Year of Award
2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
Master of Science (MS)
Degree Name
Organismal Biology, Ecology, and Evolution
Department or School/College
Division of Biological Sciences
Committee Chair
Dr. Jedediah Brodie
Commitee Members
Dr Jedediah Brodie, Dr Anna Sala, Dr Charles Janson, Dr Scott Miller
Keywords
Dispersal Syndromes, Dispersal Networks
Publisher
University of Montana
Subject Categories
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Abstract
Fruit-frugivore interactions within forest ecosystems are intricate and are critical determinants of community structure, function, and composition. Increasing anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity in general and forests in particular highlight the need to better understand these plant-animal relationships. This thesis focuses on connections between fruit-bearing plants and the animals that eat their fruits in a relatively undisturbed rainforest in Gabon. The work combines two studies: one scrutinising fruit trait clustering, and the other delving into the difference between using dispersers versus consumers in seed dispersal networks.
In chapter 1, we focused on fruit traits and how they group together in order to attract the animals that are the most effective dispersers of their seeds. By looking at dispersal-related characteristics like fruit colour and size, we aimed to see if fruit trait clustering in Loango National Park, Gabon, aligned with the prevailing dispersal syndrome hypotheses in the literature. Regardless of the animals that feed on them, fruits did indeed cluster based on their traits, and we found evidence for a megafaunal dispersal syndrome. Within the non-megafaunal fruits, there was some evidence for further distinction into bird and primate syndromes; this suggests that they may be more complicated than originally believed. These syndromes could potentially be used to predict fruit-frugivore interactions based on traits and, therefore, aid in constructing interaction networks.
In chapter 2, we examined how categorising frugivores in seed dispersal networks affects the information we can derive from said networks. By distinguishing between utilising all consumers of a fruit versus just the effective dispersers in constructing seed dispersal networks, we found important differences with implications for stability, presence of interaction “modules”, and the determination of species of importance. Our results demonstrated that, when constructing seed dispersal networks, researchers need to be cautious about categorising mutualists in order to accurately predict effects of species extinctions and habitat loss on ecosystems.
Together, these studies offer important insights into the complex nature of fruit-frugivore interactions as well as the traits that drive their relationships.
Recommended Citation
Lewis, Diandra Mary, "Seedy Business: Unveiling Fruit-Frugivore Interactions in Loango National Park, Gabon" (2023). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 12241.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/12241
Included in
© Copyright 2023 Diandra Mary Lewis