Habitat Characteristics of Forest Fragments Determine Specialisation of Plant-Frugivore Networks in a Mosaic Forest Landscape |
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Authors: | Lackson Chama Dana G Berens Colleen T Downs Nina Farwig |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Ecology - Conservation Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.; 2. School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.; Institut Mediterrani d´Estudis Avançats (CSIC/UIB), Spain, |
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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. |
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