The benefits of frugivores in the Atlantic Forest
A new study by the Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact found that tropical fruit-eating birds can play an important role in carbon storage simply by dispersing seeds.
Frugivores are a diverse group of animals whose primary diet consists of fruits. These animals play a crucial role in ecosystems as they facilitate seed dispersal, helping to maintain and regenerate plant populations. Frugivores encompass a wide range of species, including birds, bats, primates, rodents, and even certain fish species. This diversity reflects the adaptation of different organisms to exploit fruits’ nutritional and energy benefits.
Scientists worldwide are increasingly recognizing the benefits of frugivores in ecosystem restoration, particularly in degraded tropical forests. These forests have been subjected to extensive deforestation and fragmentation due to human activities such as logging, agriculture, and urbanization. As a result, many plant species reliant on frugivores for seed dispersal face challenges in regeneration and dispersal.
When an animal eats fruits, it receives sustenance. If the animal swallows the fruit in its entirety, including the seeds, the seeds will remain intact throughout the animal’s digestive system and will come out the other way when the animal defecates. This is helpful because they help propagate new fruit trees, contributing to carbon sequestration. Studies have shown that some of the benefits of frugivores are that they are responsible for dispersing 70% to 90% of tree species.
The team from the Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact sought to see the benefits of frugivores in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, where approximately 88% of its vegetation has been lost due to unsustainable agricultural expansion and cattle grazing. The Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact aims to restore and reforest 12 million hectares by 2030.
This location was also chosen for this study because of the opportunity to explore potential forest regeneration in fragmented landscapes and to understand the impact and benefits of frugivores in the area. Moreover, the Atlantic Forest has more than 930 species of birds.
In addition to the seed dispersal process by birds in the area (consisting of fruit ingestion, movement of the species, and the time it takes for the seeds to be defecated, the researchers measured the seed rain and the potential carbon stock of forests that would result from the composition of dispersed species.
They found that in the benefits of frugivores, smaller birds can spread more seeds around but only eat the smaller seeds, which will ultimately have a lower carbon storage potential. Larger birds like the toco toucan or the curl-crested jay are able to disperse the seeds of bigger trees, which will have a higher carbon storage potential; however, these birds are less likely to move across more highly fragmented landscapes. The researchers concluded that if these bigger birds moved around more freely, carbon storage would increase by up to 38 percent.
Ironically, the bigger birds are not moving freely in fragmented areas due to the lack of tree cover. Frugivore birds prefer forested areas for seed dispersal. The researchers propose that local management strategies that aim to attract frugivores and facilitate animal movement should be implemented to address this. Some examples include establishing living fences, planting shelter and fruit trees, and preventing poachers.
The researchers have found that implementing local management strategies is more economical than the costs associated with large-scale tree planting. Using the benefits of frugivores to regenerate the Atlantic Forest helps to support native tree species. They also suggest that these seed dispersal projects are not limited to birds; other aerial and terrestrial mammals (e.g., rodents and bats) can also help with seed dispersal.
Animals hold significant value beyond what is commonly recognized. Like humans, animals rely on forests for their survival. We can also protect our forests, reduce carbon emissions, and preserve our environment by safeguarding our animals.
