Seed-dispersing vertebrates and the abiotic environment shape functional diversity of the pantropical Annonaceae.

ABSTRACT: Mutualistic interactions between fruiting plants and frugivorous animals are shaped by interaction-relevant functional traits. However, it is unclear whether 'trait matching' underlies broad-scale relationships in plant and frugivore species and their functional diversity. We integrated novel trait data and global occurrences for c. 1900 species in a major tropical plant family (Annonaceae) with data for 7607 bird and mammal species, including 1418 frugivores, alongside data on the abiotic environment. We applied structural equation models to evaluate the direct and indirect drivers of global and continental variation in frugivory-related functional diversity in Annonaceae, and assessed frugivory-exclusive drivers through comparisons with non-frugivores. We show that global variation in An

SUBMITTER: Cabral A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12059537 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature