Estimating interaction credit for trophic rewilding in tropical forests

Trophic rewilding has been suggested as a restoration tool to restore ecological interactions and reverse defaunation and its cascading effects on ecosystem functioning. One of the ecological processes that has been jeopardized by defaunation is animal-mediated seed dispersal. Here, we propose an approach that combines joint species distribution models with occurrence data and species interaction records to quantify the potential to restore seed-dispersal interactions through rewilding and apply it to the Atlantic Forest, a global biodiversity hotspot. Using this approach, we identify areas that should benefit the most from trophic rewilding and candidate species that could contribute to cash the credit of seed-dispersal interactions in a given site. We found that sites within large fragments bearing a great diversity of trees may have about 20 times as many interactions to be cashed through rewilding as small fragments in regions where deforestation has been pervasive. We also ranked mammal and bird species according to their potential to restore seed-dispersal interactions if reintroduced while considering the biome as a whole and at finer scales. The suggested approach can aid future conservation efforts in rewilding projects in defaunated tropical rainforests

Rewilding the Atlantic Forest: Restoring the fauna and ecological interactions of a protected area

The loss or reduction of animal populations and consequent extinction of ecological interactions in Neotropical forests demand urgent conservation initiatives to reverse these trends. One of the rainforests with the highest levels of mammal defaunation is the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Local mammalian extinctions in the biome were evaluated to set out priorities. Researchers, reserve managers and ex situ animal keepers throughout the Atlantic Forest were connected through a reintroduction network. From 2010 to 2017, we reintroduced two important seed dispersers, the red-humped agouti and the brown howler monkey, in Tijuca National Park, Rio de Janeiro, with other species on their way. We monitored the reintroduced populations regarding demography, spatial patterns, diet and their effect on ecological interactions. They interacted with several plant species, including large-seeded ones. We found 25 dung beetles’ species interacting with howlers’ feces. As TNP lacked medium and large sized frugivores, the increased dispersal can have a disproportional effect on forest regeneration. Among the main constraints for refaunation programs we pointed out delays to obtain environmental licenses, scarcity of source populations and difficulties regarding quarantine, release and monitoring of the animals. Refaunation has shown promise as a low-cost, effective way to restore ecological processes in defaunated Neotropical forests.Fil: Fernandez, Fernando A.S.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Rheingantz, Marcelo L.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Genes, Luísa. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Kenup, Caio F.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Galliez, Maron. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Cezimbra, Tomaz. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Cid, Bruno. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Macedo, Leandro. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Araujo, Bernardo B.A.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Moraes, Bruno S.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Monjeau, Jorge Adrian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; Argentina. Fundación Bariloche; Argentina. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Pires, Alexandra S.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Brasi

Estimating interaction credit for trophic rewilding in tropical forests

COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DO RIO DE JANEIRO - FAPERJCONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃOTrophic rewilding has been suggested as a restoration tool to restore ecological interactions and reverse defaunation and its cascading effects on ecosystem functioning. One of the ecological processes that has been jeopardized by defaunation is animal-me373176118COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DO RIO DE JANEIRO - FAPERJCONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃOCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DO RIO DE JANEIRO - FAPERJCONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃOsem informação2014/01986-0, 2013/08722-5487092/2012-4, 308356/2014-4E-26/010/001645/2014We thank Elisabeth S. Bakker and Jens-Christian Svenning for inviting us to contribute to this Theme Issue. We thank the two anonymous reviewers for their comments which improved our manuscript. We also thank Laurence Culot and Milton Ribeiro for sharin