Habitat characteristics of forest fragments determine specialisation of plant-frugivore networks in a mosaic forest landscape

PLoS One. 2013;8(1):e54956. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054956. Epub 2013 Jan 24.

Abstract

Plant-frugivore networks play a key role in the regeneration of sub-tropical forest ecosystems. However, information about the impact of habitat characteristics on plant-frugivore networks in fragmented forests is scarce. We investigated the importance of fruit abundance, fruiting plant species richness and canopy cover within habitat fragments for the structure and robustness of plant-frugivore networks in a mosaic forest landscape of South Africa. In total, 53 avian species were involved in fruit removal of 31 fleshy-fruiting plant species. Species specialisation was always higher for plants than for frugivores. Both species and network-level specialisation increased with increasing fruit abundance and decreased with increasing fruiting plant species richness and canopy cover within fragments. Interaction diversity was unaffected by fruit abundance and canopy cover, but increased slightly with increasing fruiting plant species richness. These findings suggest that especially the availability of resources is an important determinant of the structure of plant-frugivore networks in a fragmented forest landscape.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biodiversity
  • Birds / classification
  • Birds / physiology*
  • Ecosystem*
  • Fruit / classification
  • Herbivory / physiology*
  • Plant Physiological Phenomena*
  • Plants / classification
  • Population Dynamics
  • South Africa
  • Trees

Grants and funding

The study was funded by the Robert Bosch Stiftung. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.