The effects of defaunation on plants' capacity to track climate change

Evan C Fricke; Alejandro Ordonez; Haldre S Rogers; Jens-Christian Svenning

doi:10.1126/science.abk3510

The effects of defaunation on plants' capacity to track climate change

Evan C Fricke^*, Alejandro Ordonez, Haldre S Rogers, Jens-Christian Svenning

^*Corresponding author af dette arbejde

Institut for Biologi - Center for Biodiversitetsdynamik i en verden under Forandring

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift/Konferencebidrag i tidsskrift /Bidrag til avis › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

Abstract

Half of all plant species rely on animals to disperse their seeds. Seed dispersal interactions lost through defaunation and gained during novel community assembly influence whether plants can adapt to climate change through migration. We develop trait-based models to predict pairwise interactions and dispersal function for fleshy-fruited plants globally. Using interactions with introduced species as an observable proxy for interactions in future novel seed dispersal networks, we find strong potential to forecast their assembly and functioning. We conservatively estimate that mammal and bird defaunation has already reduced the capacity of plants to track climate change by 60% globally. This strong reduction in the ability of plants to adapt to climate change through range shifts shows a synergy between defaunation and climate change that undermines vegetation resilience.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	Science (New York, N.Y.)
Vol/bind	375
Nummer	6577
Sider (fra-til)	210-214
Antal sider	5
ISSN	0036-8075
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abk3510
Status	Udgivet - jan. 2022

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10.1126/science.abk3510

Citationsformater

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title = "The effects of defaunation on plants' capacity to track climate change",

abstract = "Half of all plant species rely on animals to disperse their seeds. Seed dispersal interactions lost through defaunation and gained during novel community assembly influence whether plants can adapt to climate change through migration. We develop trait-based models to predict pairwise interactions and dispersal function for fleshy-fruited plants globally. Using interactions with introduced species as an observable proxy for interactions in future novel seed dispersal networks, we find strong potential to forecast their assembly and functioning. We conservatively estimate that mammal and bird defaunation has already reduced the capacity of plants to track climate change by 60% globally. This strong reduction in the ability of plants to adapt to climate change through range shifts shows a synergy between defaunation and climate change that undermines vegetation resilience.",

keywords = "DEER, DISTANCE, ENDOZOOCHOROUS SEED DISPERSAL, FRAMEWORK, MIGRATION, NETWORKS, PATTERNS, SHADOW, Birds, Mammals, Seed Dispersal, Animals, Climate Change, Models, Biological, Ecosystem, Plant Physiological Phenomena, Plant Dispersal, Population Dynamics",

author = "Fricke, {Evan C} and Alejandro Ordonez and Rogers, {Haldre S} and Jens-Christian Svenning",

year = "2022",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1126/science.abk3510",

language = "English",

volume = "375",

pages = "210--214",

journal = "Science (New York, N.Y.)",

issn = "0036-8075",

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number = "6577",

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AU - Fricke, Evan C

AU - Ordonez, Alejandro

AU - Rogers, Haldre S

AU - Svenning, Jens-Christian

PY - 2022/1

Y1 - 2022/1

N2 - Half of all plant species rely on animals to disperse their seeds. Seed dispersal interactions lost through defaunation and gained during novel community assembly influence whether plants can adapt to climate change through migration. We develop trait-based models to predict pairwise interactions and dispersal function for fleshy-fruited plants globally. Using interactions with introduced species as an observable proxy for interactions in future novel seed dispersal networks, we find strong potential to forecast their assembly and functioning. We conservatively estimate that mammal and bird defaunation has already reduced the capacity of plants to track climate change by 60% globally. This strong reduction in the ability of plants to adapt to climate change through range shifts shows a synergy between defaunation and climate change that undermines vegetation resilience.

AB - Half of all plant species rely on animals to disperse their seeds. Seed dispersal interactions lost through defaunation and gained during novel community assembly influence whether plants can adapt to climate change through migration. We develop trait-based models to predict pairwise interactions and dispersal function for fleshy-fruited plants globally. Using interactions with introduced species as an observable proxy for interactions in future novel seed dispersal networks, we find strong potential to forecast their assembly and functioning. We conservatively estimate that mammal and bird defaunation has already reduced the capacity of plants to track climate change by 60% globally. This strong reduction in the ability of plants to adapt to climate change through range shifts shows a synergy between defaunation and climate change that undermines vegetation resilience.

KW - DEER

KW - DISTANCE

KW - ENDOZOOCHOROUS SEED DISPERSAL

KW - FRAMEWORK

KW - MIGRATION

KW - NETWORKS

KW - PATTERNS

KW - SHADOW

KW - Birds

KW - Mammals

KW - Seed Dispersal

KW - Animals

KW - Climate Change

KW - Models, Biological

KW - Ecosystem

KW - Plant Physiological Phenomena

KW - Plant Dispersal

KW - Population Dynamics

U2 - 10.1126/science.abk3510

DO - 10.1126/science.abk3510

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 35025640

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 375

SP - 210

EP - 214

JO - Science (New York, N.Y.)

JF - Science (New York, N.Y.)

IS - 6577

ER -

The effects of defaunation on plants' capacity to track climate change

Abstract

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