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Decreased frugivory and seed germination rate do not reduce seedling recruitment rates of Aristotelia chilensis in a fragmented forest

Biodiversity and Conservation volume 16, pages 1593–1602 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Habitat fragmentation reduces frugivorous bird abundance. Such a reduction may lead to a reduction in seed dispersal, thereby compromising seedling recruitment rate with far reaching consequences for plant population persistence. We assessed frugivory, seed germination, and seedling recruitment rates in a fragmented forest of central Chile by comparing a continuous forest with four forest fragments surrounded by pine plantations. Frugivory was 2.4 times higher in continuous forest than in forest fragments. Seeds eaten by birds germinated 1.7 and 3.7 times higher than non-eaten seeds from continuous forest and fragments respectively. Non-eaten seeds from continuous forest germinated 2.2 times higher than those from forest fragments, suggesting inbreeding depression. However, seedling recruitment rates at forest fragments were far higher than in continuous forest where no seedling recruited in the five years analysed. Therefore, despite forest fragmentation negatively affected frugivory, it did not translate into a decreased fitness of plants, thus highlighting the importance of considering the overall processes leading the reproductive success of plants following anthropogenic disturbances.

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Acknowledgements

We are indebted to the Chilean Forestry Service (CONAF) and Forestal Millalemu for permission to work in their lands. Fernando Campos kindly helped us with fieldwork. Florencia Prats, Carlos O. Valdivia and Sandra Valdivia also provided invaluable logistic support. This research was funded by Fondecyt 1010852 and 1050745.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile

    Carlos E. Valdivia & Javier A. Simonetti

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  1. Carlos E. Valdivia
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  2. Javier A. Simonetti
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Correspondence to Carlos E. Valdivia.

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Valdivia, C.E., Simonetti, J.A. Decreased frugivory and seed germination rate do not reduce seedling recruitment rates of Aristotelia chilensis in a fragmented forest. Biodivers Conserv 16, 1593–1602 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-006-9007-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-006-9007-z

Keywords

  • Forest fragmentation
  • Avian frugivory
  • Seed quality
  • Seedling recruitment rates

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