More bad news for flora, loss of animal biodiversity spells doom for some plants
FirstpostHouston: Picture a mature, broad-branched tree like an oak, maple or fig. Using our trained model, we could estimate seed dispersal by every bird and mammal species – even rare or extinct species for which there isn’t any species-specific data on the seed dispersal process. Further, we estimate that if currently endangered seed disperser species such as bonobos, savanna elephants and helmeted hornbills became extinct, global seed dispersal would decline by an additional 15 percent. Seed dispersers help sustain forests Seed dispersal also helps forests and other natural ecosystems recover from disturbances like wildfire and deforestation. And global models of seed dispersal like ours can help scientists and land managers think about seed dispersers as a nature-based solution for addressing climate change.