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 for this work

Department of Biology - Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › 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.

Original language	English
Journal	Science (New York, N.Y.)
Volume	375
Issue	6577
Pages (from-to)	210-214
Number of pages	5
ISSN	0036-8075
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abk3510
Publication status	Published - Jan 2022

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

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10.1126/science.abk3510

Cite this

@article{b0d8f641bded4b38872f258085eff7e3,

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",

publisher = "AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE",

number = "6577",

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T1 - The effects of defaunation on plants' capacity to track climate change

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

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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

Keywords

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Cite this