Download or read book Spatiotemporal Variation in Animal Behavior, Species Interactions, and Their Impacts on Seed Dispersal Potential in a Novel Ecosystem written by Rebecca C. Wilcox and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Animal-mediated seed dispersal is critical for maintaining the diversity of ecosystems. However, this mutualism is under threat from global environmental change. The loss of native species and the introduction of exotic species creates novel species interactions and can alter seed dispersal. Animal-mediated seed dispersal can vary across spatiotemporal scales owing to variation in the plants, dispersers, and the surrounding community, with impacts on seed dispersal. Therefore, examining key processes and behaviors relevant to seed dispersal is critical for understanding current and future seed dispersal in novel ecosystems. I conducted the following four studies in a novel seed dispersal system on Oahu, Hawaii. First, I examined space use patterns of an assemblage of exotic bird dispersers. I found redundant space use patterns in native dominated habitats, suggesting those habitats have a robust dispersal community. Second, I examined temporal variation in disperser behaviors relevant to seed dispersal. I found little temporal variation in frugivory and species foraged primarily on fruits in foraging aggregations during the non-breeding season. Third, I explored how temporal overlap in disperser availability and plant fruit availability impacts plant-disperser interactions. I found that temporal overlap within trophic levels (between plants) was more important than overlap between plants and dispersers for seed dispersal. Lastly, I examined movement patterns of dispersers. I found that both inter- and intra-specific variation were present suggesting the need to take this variation into account when modeling seed dispersal. Together, these studies highlight the need to incorporate variation and specific behaviors into studies of seed dispersal.