Large herbivore-palm interactions modulate the spatial structure of seedling communities and productivity in Neotropical forests

Villar, Nacho; Rocha-Mendes, Fabiana; Guevara, Roger; Galetti, Mauro

doi:10.1016/j.pecon.2021.10.005

Cited by 11 publications

(12 citation statements)

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“…Growth forms that dominate the community dictate the functional processes and dynamics shaped by the community. For example, in forests where palms dominate, they play a keystone role as foundation species, shaping plant recruitment, richness, beta diversity, nutrient cycling and primary productivity through their interaction with LMHs (Villar et al, 2020; Villar, Paz, et al, 2021; Villar, Rocha‐Mendez, et al, 2021). Thus, shifts in growth form dominance have strong consequences for ecosystem structure and function.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Palms have higher fecundity and are hyper‐dominant in various Neotropical regions including the Atlantic and the Amazon forest (Staggemeier et al, 2017; ter Steege et al, 2013). As consequence, LMHs are strongly attracted to palm stands (Akkawi et al, 2020; Beck, 2017; Bodmer, 1990), spatially structuring plant communities and ecosystem processes across palm density gradients (Villar, Paz, et al, 2021; Villar, Rocha‐Mendez, et al, 2021). Furthermore, in defaunated areas where LMHs are absent, most palm seeds accumulate beneath reproductive adults (Martínez‐Ramos et al, 2016; Valverde et al, 2020; Wright et al, 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a consequence, seed predation by LMH is thought to strongly reduce tree recruitment and population densities (Beck et al, 2013; Kurten et al, 2015; Kurten & Carson, 2015; Theimer et al, 2011). Indeed, while diversity and abundance of small mammal herbivores (rodents) increase in defaunated tropical forests (Galetti, Guevara, Neves, et al, 2015), exclosure experiments show that small mammal herbivory cannot fully compensate for the magnitude of LMH seed predation and herbivory (Kurten, 2013; Villar et al, 2020; Villar, Rocha‐Mendez, et al, 2021; Williams et al, 2021; Wright et al, 2007). Furthermore, large seeds are not heavily consumed by small mammals (Galetti, Guevara, Galbiati, et al, 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Large mammalian herbivores modulate plant growth form diversity in a tropical rainforest

et al. 2022

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The world’s terrestrial biomes are broadly classified according to the dominant plant growth forms that define ecosystem structure and processes. Although the abundance and distribution of different plant growth forms can be strongly determined by factors such as climate and soil composition, large mammalian herbivores have a strong impact on plant communities, thus defaunation (the local or functional extinction of large animals) has the potential to alter the compositional structure of plant growth forms in natural ecosystems. Tropical rainforests sustain a high diversity of growth forms, including trees, palms, lianas, shrubs, herbs and bamboos, all of which play important ecosystem functions. Here, we experimentally evaluate how large mammalian herbivores affect the dominance, diversity and coexistence of these major tropical forest plant growth forms, by monitoring communities of saplings on the understorey in 43 paired exclusion plots in a long‐term replicated exclusion experiment in the understorey of the Atlantic forest of Brazil. Over the course of 10 years large herbivore exclusion decreased diversity among growth forms, increased the absolute abundance of palms and trees (22% and 38% respectively) and increased the diversity of species within these two groups, to the detriment of other growth forms. Furthermore, all pairwise relationships between growth forms were positive on plots where herbivores had access, whereas several strong negative relationships emerged in plots where herbivores were excluded. This occurred despite strong background directional temporal trends affecting plant communities in both experimental treatments across the region. Synthesis. Our work indicates that the defaunation alters growth form dominance by favouring palms and trees while eroding diversity among growth forms and coexistence on a temporal scale. Large herbivore mammals promote diversity among growth forms, preventing the hyper‐dominance of trees and palms, yet without supressing the diversity of species within growth forms. We argue that large herbivore mammals affect growth forms through several non‐mutually exclusive mechanisms, including herbivory, seed dispersal and physical disturbance, as well as differential effects linked to the morphological and physiological adaptations of growth forms. We conclude that defaunation might lead to profound impacts on important ecosystem functions underpinned by growth form diversity, and result in vertical and horizontal structural simplification of tropical rainforests.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Large mammalian herbivores modulate plant growth form diversity in a tropical rainforest

et al. 2022

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“…By dispersing large-seeded trees that produce large hardwood trees, with higher carbon storage capacity, large mammals are fundamental for the maintenance of above-ground carbon storage. Large herbivorous mammals (particularly tapirs and whitelipped peccaries) are also important for mediating plant composition and diversity (Villar et al 2020), plant biomass (Villar et al 2022), nutrient cycling (Villar et al 2021), and plant life growth form (Souza et al 2022) in the Atlantic Forest. By experimentally fencing part of the vegetation, scientists have found that by feeding or trampling plants, large mammals promote an increase in plant beta diversity (i.e.…”

Section: Where Are the Mammals In São Paulo State?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…By experimentally fencing part of the vegetation, scientists have found that by feeding or trampling plants, large mammals promote an increase in plant beta diversity (i.e. create a mosaic of areas of low and high diversity) (Villar et al 2022) and are fundamental in adding carbon and other nutrients to forest's soil, particularly in areas rich in palms (Euterpe edulis) (Villar et al 2021) (Figure 5). Large mammals are also important in maintaining the diversity of plant growth forms, a vital component of the 3-dimensional diversity of the Atlantic Forest (Souza et al 2022).…”

Section: Where Are the Mammals In São Paulo State?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Mammals in São Paulo State: diversity, distribution, ecology, and conservation

et al. 2022

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Mammals are charismatic organisms that play a fundamental role in ecological functions and ecosystem services, such as pollination, seed dispersal, nutrient cycling, and pest control. The state of São Paulo represents only 3% of the Brazilian territory but holds 33% of its mammalian diversity. Most of its territory is dominated by agriculture, pastures, and urban areas which directly affect the diversity and persistence of mammals in the landscape. In addition, São Paulo has the largest port in Latin America and the largest offshore oil reservoir in Brazil, with a 600 km stretch of coastline with several marine mammal species. These human-made infrastructures affect the diversity, distribution, ecology, and the future of mammals in the state. Here, we answer five main questions: 1) What is the diversity of wild mammals in São Paulo state? 2) Where are they? 3) What is their positive and negative impact on human well-being? 4) How do mammals thrive in human-modified landscapes? 5) What is the future of mammals in the state? The state of São Paulo holds 255 species of native mammals, with four endemic species, two of them globally endangered. At least six species (two marsupials, Giant otter, Pampas deer, Brazilian dwarf brocket deer, and Giant armadillo) were extirpated from the state due to hunting and habitat loss. The intense human land use in the state forced many mammalian species to change their diet to cope with the intense fragmentation and agriculture. Large-scale monoculture has facilitated the invasion of exotic species such as wild boars (javali) and the European hare. Several “savanna-dwelling” species are expanding their ranges (Maned wolf, Brocket deer) over deforested areas and probably reflect changes towards a drier climate. Because the state has the largest road system, about 40,000 mammals from 33 species are killed per year in collisions causing an economic loss of 12 million dollars/year. The diversity of mammals is concentrated in the largest forest remnants of Serra do Mar and in the interior of the State, mainly in the regions of Ribeirão Preto and Jundiaí. Sampling gaps are concentrated throughout the interior of the state, particularly in the northwest region. Wild mammals play a fundamental role in many ecosystem services, but they can also be a concern in bringing new emergent diseases to humans. Although the taxonomy of mammals seems to be well known, we show that new species are continuously being discovered in the state. Therefore, continuous surveys using traditional and new technologies (eDNA, iDNA, drones), long-term population monitoring, investigation of the interface of human-wildlife conflict, and understanding of the unique ecosystem role played by mammals are future avenues for promoting sustainable green landscapes allied to human well-being in the state. The planting of forest or savanna corridors, particularly along with major river systems, in the plateau, controlling illegal hunting in the coastal areas, managing fire regimes in the Cerrado, and mitigating roadkill must be prioritized to protect this outstanding mammal diversity.

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Vicuña antipredator diel movement drives spatial nutrient subsidies in a high Andean ecosystem

Monk,

Donadio,

Gregorio

et al. 2024

Ecology

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Large animals could be important drivers of spatial nutrient subsidies when they ingest resources in some habitats and release them in others, even moving nutrients against elevational gradients. In high Andean deserts, vicuñas (Vicugna vicugna) move daily between nutrient‐rich wet meadows, where there is abundant water and forage but high risk of predation by pumas (Puma concolor), and nutrient‐poor open plains with lower risk of predation. In all habitats, vicuñas defecate and urinate in communal latrines. We investigated how these latrines impacted soil and plant nutrient concentrations across three habitats in the Andean ecosystem (meadows, plains, and canyons) and used stable isotope analysis to explore the source of fecal nutrients in latrines. Latrine soils had higher concentrations of nitrogen, carbon, and other nutrients than did nonlatrine soils across all habitats. These inputs corresponded with an increase in plant quality (lower C:N) at latrine sites in plains and canyons, but not in meadows. Stable isotope mixing models suggest that ~7% of nutrients in plains latrines originated from vegetation in meadows, which is disproportionately higher than the relative proportion of meadow habitat (2.6%) in the study area. In contrast, ~68% of nutrients in meadow latrines appear to originate from plains and canyon vegetation, though these habitats made up nearly 98% of the study area. Vicuña diel movements thus appear to concentrate nutrients in latrines within habitats and to drive cross‐habitat nutrient subsidies, with disproportionate transport from low‐lying, nutrient‐rich meadows to more elevated, nutrient‐poor plains. When these results are scaled up to the landscape scale, the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus subsidized in soil at plains latrines was of the same order of magnitude as estimates of annual atmospheric nitrogen and phosphorus deposition for this region (albeit far more localized and patchy). Thus, vicuña‐mediated nutrient redistribution and deposition appears to be an important process impacting ecosystem functioning in arid Andean environments, on par with other major inputs of nutrients to the system.

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Large herbivore-palm interactions modulate the spatial structure of seedling communities and productivity in Neotropical forests

Cited by 11 publications

References 72 publications

Large mammalian herbivores modulate plant growth form diversity in a tropical rainforest

Large mammalian herbivores modulate plant growth form diversity in a tropical rainforest

Mammals in São Paulo State: diversity, distribution, ecology, and conservation

Vicuña antipredator diel movement drives spatial nutrient subsidies in a high Andean ecosystem

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