Science 2 months ago

European Plant Species at Risk from Disperser Decline

Explore how declining seed disperser populations threaten one-third of European plant species, highlighting urgent ecological challenges and the need for further research.

A group of ecologists from the University of Coimbra, Aarhus University, and the University of Bristol has discovered that nearly one-third of plant species in Europe face the risk of population decline due to a decrease in seed dispersals.

In their study, published in the journal Science, the researchers established a comprehensive seed dispersal network across Europe and analyzed it alongside disperser population numbers to better understand the challenges faced by plants in the region.

Many plants depend on animals to transport their seeds to new locations, which helps reduce competition and expand their habitat. The research team aimed to assess the potential impacts on European plants caused by well-documented declines in the populations of common seed dispersers, including birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects.

They conducted a thorough review of existing literature to identify interactions between plants and the animal species that disperse their seeds. This effort resulted in a compilation of 592 native plant species in Europe that have co-evolved with these dispersers.

Additionally, the team identified 398 animal species known to aid in seed dispersal, many of which serve as dispersers for multiple plant types. To organize their findings, they created a list of over 5,000 pairings of plants and their corresponding dispersers.

Upon examining the dispersers, the researchers found that approximately one-third were classified as threatened or declining. This led to the conclusion that about one-third of plant species in Europe may also be at risk of diminishing or vanishing.

The team indicated that their next step, or that of another group, should be to investigate the changes occurring in ecosystems across Europe as the populations of dispersers continue to decline. They also emphasized the need for further research on plant/disperser interactions, particularly concerning rare plants and dispersers, and exploring similar issues in other regions of the world.