hylogenetic congruence between Neotropical primates and plants is driven by frugivor

Author(s)

Fuzessy, Lisieux ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; Silveira, Fernando A. O. ^[4] ; Culot, Laurence ^[2] ; Jordano, Pedro ^{[1, 5]} ; Verdu, Miguel ^[6]

Affiliation

^[1] EBD CSIC, Estn Biol Donana, Seville - Spain

^[2] Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Biodivers, UNESP Campus Rio Claro, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Autonoma Barcelona, Ctr Recerca Ecol & Aplicac Foresta, CREAF, Catalunya - Spain

^[4] Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Dept Genet Ecol & Evolut, Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

^[5] Univ Seville, Dept Biol Vegetal & Ecol, Fac Biol, Seville - Spain

^[6] CSIC UV GV, Ctr Invest Desertificac, Valencia - Spain

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ECOLOGY LETTERS; v. 25, n. 2 NOV 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

Seed dispersal benefits plants and frugivores, and potentially drives co-evolution, with consequences to diversification evidenced for, e.g., primates. Evidence for macro-coevolutionary patterns in multi-specific, plant-animal mutualisms is scarce, and the mechanisms driving them remain unexplored. We tested for phylogenetic congruences in primate-plant interactions and showed strong co-phylogenetic signals across Neotropical forests, suggesting that both primates and plants share evolutionary history. Phylogenetic congruence between Platyrrhini and Angiosperms was driven by the most generalist primates, modulated by their functional traits, interacting with a wide-range of Angiosperms. Consistently similar eco-evolutionary dynamics seem to be operating irrespective of local assemblages, since co-phylogenetic signal emerged independently across three Neotropical regions. Our analysis supports the idea that macroevolutionary, coevolved patterns among interacting mutualistic partners are driven by super-generalist taxa. Trait convergence among multiple partners within multi-specific assemblages appears as a mechanism favouring these likely coevolved outcomes. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/07954-0 - The influence of primate functional groups on post-dispersal seed fate and conservation outcomes
• Grantee: Lisieux Franco Fuzessy
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 14/14739-0 - The effect of fragmentation on primate ecological functions
• Grantee: Laurence Marianne Vincianne Culot
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/06634-5 - Mutualistic interactions: analysis of a hyper-diverse seed dispersal network in a biodiversity hotspot
• Grantee: Lisieux Franco Fuzessy
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor