Human?induced reduction in mammalian movements impacts seed dispersal in the tropics

Seed dispersal is a key process affecting the structure, composition and spatial dynamics of plant populations. Numerous species in tropics rely upon animals to disperse their seeds. Humans have altered mammalian movements, which will likely affect seed distances (SDD). Altered SDD may range consequences for communities including reduced seedling recruitment biomass, trait homogenization, gene flow capacity respond environmental changes. Therefore, modelling animal behaviour on ecosystem processes important predicting how ecosystems human impacts. While previous research has focused link between extirpation SDD, it remains unclear changes movement impact SDD. Here we implemented mechanistic approach examine reductions tropics. We combined allometric theory with model estimate via 37 large frugivorous mammals (> 10 kg) under different levels footprint, global proxy direct indirect disturbances. Our results suggest that assemblage-level are estimated be up 80% across response disturbance. This particularly case areas high such as agricultural landscapes suburban areas. The region largest was Asia-Pacific average 25%, followed by Central–South America (16%) then Africa (15%). study provides insights into human-induced could translate functioning.