodents and birds-were responsible for 72% of the events of frugivory. Large frugivores, such as tapirs and peccaries, were responsible for less than 21% of frugivory events. Our results indicate that the interactions between flesh fruiting plants and frugivores are dominated by small frugivores, an indication of a functional loss of large frugivores in this endangered biome. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/09300-0 - Trophic ecology, functional diversity and occurrence of terrestrial mammals in the Atlantic Forest
• Grantee: Katia Maria Paschoaletto Micchi de Barros Ferraz
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/01986-0 - Ecological consequences of defaunation in the Atlantic Rainforest
• Grantee: Mauro Galetti Rodrigues
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants