Frugivores vary in their response to neighborhood effects in a novel ecosystem

Hopson, Rosemary M.; Wilcox, Rebecca C.; Tarwater, Corey E.

doi:10.1016/j.actao.2020.103641

Cited by 10 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Frugivore visitation and fruit removal are often positively correlated with seedling recruitment (Muñoz et al, 2017) and are the most commonly collected data on the seed dispersal process (Schupp et al, 2019). Yet we have limited knowledge of the drivers of variation in frugivore visitation and fruit consumption at the level of individual plants’ (Hopson et al, 2020), even though such intraspecific variation in seed dispersal services has been proposed to affect plant population demography, evolution, and resilience to anthropogenic disturbances (Snell et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most existing knowledge on drivers of intraspecific variation in fruit removal and seed dispersal comes from studies of how fruit crop size and the local density of neighboring fruiting plants influence frugivore foraging decisions (Blendinger et al, 2008; Fontúrbel et al, 2017; García & Ortiz‐Pulido, 2004; Guerra et al, 2017; Hopson et al, 2020; Moreira et al, 2017; Pizo & Almeida‐Neto, 2009). In general, studies find that fruit crop size can increase visitation to individual plants.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This indicates the effect is mediated by other variables such as landscape‐scale fruit availability and localized habitat disturbance levels. Some studies report what appears to be a dilution effect, whereby the abundance of surrounding fruiting individuals decreases individual‐level visitation and fruit removal because frugivore visitation is spread across a larger number of fruiting trees (e.g., Hopson et al, 2020; Pizo & Almeida‐Neto, 2009). Other work has found that fruiting neighborhood density increased frugivory at the individual plant level instead and indicates resource tracking whereby frugivores are attracted to patches of higher resource concentration and all plants within a patch benefit from increased visitation (Blendinger et al, 2008; Guerra et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecological drivers of intraspecific variation in seed dispersal services of a common neotropical palm

2021

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Through frugivory and seed dispersal, vertebrates influence plant demography and forest regeneration. Variation in local habitat surrounding fruiting plants can influence frugivore foraging decisions, thereby creating intraspecific variation in seed dispersal services. However, we have little knowledge of drivers of local variation in frugivory.Here, we investigate factors that may influence frugivore diversity and fruit removal at the level of individual plants. We focus on a common understory palm within a continuous Chocó forest with mixed land-use histories in Ecuador. The density of pioneer tree species in the genus Cecropia around focal palms was negatively related to fruit removal and the diversity of frugivores visiting palms. This may relate to the fact that the presence and abundance of Cecropia species often indicate the existence and severity of past disturbances. Local Cecropia density was also related to an overall shift in the frugivore community that corresponded with an increase in fruit removal by lower-quality seed dispersers (rodents). We also found that the local density of fruiting conspecifics was positively related to frugivore diversity, but not fruit removal.Our results provide information on drivers of intraspecific inequalities in plant populations across tropical forest landscapes. The reduction in fruit removal and frugivore diversity associated with local Cecropia abundance suggests that seed dispersal services can be sensitive to fine-scale variation in habitat structure. Furthermore, because Cecropia are often indicative of past disturbances, this indicates that even small-scale habitat degradation by humans can have lasting effects by creating localized pockets of forest unfavored by frugivores.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecological drivers of intraspecific variation in seed dispersal services of a common neotropical palm

2021

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“…We chose a 7 m radius because we expected that plants within this range could be perceived by animals (both birds and bees) and a greater radius would introduce more potential for perceptual obstruction by the dense vegetation. Furthermore, a 7 m radius is similar in size to other neighbourhood studies (Sargent 1990;Saracco et al 2005;Smith & McWilliams 2014;Hopson et al 2020). For our metrics of the number of focal plant flowers, conspecific flowers, and heterospecific flowers, we took the average number of flowers observed between two consecutive vegetation surveys to account for changes in the number of flowers over time, providing a single value for each observation interval.…”

Section: Focal and Neighbourhood Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast, for generalist visitors, the number of flowers in the neighbourhood, whether conspecific or heterospecific, may impact visitation (Lázaro et al 2009). Furthermore, increased canopy cover can either increase visitation to plants, by providing perching sites, or can decrease visitation, by concealing flowering plants (Kolb & Ehrlén 2010;Hopson et al 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pollination and nectar larceny by birds and bees in novel forests of the Hawaiian Islands

2021

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The extinction of native species and introduction of non-native species may lead to the disruption of biotic interactions. Pollination is a critical ecosystem process that often requires mutualisms between animals and plants. Non-native animals may interact with native flowering plants, with the potential to pollinate or steal nectar (larceny) from flowers without pollination. In the Hawaiian Islands, many native plants have lost their original pollinators. Birds and insects are known to visit native plant flowers, but it is unclear whether they pollinate or steal nectar, whether native and non-native species differ in their interactions with flowers, and what influences visitation to flowers. On Oʻahu, we deployed camera traps and conducted in-person observations on four at-risk species of Hawaiian lobelioids (Campanulaceae). We observed birds, mammals, and insects visiting flowers, with a native bird and native bee visiting most frequently. Regardless of native versus non-native status, bees made contact with reproductive structures during most visits (90.5% of visits), while birds stole nectar during most visits (99.3% of visits). Bee and bird visitation increased with the number of flowers on focal plants. Bird visitation also increased with canopy cover and the number of nearby conspecific flowers and decreased with the number of nearby heterospecific flowers. Our results indicate that bees may pollinate plants that were historically bird-pollinated, while native and non-native birds have neutral or negative impacts on these plants. Broadly, we contribute to an understanding of how native plant pollination can be altered in changing ecosystems.

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Effects of the control of an invasive tree on the structure of a plant–frugivore network

Marciniak,

Peroni,

Traveset

et al. 2024

Ecological Applications

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Invasive non‐native species are one of the main causes of degradation of ecosystems worldwide. The control of invasive species is key to reducing threats to ecosystem viability in the long term. Observations of structural changes in ecological interaction networks following invasive species suppression can be useful to monitor the success of ecological restoration initiatives. We evaluated the structure of plant–bird frugivory interaction networks in a plant community invaded by the guava tree (Psidium guajava L.) by comparing network metrics before and after control actions. Psidium guajava was relevant in all metrics for the unmanaged network in this study, with high degree centrality and high nestedness contribution. Based on the asymmetry of species interactions, we found that birds were highly dependent on the invasive plant before suppression. Once P. guajava trees were eliminated, bird and plant species richness, total number of interactions, and modularity increased, whereas nestedness and interaction strength asymmetry decreased. The diet of the bird community became more diversified once P. guajava was no longer available and relevant species roles in community structure emerged. Our results corroborate the fact that ecological restoration interventions should include the control of non‐native plant species that attract frugivorous animals in order to diversify plant–frugivore interactions and thus maintain biodiversity in natural ecosystems.

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Frugivores vary in their response to neighborhood effects in a novel ecosystem

Cited by 10 publications

References 37 publications

Ecological drivers of intraspecific variation in seed dispersal services of a common neotropical palm

Ecological drivers of intraspecific variation in seed dispersal services of a common neotropical palm

Pollination and nectar larceny by birds and bees in novel forests of the Hawaiian Islands

Effects of the control of an invasive tree on the structure of a plant–frugivore network

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