Anthropogenic disturbance reduces seed-dispersal services for myrmecochorous plants in the Brazilian Caatinga

• Published in: Oecologia Vol. 174; no. 1; pp. 173 - 181
• Main Authors: Leal, Laura C., Andersen, Alan N., Leal, Inara R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer 01.01.2014; Springer Berlin Heidelberg; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; anthropogenic activities; Anthropogenic factors; Ants; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; botanical composition; Brazil; Caatinga; Croton; Dinoponera; Dinoponera quadriceps; Disturbance; Ecology; Ecosystems; Ectatomma; Environment; Environmental Monitoring; Euphorbiaceae; Euphorbiaceae - physiology; Forest insects; Formicidae; fuelwood; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Habitats; Human Activities; Hydrology/Water Resources; Insect ecology; Jatropha; Life Sciences; Livestock; myrmecochory; Phytophagous insects; Plant insect relations; Plant Sciences; PLANT-MICROBE-ANIMAL INTERACTIONS; Plant-microbe-animal interactions - Original research; Plants; Seed Dispersal; Species; South America; Brazil; America; Mutualisms; Ants; Ecological services; Seeds; Croton sonderianus; Perturbation; Mutualism; Dispersion; Jatropha; Jatropha mollissima; Vegetation type; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Euphorbiaceae; Spermatophyta; Anthropogenic factor

Anthropogenic disturbance can have important indirect effects on ecosystems by disrupting species interactions. Here we examine the effects of anthropogenic disturbance on distance dispersal by ants for the diaspores of myrmecochorous Euphorbiaceae in Brazilian Caatinga. Rates of diaspore removal an...