Common seed dispersers contribute most to the persistence of a fleshy-fruited tree.
Commun Biol
; 6(1): 330, 2023 03 27.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36973362
ABSTRACT
Mutualistic interactions are by definition beneficial for each contributing partner. However, it is insufficiently understood how mutualistic interactions influence partners throughout their lives. Here, we used animal species-explicit, microhabitat-structured integral projection models to quantify the effect of seed dispersal by 20 animal species on the full life cycle of the tree Frangula alnus in Bialowieza Forest, Eastern Poland. Our analysis showed that animal seed dispersal increased population growth by 2.5%. The effectiveness of animals as seed dispersers was strongly related to the interaction frequency but not the quality of seed dispersal. Consequently, the projected population decline due to simulated species extinction was driven by the loss of common rather than rare mutualist species. Our results support the notion that frequently interacting mutualists contribute most to the persistence of the populations of their partners, underscoring the role of common species for ecosystem functioning and nature conservation.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Árvores
/
Ecossistema
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Commun Biol
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Alemanha