Scavenging and frugivory data in the Greater Everglades, 2019 (ver. 2.0, July 2024)
Dates
Publication Date
2024-05-07
Start Date
2019-05-06
End Date
2019-10-31
Revision
2024-07-31
Citation
Hart, K.M., and McCleery, R.A., 2024, Scavenging and frugivory data in the Greater Everglades, 2019 (ver. 2.0, July 2024): U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P98RTNTU.
Summary
Mid-sized mammals (i.e., mesomammals) fulfill important ecological roles, serving as essential scavengers, predators, pollinators, and seed dispersers in the ecosystems they inhabit. Consequently, declines in mesomammal populations have the potential to disrupt ecological processes and degrade ecosystems. However, ecosystems characterized by high functional redundancy, where multiple species can fulfill similar ecological roles, may be less impacted by the loss of mesomammals and other vertebrates. The Greater Everglades Ecosystem in southern Florida is a historically biodiverse region that has recently been impacted by multiple anthropogenic threats, most notably the introduction of the Burmese python (Python bivittatus). Since pythons [...]
Summary
Mid-sized mammals (i.e., mesomammals) fulfill important ecological roles, serving as essential scavengers, predators, pollinators, and seed dispersers in the ecosystems they inhabit. Consequently, declines in mesomammal populations have the potential to disrupt ecological processes and degrade ecosystems. However, ecosystems characterized by high functional redundancy, where multiple species can fulfill similar ecological roles, may be less impacted by the loss of mesomammals and other vertebrates. The Greater Everglades Ecosystem in southern Florida is a historically biodiverse region that has recently been impacted by multiple anthropogenic threats, most notably the introduction of the Burmese python (Python bivittatus). Since pythons became established, mesomammal populations have become greatly reduced. To assess whether these declines in mesomammals have affected two critical ecosystem functions—scavenging and frugivory—we conducted experiments in areas where mesomammals were present and absent. After passive sampling had concluded at each site, we conducted scavenging and frugivory experiments to quantify how mesomammal presence affected frugivory and scavenging rates. To assess these processes, we monitored the persistence of carrion and fruit using motion triggered cameras. We reviewed photos to identify species and determine if they consumed carrion/fruit. To quantify scavenging rates, we secured carrion to a 40 x 40 cm board at each station and recorded detection time (the elapsed time between deployment and the first scavenger’s arrival) and consumption time (the elapsed time between deployment and the complete consumption of the carcass).
If mesomammal declines have altered scavenging and frugivory rates in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, the ecological ramifications could be far-reaching. Additionally, there is a need to understand whether and how functionally redundant systems can mitigate the loss of mammals and other vertebrates (Brodie et al., 2021). To address this knowledge gap, we leveraged the documented gradient in mammal diversity within the Greater Everglades Ecosystem (McCleery et al., 2015; Sovie et al., 2016; Burkett-Cadena et al., 2021; Taillie et al., 2021) to assess the influence of mesomammal declines on two critical ecosystem processes, scavenging and frugivory. Specifically, our objectives were to 1) evaluate differences in scavenging and frugivory rates between areas where mesomammals were and were not detected, and 2) compare communities of scavengers and frugivores between areas that vary in their level of mesomammal activity.