Effects of plant and avian frugivore interaction networks on landscape patterns and seed dispersal functions in the southern Western Ghats, India

Abstract

The Western Ghats is a global hotspot of biodiversity. In this descriptive study at the foothills of the Western Ghats, our aim was to further our understanding of the complex interaction between frugivorous birds and trees. The bird numbers were assessed using the distance line transect method and the fruit preferences of birds were recorded using a 4K video camera. A strong positive correlation was found between the number of plant species and the abundance of bird species in each study area, which emphasizes the importance of avian seed dispersers in an ecosystem, and the essential value of studies of frugivory to devise conservation measures for frugivores and frugivore dispersed plants.