The Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation
ATBC 2008 - 2008 Luis F Bacardi Awards
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2008 Luis F Bacardi Award for Advances in Tropical Conservation
Small differences may lead to big consequences: bat and bird seed dispersal networks by Marco Mello1, Flavia Marquitti1, Paulo Guimaraes2, Elisabeth Kalko3, Pedro Jordano4
1 Departamento de Botanica, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, 2 Instituto de Fisica “Gleb Wataghin”, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 3 Institute of Experimental Ecology, University of Ulm, 4 Integrative Ecology Group, Estacion Biologica de Donana
Abstract. Although mutualisms tend to follow general patterns, small differences among systems may be pervasive. We compared the structure and fragility of seed dispersal networks formed by two key neotropical frugivores: bats and birds. Considering the greater phylogenetic affinity of fruit bats, we expected bird networks to be more heterogeneous. We used species richness, nestedness, distribution of degrees, and modularity to describe networks and identify compartments. Finally, we tested network fragility by simulating extinctions. Bat networks are four times smaller, and bats disperse four times less plant families. Both bat and bird networks are highly nested, with bird networks being more heterogeneous. Bird networks have a three times higher proportion of specialists. Bat and bird networks have similar modularities, although bird networks have modules that are three times bigger and more heterogeneous. Both kinds of network exhibited little change after single-species extinctions, but in bird networks the number of coextinctions was less predictable. In simulations of cumulative extinctions bird networks collapsed 20% faster. Considering our results and dietary preferences of bats and birds, those small differences may result in a more robust forest regeneration service, and in a higher and more unpredictable fragility of late forest development. Forest restoration programs should work at network level, and pay attention to system fragility at each successional stage.
Symposium Bat-plant interactions: Ecological processes and evolutionary implications