Consequences of defaunation for plant diversity and ecosystem services in the Amazon Forest

Abstract

Anthropogenic pressures, such as habitat conversion and hunting, have led to extinctions of animal species or reductions in their populations, a phenomenon known as defaunation, which is expected to cause cascading effects through the loss or relaxation of ecological interactions. Large-bodied mammals are among the main species affected by defaunation processes, and in the Neotropics, these animals play a key role in seed dispersal, seed predation and herbivory, contributing to the maintenance of plant diversity. Large mammals are also important for providing ecosystem services and goods, respectively, contributing to carbon sequestration by dispersing seeds that promote forest regeneration and seed dispersal of species of timber interest. In this project we seek to better understand the role of medium (over 1 kg) and large-sized (over 20 kg) mammals in maintaining plant diversity in the Amazon. The research also seeks to understand the consequences of the loss of these species on the provision of ecosystem services provided by forests. To meet these objectives, we will use mammalian exclusion experiments, a method that has been used by the São Paulo team to monitor the ecological consequences of defaunation in the Atlantic Forest. With the expansion to the Amazon Rainforest, the research will contribute to a broader knowledge of how defaunation influence tropical forests, as well as enable greater knowledge exchange through interstate partnership. (AU)