Seed dispersal in changing landscapes

McConkey, Kim R.; Prasad, S; Corlett, Richard T.; Campos‐Arceiz, Ahimsa; Brodie, Jedediah F.; Rogers, Haldre S.; Santamarı́a, Luis

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2011.09.018

Cited by 391 publications

(384 citation statements)

References 169 publications

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“…Second, different drivers of global change, e.g. habitat loss, are known to affect these assemblages, leading to decays of seed dispersal function along the gradients of anthropogenic change [22,23]. And third, the relevance of seed dispersal as an ecosystem service depends not only on how many seeds are dispersed but also on how and where they are dispersed (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Species richness matters for the quality of ecosystem services: a test using seed dispersal by frugivorous birds

2012

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The positive link between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is a current paradigm in ecological science. However, little is known of how different attributes of species assemblages condition the quality of many services in real ecosystems affected by human impact. We explore the links between the attributes of a frugivore assemblage and the quantitative and qualitative components of its derived ecosystem service, seed dispersal, along a landscape-scale gradient of anthropogenic forest loss. Both the number and the richness of seeds being dispersed were positively related to frugivore abundance and richness. Seed dispersal quality, determined by the fine-scale spatial patterns of seed deposition, mostly depended on frugivore richness. In fact, richness was the only attribute of the frugivore assemblage affecting the probability of seed dispersal into deforested areas of the landscape. The positive relationships between frugivore richness per se (i.e. independent of frugivore abundance and composition) and all components of seed dispersal suggest the existence of functional complementarity and/or facilitation between frugivores. These links also point to the whole assemblage of frugivores as a conservation target, if we aim to preserve a complete seed dispersal service and, hence, the potential for vegetation regeneration and recovery, in human-impacted landscapes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Species richness matters for the quality of ecosystem services: a test using seed dispersal by frugivorous birds

2012

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“…However, changes in behaviour and ecology as a consequence of disturbance may modify their role. As habitat disturbance accelerates in Asia and Africa, it is critical to identify which seed dispersal agents can persist in the altered environments and to determine their capacity for seed dispersal in these disturbed habitats (McConkey et al, 2012). Many cercopithecine species are excellent examples of potentially important seed dispersal agents that have not been considered a high priority for studies in most regions, particularly in disturbed Asian habitats.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Seed dispersal is a critical process in ecosystem maintenance and recovery, but is negatively impacted by all forms of ecosystem disturbance (McConkey et al, 2012). Decline in frugivore diversity and abundance (Dirzo, 2001) causes a reduction in the quantity of seeds being dispersed, changes in seed dispersal patterns and, ultimately, alteration of plant assemblages (Markl et al, 2012;McConkey et al, 2012;Muller-Landau, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Decline in frugivore diversity and abundance (Dirzo, 2001) causes a reduction in the quantity of seeds being dispersed, changes in seed dispersal patterns and, ultimately, alteration of plant assemblages (Markl et al, 2012;McConkey et al, 2012;Muller-Landau, 2007). These changes further affect the vulnerability of ecosystems to added threats such as invasive species and climate change (Brook et al, 2008;McConkey et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The value of disturbance-tolerant cercopithecine monkeys as seed dispersers in degraded habitats

Albert¹,

McConkey²,

Savini³

et al. 2014

Biological Conservation

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a b s t r a c tHabitat disturbance has caused a global decline in populations of frugivores, with critical consequences for seed dispersal. Large-seeded plants are especially threatened as they depend on a restricted number of large-bodied dispersers that are vulnerable to extinction and cannot maintain populations in most disturbed habitats. Cercopithecine monkeys are potentially key seed dispersers in disturbed habitats, because of the robustness of some species to disturbance and their ability to disperse large seeds. However, the potential ecological roles of the more disturbance-tolerant species are rarely discussed. This review evaluates the seed dispersal role of cercopithecines in disturbed habitats by investigating their ability to tolerate habitat disturbance, their seed dispersal abilities, and the threats to species survival. Cercopithecines are characterised by ecological flexibility; most species adjust their diet, group size, home range size and, often, feeding methods according to resource availability and habitat structure. Consequently, 79% of species are tolerant of varying degrees of habitat disturbance. Cercopithecines are often inconsistent seed dispersers, but they have the capacity to disperse many seeds, large seeds and to disperse them across large distances. They may be among the most important frugivores in altered environments in Asia and Africa. However, many disturbance-tolerant cercopithecine species are targeted by local people as pests, which poses a major threat to their conservation. In conclusion, the management of all disturbance-tolerant cercopithecine species should be re-evaluated given their importance in the regeneration of degraded Asian and African habitats.

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“…Shifts in ocean currents associated with human-induced climate change may influence dispersal patterns leading to changes in species distributions. In terrestrial systems, investigations on seed dispersal across large spatial extents that encompass fragmented environments will be necessary to make informed conservation decisions (McConkey et al 2012). In particular, research must disentangle the role that humans have as dispersers of invasive plants, or facilitators of connectivity for native plant species (Auffret 2011).…”

Section: Movement Of Organismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Focusing Ecological Research for Conservation

Cristescu

Boyce

2013

AMBIO

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Ecologists are increasingly actively involved in conservation. We identify five key topics from a broad sweep of ecology that merit research attention to meet conservation needs. We examine questions from landscape ecology, behavioral ecology, ecosystem dynamics, community ecology, and nutrient cycling related to key topics. Based on literature review and publication trend assessment, consultation with colleagues, and roundtable discussions at the 24th International Congress for Conservation Biology, focused research on the following topics could benefit conservation while advancing ecological understanding: 1. Carbon sequestration, requiring increased linkages to biodiversity conservation; 2. Ecological invasiveness, challenging our ability to find solutions to ecological aliens; 3. Individual variation, having applications in the conservation of rare species; 4. Movement of organisms, integrating ecological processes across landscapes and scales and addressing habitat fragmentation; and 5. Trophic-level interactions, driving ecological dynamics at the ecosystemlevel. Addressing these will require cross-disciplinary research under the overarching framework of conservation ecology.

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Seed dispersal in changing landscapes

Cited by 391 publications

References 169 publications

Species richness matters for the quality of ecosystem services: a test using seed dispersal by frugivorous birds

Species richness matters for the quality of ecosystem services: a test using seed dispersal by frugivorous birds

The value of disturbance-tolerant cercopithecine monkeys as seed dispersers in degraded habitats

Focusing Ecological Research for Conservation

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