Interaction between introduced rats and a frugivore bird-plant system in a relict island forest

Abstract

The seed dispersal system formed by the fleshy-fruited shrub Viburnum tinus L. (Caprifoliaceae) and the bird Erithacus rubecula L. is known to occur in both the Mediterranean basin and the laurel forest of the Canary Islands. The latter is invaded by the ship rat Rattus rattus L. This situation allows (1) the comparison of oceanic island and mainland situations for the bird-plant interaction, and (2) quantification of the possible effects of an invading species on the plant, and thus on the whole seed dispersal system. Fruit removal by birds and rats was studied for V. tinus in a laurel forest of Tenerife during a fruiting season to assess patterns of disperser and predator's use of the plant. Fruits were persistent in time and spontaneous fruit loss rate was low. It was exploited by a reduced frugivorous community. Its fruits were dispersed almost exclusively by E. rubecula at extremely low rates, whereas R. rattus rapidly predated the bulk of the crops. Fruit removal by E. rubecula was influenced by vegetation structure and fruit crop size (higher removal rates from gaps or sparse and low canopy patches, and from larger fruit displays). Fruit predation by R. rattus was not related to microhabitat or individual plant traits. Fruit removal by R. rattus had no apparent influence on the pattern of bird frugivory. However, later in the fruiting season, heavy fruit depletion by rats restrained fruit availability for birds. The mainland (Mediterranean) V. tinus-E. rubecula dispersal system is strikingly different from this island counterpart in: (1) the virtual irrelevance of rodent seed predation, and (2) the comparatively high incidence of bird frugivory by the exclusive seed disperser, E. rubecula.

Keywords:

• Erithacus
• Rattus
• Viburnum
• Frugivory
• Plant-ANIMAL Interaction
• Introduced Predator
• Invasion
• Island
• Laurel Forest