Neotropical Anachronisms: The Fruits the Gomphotheres Ate

Janzen, Daniel H.; Martin, Paul S.

doi:10.1126/science.215.4528.19

Cited by 818 publications

(623 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Its fruits are very large (over 60 mm wide), indehiscent, green, fibrous, have very hard-coated seeds (Dickison 1981), and smell of apples. Although there are as yet no fossil records of non-volant New Caledonian mammals, perhaps this species had a mammalian disperser that became extinct (see Janzen & Martin 1982). If there has been relatively recent extinction (or at least decline) of potential dispersers, it would be expected that plant species which depend on these will have unusually low colonization of new areas, as has been observed on La Reunion by Thébaud & Strasberg (1997), and in the Philippines by Hamann & Curio (1999).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Reproductive traits of tropical rain-forest trees in New Caledonia

2003

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Reproductive traits of 123 species of rain-forest tree from ultramafic regions of New Caledonia were assessed, mainly from herbarium specimens. Most species had extremely small, simple, pale-coloured flowers that are probably mainly pollinated by small insects, but not including bees. The seeds of most species were considered to be bird dispersed. However, wind is also important for pollination and seed dispersal. The phenological trend was for an increase in the number of species flowering and fruiting around the end of the warm dry season/start of the hot wet season, followed by a decline at the end of the wet season, and lower proportions during the cooler season. Seed size was significantly correlated with fruit size. Other correlations, between flower size and fruit size, and between seed size and seed number, were significant using species as independent observations, but did not hold following phylogenetic correction. Compared with non-dioecious species, dioecious species had significantly larger seeds, and a greater proportion of species with biotic dispersal, abiotic pollination and solitary (female) flowers. The long-term persistence of at least the larger-seeded tree species in New Caledonia is precarious, since the endemic giant pigeon, Ducula goliath, is probably their principal effective disperser, and this species is in decline.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Reproductive traits of tropical rain-forest trees in New Caledonia

2003

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“…In addition to morphological features, Janzen & Martin [35] stated that limited and/or patchy distribution of plants along watercourses would be typical of species with anachronistic dispersal modes. The loss of a co-adapted disperser, especially if it were a large vertebrate species would have tremendous implications for a plant species.…”

Section: (A) Legumes As a Proxy Of Plant Biodiversity And Ecosystem Smentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We propose to use the criteria defined by Janzen & Martin [35] to identify legumes harbouring anachronistic megafaunal dispersal syndromes and to conduct population genetic analyses on these taxa. In addition to morphological features, Janzen & Martin [35] stated that limited and/or patchy distribution of plants along watercourses would be typical of species with anachronistic dispersal modes.…”

Section: (A) Legumes As a Proxy Of Plant Biodiversity And Ecosystem Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Incorporating evolutionary history into conservation planning in biodiversity hotspots

Buerki

Callmander

Bachman

et al. 2015

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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There is increased evidence that incorporating evolutionary history directly in conservation actions is beneficial, particularly given the likelihood that extinction is not random and that phylogenetic diversity (PD) is lost at higher rates than species diversity. This evidence is even more compelling in biodiversity hotspots, such as Madagascar, where less than 10% of the original vegetation remains. Here, we use the Leguminosae, an ecologically and economically important plant family, and a combination of phylogenetics and species distribution modelling, to assess biodiversity patterns and identify regions, coevolutionary processes and ecological factors that are important in shaping this diversity, especially during the Quaternary. We show evidence that species distribution and community PD are predicted by watershed boundaries, which enable the identification of a network of refugia and dispersal corridors that were perhaps important for maintaining community integrity during past climate change. Phylogenetically clustered communities are found in the southwest of the island at low elevation and share a suite of morphological characters (especially fruit morphology) indicative of coevolution with their main dispersers, the extinct and extant lemurs. Phylogenetically over-dispersed communities are found along the eastern coast at sea level and may have resulted from many independent dispersal events from the drier and more seasonal regions of Madagascar.

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“…At one extreme, dispersal failure might prevent regeneration completely, leaving forests full of 'living dead' adult trees [13] and eventually, depending on tree longevity, leading to the collapse and successional replacement of mature forest stands. However, plant regeneration is sometimes surprisingly robust in the face of disperser loss [14], requiring us to determine actual mechanisms and effects for potential declines in regenerative potential. Seed dispersal may be essential for plant recruitment at different spatial scales by facilitating germination [15], enabling seeds and seedlings to escape disproportionate mortality near parent plants (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Frugivore loss limits recruitment of large-seeded trees

2011

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Although global declines in frugivores may disrupt seed dispersal mutualisms and inhibit plant recruitment, quantifying the likely reduction in plant regeneration has been difficult and rarely attempted. We use a manipulative factorial experiment to quantify dependence of recruitment on dispersal (i.e. fruit pulp removal and movement of seed away from parental area) in two large-seeded New Zealand tree species. Complete dispersal failure would cause a 66 to 81 per cent reduction in recruitment to the 2-year-old seedling stage, and synergistic interactions with introduced mammalian seed and seedling predators increase the reduction to 92 to 94 per cent. Dispersal failure reduced regeneration through effects on seed predation, germination and (especially) seedling survival, including distance-and density-dependent ( Janzen -Connell) effects. Dispersal of both species is currently largely dependent on a single frugivore, and many fruits today remain uneaten. Present-day levels of frugivore loss and mammal seed and seedling predators result in 57 to 84 per cent fewer seedlings after 2 years. Our study demonstrates the importance of seed dispersal for local plant population persistence, and validates concerns about the community consequences of frugivore declines.

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Neotropical Anachronisms: The Fruits the Gomphotheres Ate

Cited by 818 publications

References 29 publications

Reproductive traits of tropical rain-forest trees in New Caledonia

Reproductive traits of tropical rain-forest trees in New Caledonia

Incorporating evolutionary history into conservation planning in biodiversity hotspots

Frugivore loss limits recruitment of large-seeded trees

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