Similar composition of functional roles in Andean seed‐dispersal networks, despite high species and interaction turnover

Dehling, D. Matthias; Peralta, Guadalupe; Bender, Irene M. A.; Blendinger, Pedro G.; Böhning‐Gaese, Katrin; Muñoz, Marcia C.; Neuschulz, Eike Lena; Quitián, Marta; Saavedra, Francisco; Santillán, Vinicio; Schleuning, Matthias; Stouffer, Daniel B.

doi:10.1002/ecy.3028

Cited by 30 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…Additionally, most of the seeds of P. aequatorialis were removed during the first four days of observation in the agroforestry system, similar to what we found in the disturbed forest. Relatively high removal rates in the agroforestry system suggest that different animal communities can maintain functional roles such as seed removal to some extent in disturbed habitats (Dehling et al., 2020; Farwig et al., 2017; Neuschulz et al., 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post-Dispersal Seed Removal in a Large-Seeded Palm by Frugivore Mammals in Western Ecuador

Escobar

Razafindratsima

Montúfar

et al. 2020

Tropical Conservation Science

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Post-dispersal seed removal by ground-foraging frugivores promotes secondary dispersal of large seeds, reducing seed predation and increasing recruitment and regeneration. We studied how habitat disturbance influences seed removal patterns in the large-seeded palm Phytelephas aequatorialis within three habitats forming a continuum of disturbance (agroforestry system, disturbed forest, and less-disturbed forest) using seed removal experiments and camera trapping. We tested whether seed removal rates, and both richness and composition of seed remover communities varied between the habitats. On average, 15 seeds were removed under each tree in the agroforestry system over seven days, which was significantly lower compared to the disturbed forest (18) and the less-disturbed forest (19). Eight mammal species were identified removing seeds in the three habitats. On average, one mammal species removed seeds at each station in the agroforestry system, which was significantly lower than the two species observed in the two forests. The composition of seed remover communities was significantly different between the three habitats. Our results suggest that the loss of forest cover in the agroforestry system has reduced the richness of seed removers, which subsequently caused decreased removal rates. Nevertheless, this habitat could still maintain effective seed dispersal events because spiny rats were important seed removers. Our camera trap data should be taken as preliminary because we could only identify less than half of the animals responsible for seed removal. This study highlights the importance of medium- and large-sized rodents for the removal and effective dispersal of large seeds in disturbed tropical habitats.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post-Dispersal Seed Removal in a Large-Seeded Palm by Frugivore Mammals in Western Ecuador

Escobar

Razafindratsima

Montúfar

et al. 2020

Tropical Conservation Science

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“…Variation in the abiotic environment and indirect interactions (Golubski et al 2016) could modify the occurrence and strength of individual interactions. Despite this, empirical networks tend to share a common backbone (Mora et al 2018) and functional composition (Dehling et al 2020) across space.…”

Section: How Much Do Network Vary Over Space?mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Roadmap Toward Predicting Species Interaction Networks (Across Space and Time)

Strydom¹,

Catchen²,

Banville³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Networks of species interactions can capture meaningful information on the structure and functioning of ecosystems. Yet the scarcity of existing data, and the difficulty associated with comprehensively sampling interactions between species, means that to describe the structure, variation, and change of ecological networks over time and space, we need to rely on modeling tools with the capacity to make accurate predictions about how species interact. Here we provide a proof-of-concept, where we show a simple neural-network model makes accurate predictions about species interactions, and use this model to reconstruct a metaweb of host-parasite interactions across space, and assess the challenges and opportunities associated with improving interaction predictions. We then provide a primer on the relevant method and tools that will guide the development and integration of these tools, and provide a road map forward toward integration of multiple sources of data and methodlogical approaches (including statistical, dynamical, and inferential models) to sketch the path forward for this research program.

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“…Studies that analyze species effects on ecological processes usually consider the functional trait space of only one of the communities (e.g. resources or, consumers) involved in the interaction to determine species roles (Finerty et al 2016, Dehling et al 2020). We argue that for a full comprehension of ecological processes involving trophic interactions, both communities must be included.…”

Section: A Framework To Estimate Species Effects On Ecological Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One might argue that this model is oversimplified as species’ role in trophic interactions are often dependent on species abundance and density (Akçakaya et al 2019). However, on the one hand, even more simplified models, which take into account only the convex hull of the niche, are commonly used (Cornwell et al 2006) and effectively compares species roles on ecological processes (Quitián et al 2019, Dehling et al 2020). Additionally, traits affect both interactions and abundance (Bartomeus et al 2016).…”

Section: Framework Modificationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Trait-based perspectives, rather than taxonomic ones, have been encouraged, because traits facilitate detecting patterns and making predictions, while taxonomy do not directly reflect functionality (Díaz et al 2006). In this sense, communities can strongly differ in species composition but still show very similar functioning (Dehling et al 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A framework to assess the effects of changes in species composition on processes derived from trophic interactions

Fas

Dias

2020

Preprint

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Functional diversity uses response and effect traits to understand how communities are affected by changes in the environment and the consequences of modifications on communities composition to the ecosystem functioning. However, most studies focus on a single taxonomic or functional group, ignoring that many processes result from interspecific interactions. Here we established a multi-trophic trait-based framework to evaluate the consequences of community change for ecological processes. Specifically, we estimate each species’ potential effect taking in account the consumers and resource communities involved on the trophic interaction. Both communities’ functional spaces are incorporated into a single analysis by using resource traits to estimate consumers’ functional space. The framework includes a parameter that allows giving different weights to unique interactions when estimating a species potential effect. We present two modifications for application using abundance and species richness data and two modifications to allow incorporating absent species into the analysis. Our framework can be used to investigate consequences of community changes in different situations, such as species extinctions, invasions and refaunation. To demonstrate the insights derived from our framework we use an exemplary study case of refaunation of an impacted tropical forest. This framework informs on a species contribution to an ecological process according to the uniqueness or redundancy of its interactions and the magnitude of its effect, indicated by the frequency of the resource’s community trait values with which it interacts. Thus, it helps to increase the understanding of the effects of changes in community composition on ecological processes resulting from trophic interactions. It assists practitioners and researches with predictions and evaluations on potential loss and reestablishment of ecological functions resulted from changes in community functional composition.

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Similar composition of functional roles in Andean seed‐dispersal networks, despite high species and interaction turnover

Cited by 30 publications

References 63 publications

Post-Dispersal Seed Removal in a Large-Seeded Palm by Frugivore Mammals in Western Ecuador

Post-Dispersal Seed Removal in a Large-Seeded Palm by Frugivore Mammals in Western Ecuador

A Roadmap Toward Predicting Species Interaction Networks (Across Space and Time)

A framework to assess the effects of changes in species composition on processes derived from trophic interactions

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