Tropical Wet Forest
Carbon Costs and Bushmeat Benefits of Hunting in Tropical ForestsBackgroundOverhunting in tropical forests depletes frugivorous animals that play a vital role in seed dispersal. This loss alters tree species composition and reduces forest carbon storage. While bushmeat hunting remains an important source of protein and income for local communities, its long-term impact on carbon stocks remains poorly understood. This study investigates the trade-offs between the economic benefits of bushmeat hunting and the potential carbon costs of defaunation-driven biomass loss. Understanding these dynamics is essential for integrating hunting management into climate mitigation strategies such as REDD+. Open access copy available |
Not Seeing the Forest for the Trees: The Oversight of Defaunation in REDD+ and Global Forest GovernanceBackgroundREDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) aims to mitigate climate change by preserving forest carbon stocks. Although REDD+ focuses mainly on reducing deforestation, it largely ignores defaunation—the loss of forest wildlife caused by unsustainable hunting. Many tropical forests suffer from "empty forest syndrome," where hunting removes large frugivores and seed dispersers, disrupting seed dispersal and carbon sequestration. This study highlights how REDD+ policies overlook the ecological role of forest fauna and argues that neglecting defaunation threatens the long-term success of forest conservation. Open access copy available |
Synergistic Effects of Seed Disperser and Predator Loss on Recruitment Success and Long-Term Consequences for Carbon Stocks in Tropical RainforestsBackgroundDefaunation—the loss of animal species due to hunting, habitat destruction, and other human activities—affects tropical forests profoundly. Large frugivores play a key role in seed dispersal, while seed predators influence recruitment success and plant population dynamics. Previous studies focus mainly on how defaunation impacts seed dispersal but often overlook the role of seed predators and potential compensatory ecosystem effects. This study examines how losing both seed dispersers and seed predators simultaneously affects tree recruitment and long-term carbon storage in tropical forests. Open access copy available |
The Need for Carbon Finance Schemes to Tackle Overexploitation of Tropical Forest WildlifeBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Contrasting Effects of Defaunation on Aboveground Carbon Storage Across the Global TropicsBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Fungi and Insects Compensate for Lost Vertebrate Seed Predation in an Experimentally Defaunated Tropical ForestBackgroundDefaunation disrupts key plant-animal interactions such as seed dispersal and seed predation, triggering cascading effects on plant regeneration, species composition, and carbon storage. While past studies emphasize the negative consequences of losing vertebrate seed dispersers and predators, it remains unclear whether other organisms like fungi and insects can compensate for these losses. This study investigates whether non-vertebrate predators offset the decline of large vertebrate seed predators in a tropical rainforest. Open access copy available |
Size-Related Differential Seed Predation in a Heavily Defaunated Neotropical Rain ForestBackgroundDefaunation, driven by hunting and habitat loss, disproportionately affects medium and large mammals, often leaving behind a residual community dominated by small rodents. This shift in mammal communities can alter seed predation dynamics and impact forest regeneration. In heavily defaunated areas like Los Tuxtlas, Mexico, small rodents have become the primary seed predators. This study investigates whether seed predation patterns differ based on seed size in a highly defaunated forest. Specifically, it examines whether small rodents preferentially consume small seeds while large-seeded species escape predation, potentially influencing seed germination and plant recruitment. Open access copy available |
Seed dispersal strategies and the threat of defaunation in a Congo forestBackgroundSeed dispersal plays a critical role in shaping plant communities and maintaining biodiversity in tropical forests. In the Congo Basin, most tree species depend on animals (zoochory) to disperse their seeds, with large vertebrates such as forest elephants and bonobos serving as key dispersers. However, hunting and poaching threaten these animals, potentially triggering cascading effects on forest structure and plant regeneration. This study investigates the extent of animal-mediated seed dispersal in the LuiKotale forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and evaluates how hunting pressure on frugivores may influence tree community composition. Available with subscription or purchase |
Defaunation of Large-Bodied Frugivores Reduces Carbon Storage in a Tropical Forest of Southeast AsiaBackgroundTropical forests are vital for carbon storage, but recent studies suggest that defaunation—the loss of large-bodied seed dispersers due to hunting and habitat fragmentation—can significantly impact this function. While previous research has shown reductions in above-ground carbon storage due to defaunation in South America and Africa, its effects on Southeast Asian forests remain debated. Some scientists argue that the dominance of wind-dispersed Dipterocarpaceae trees in the region buffers against carbon losses from defaunation. This study examines the extent to which defaunation influences carbon storage in a tropical forest in Thailand, where large frugivores such as primates, hornbills, and terrestrial mammals still persist. Available with subscription or purchase |
Drivers and spatial patterns of avian defaunation in tropical forestsBackgroundTropical forests harbor an immense diversity of bird species, but hunting and wildlife trade are driving widespread declines in bird populations. Unlike habitat loss, hunting often occurs in seemingly intact forests, making its impact more difficult to detect. Birds are harvested for both subsistence (food) and commercial purposes (pet trade), but the spatial extent and drivers of avian defaunation remain poorly understood. This study aims to assess the factors influencing bird population declines and map defaunation patterns across tropical forests. Open access copy available |
