Forest fragmentation and defaunation drive an unusual ecological cascade: Predation release, monkey population outburst and plant demographic collapse

摘要: Abstract Anthropogenic habitat fragmentation combined with differential defaunation triggers complex trophic cascades. Here we test a Fragmentation-Defaunation Cascade Hypothesis by examining how medium-sized monkey population outbreak, occurring in predator-free forest fragment, lead to the decline of dominant plant. We computed long-term dynamics Euterpe edulis (“palmito”) plants Brazilian Atlantic Forest landscape, where palmito predator, capuchin monkey, becomes hyper-abundant fragments devoid predators. Palmito (N = 1193) were marked and measured define stage (height diameter) categories 2005, then annually censused (2006–2015). Newly recruited within plots monitored throughout 10-year period. Lefkovitch matrices for each transition year, growth rate (λ), elasticity, plant distribution showed strong trend demographic due lethal consumption palm hearts. Indeed, λ calculations revealed that, end study period, was decreasing 34% annually. A major shift occurred, which became increasingly dominated infants, while reproductives continuously declined, indicating that will soon become extinct this fragment. conclude fragment resulted insmall- mammal outbreaks negatively impacting demography previously host population. posit fragmentation-selective can disrupt animal communities, driving cascading effects include collapse and, potentially, severely altered community structure.