Abstract for presentation at Biodiversity Extinction Crisis Conference - A Pacific Response

Rainforest fragmentation has negative consequences for the distribution and abundance of many forest biota. Because animals play important roles in rainforest dynamics, changes in the composition of rainforest fauna in fragmented forest landscapes may have secondary consequences for plant-animal interactions and ecosystem functions. However, these consequences are likely to be complex, depending not only on the particular changes in frugivore composition and abundance (i.e., which species decline and which increase following fragmentation), but also on patterns of diet selection and foraging behaviour.

This study examines the consequences of fragmentation for frugivores and seed dispersal in rainforest landcapes in subtropical Australia. Frugivore assemblages were quantified at a total of 48 extensive, fragmented and regrowth forest sites. Patterns of plant species selection by frugivorous birds and bats were analysed using records of interactions between 41 frugivore species and over 240 native plant species. Patterns of diet selection were examined in relation to key functional attributes of dispersers, including capacity to disperse seeds of different sizes (e.g., gape width), frugivory level and seed treatment. These data are combined to predict the consequences of fragmentation for the dispersal and regeneration of different plant species at local and regional scales.