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Seed predation in a human-modified tropical landscape

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 June 2015

Jenny Zambrano ,
Rosamond Coates  and
Henry F. Howe
Jenny Zambrano*
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 W. Taylor St. (M/C 066), Chicago, Illinois 60706, USA
Rosamond Coates
Affiliation:
Los Tuxtlas Tropical Biological Station, Institute of Biology, UNAM Apartado Postal 94, San Andres Tuxtla, Veracruz, CP 95701, Mexico
Henry F. Howe
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 W. Taylor St. (M/C 066), Chicago, Illinois 60706, USA
*
1Corresponding author. Email: jzambr3@uic.edu
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Abstract:

Contemporary defaunation of fragmented forests potentially alters patterns of seed predation and dispersal. Alternatively, the remaining fauna may compensate for missing animals, resulting in equivalent rates of seed dispersal and predation. In the Los Tuxtlas region of southern Mexico, populations of large terrestrial fruit-eating mammals are diminished or absent from many forest remnants. This study reports fruit removal and seed predation patterns of Poulsenia armata (Moraceae), in forest fragments and a continuous forest (LTBS). Contrary to expectation, we found no differences in seed predation (mean ± SD) between LTBS (7.2 ± 1.8 seeds per station) and forest fragments (5.6 ± 1.1). However more fruits were removed in the LTBS (11.4 ± 0.9 fruits per station) than in forest fragments (8.1 ± 0.8). Animal activity, recorded by camera traps, differed between animal guild with fewer seed dispersers in forest fragments (mean = 0.43 ± 0.02 photos wk−1) than in the LTBS (mean = 0.68 ± 0.05). Fruits and seeds attracted many species of mammal (n = 12) in both habitats, indicating substantial redundancy. Remnant forest patches in the Los Tuxtlas landscape retain great ecological value, both as refuges for mammals and habitats for trees, such as P. armata.

Keywords

defaunationfruit removalLos TuxtlasPoulsenia armataseed predation
Type
Short Communication
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 31 , Issue 4 , July 2015 , pp. 379 - 383
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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