Frugivory and seed dispersal of woody species by the Asian elephant (<i>Elephas maximus</i>) in a mid-elevation tropical evergreen forest in India

Jothish, P. S.

doi:10.1017/s0266467413000060

Cited by 11 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 13 publications

(35 reference statements)

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“…). As a result, seed dispersal by elephants promotes seedling survival and growth (Nchanji & Plumptre ; Jothish ; Spanbauer & Adler ) and high diversity of forest species (Campos‐Arceiz & Blake ).…”

Section: Ecological Effects Of Forest Elephants On Tropical Forestsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Elephant feeding ecology and digestive physiology enhance seed survival and recruitment. Seeds that pass through the digestive tract of elephants demonstrate reduced time to germination, increased early growth rates, and improved seedling survival due in part to the protective and nutrient-rich growth environment provided by elephant dung (Nchanji & Plumptre 2003;Jothish 2013;Spanbauer & Adler 2015). Elephant browsing and movement opens dense vegetation, creating suitable establishment sites for dispersed seeds (Yumoto et al 1995).…”

Section: Seed Dispersalmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Elephant browsing and movement opens dense vegetation, creating suitable establishment sites for dispersed seeds (Yumoto et al 1995). As a result, seed dispersal by elephants promotes seedling survival and growth (Nchanji & Plumptre 2003;Jothish 2013;Spanbauer & Adler 2015) and high diversity of forest species (Campos-Arceiz & Blake 2011).…”

Section: Seed Dispersalmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecological consequences of forest elephant declines for Afrotropical forests

Poulsen

Rosin

Meier

et al. 2018

Conservation Biology

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Poaching is rapidly extirpating African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) from most of their historical range, leaving vast areas of elephant-free tropical forest. Elephants are ecological engineers that create and maintain forest habitat; thus, their loss will have large consequences for the composition and structure of Afrotropical forests. Through a comprehensive literature review, we evaluated the roles of forest elephants in seed dispersal, nutrient recycling, and herbivory and physical damage to predict the cascading ecological effects of their population declines. Loss of seed dispersal by elephants will favor tree species dispersed abiotically and by smaller dispersal agents, and tree species composition will depend on the downstream effects of changes in elephant nutrient cycling and browsing. Loss of trampling and herbivory of seedlings and saplings will result in high tree density with release from browsing pressures. Diminished seed dispersal by elephants and high stem density are likely to reduce the recruitment of large trees and thus increase homogeneity of forest structure and decrease carbon stocks. The loss of ecological services by forest elephants likely means Central African forests will be more like Neotropical forests, from which megafauna were extirpated thousands of years ago. Without intervention, as much as 96% of Central African forests will have modified species composition and structure as elephants are compressed into remaining protected areas. Stopping elephant poaching is an urgent first step to mitigating these effects, but long-term conservation will require land-use planning that incorporates elephant habitat into forested landscapes that are being rapidly transformed by industrial agriculture and logging.

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Section: Ecological Effects Of Forest Elephants On Tropical Forestsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Seed Dispersalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Seed Dispersalmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecological consequences of forest elephant declines for Afrotropical forests

Poulsen

Rosin

Meier

et al. 2018

Conservation Biology

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“…this study, Campos-Arceiz, Lin, et al, 2008;Jothish, 2013;Sekar & Sukumar, 2013;Sekar et al, 2015), and families (e.g. found in both locations in spite of being relatively close to each other (11.3 km away in straight line).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 44%

Long‐term monitoring of seed dispersal by Asian elephants in a Sundaland rainforest

et al. 2021

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Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) have inhabited almost all forests in tropical Asia until recently, yet little is known about their role in ecological processes, particularly in the Sundaic forests of SouthEast Asia. These forests are peculiar in their phenology, with supra-annual and highly irregular episodes of mast fruiting. Here, we present a long-term (6-year) monitoring of the seeds dispersed by elephants in dipterocarp forests of northern Peninsular Malaysia. We conducted monthly dung surveys at two mineral licks (11.3 km apart) frequently visited by elephants. Additionally, we recorded haphazard observations of seeds and seedlings in elephant dung at other locations. We recorded a minimum of 48 morphospecies from at least 25 plant families dispersed by elephants. Elephant seed dispersal was very heterogenous in space, with only 30.3% of the morphospecies dispersed at both sites (Jaccard dissimilarity index = 0.48). Temporally, elephants dispersed seeds in sporadic pulses of abundance and diversity, without any apparent seasonality (seeds appeared in 19.1% of 1,284 dung piles and 57.1% of the 63 months in which we found dung) and with long periods without any seed being dispersed. Nearly half (48%) of the plants dispersed by elephants belong to a megafaunal dispersal syndrome. Our long-term approach allowed us to unravel an important aspect of Asian elephants' role and effectiveness in the seed dispersal cycle. Sundaland's forests are undergoing a rapid loss of their previously common megaherbivores (rhinos and elephants), with profound and long-term consequences for ecosystem functioning.

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“…Artocarpus heterophyllus (Moraceae) is native to India where its main dispersers are tortoises, rodents, primates, wild hogs (Vijaya 1982apud Corlett 1998Khan, 2004) and elephants (Godagama et al, 1999, Jothish, 2013. Artocarpus heterophyllus produces fruits which may weigh up to 35kg and generate 500 seeds.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Smile, you are on camera or in a live trap! The role of mammals in dispersion of jackfruit and native seeds in Ilha Grande State Park, Brazil

Raíces¹,

Ferreira²,

Mello³

et al. 2017

Nat. Cons. Res.

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The alien species Artocarpus heterophyllus, originally from India, was introduced to Brazil in the colonial period and has become invasive in some areas in the Atlantic Forest. Its fruits can weigh 35 kg and produce up to 500 seeds each. In their native range they are dispersed by turtles, rodents, monkeys, wild pigs and elephants. This study aimed to investigate the influence of mammals in jackfruit predation and seed dispersal, as well as the influence of jackfruit in native plant species dispersal by mammals, in the Ilha Grande State Park, Southeastern Brazil. Seeds with and without mesocarp were tied to thread spools and checked for predation and dispersion on 37 sites. We recorded mesocarp or jackfruit seed feeding on video. Six species of mammals were recorded feeding on jackfruit, but Trinomys dimidiatus, Didelphis aurita and Cuniculus paca accounted for 92% of all records. Cuniculus paca and Trinomys dimidiatus preyed and dispersed seeds while Didelphis aurita consumed mesocarp only. Seeds with mesocarp were more preyed on than seeds without mesocarp and its consumption was lower during more intense fruit production. Hence, jackfruit production can exceed the capacity of mammals to consume its seeds in areas where jackfruit density is high. Faeces of small mammals were collected in areas with (10 grids) and without jackfruits (8 grids) and analysed for the presence of native seeds. Twelve small mammal species were captured in areas with and without jackfruits, but faeces of 11 species were collected. Didelphis aurita dispersed proportionally more native seeds in area without jackfruits. Our results showed that mammals are playing a negative role helping to disperse jackfruit trees, and this is occurring in different ways depending on mammal species.

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Frugivory and seed dispersal of woody species by the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) in a mid-elevation tropical evergreen forest in India

Cited by 11 publications

References 13 publications

Ecological consequences of forest elephant declines for Afrotropical forests

Ecological consequences of forest elephant declines for Afrotropical forests

Long‐term monitoring of seed dispersal by Asian elephants in a Sundaland rainforest

Smile, you are on camera or in a live trap! The role of mammals in dispersion of jackfruit and native seeds in Ilha Grande State Park, Brazil

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