Increasing efficiency and reducing bias in the sampling of seed–dispersal interactions based on mist‐netted birds

Efficient and unbiased sampling of ecological interactions is essential to our understanding the functions they mediate. Seed dispersal by frugivorous birds a key mutualism for plant regeneration community dynamics. Mist‐netting one most widely used methods sample avian seed through identification seeds in droppings captured kept inside cloth bags. However, may drop on ground before being extracted from net, leading fraction missing information due ineffective sampling. Worryingly, this could be unevenly distributed across bird species, biases. Here, we assess effectiveness using 1‐m wide mesh below mist nets dropped entangled birds. We data mist‐netted during one‐year‐round. sampled nearly 50% interaction events 75% dispersed band (i.e. lost without optimization). The proportion bands was not evenly among species but strongly related size, ranging 57–63% warblers 84–94% thrushes. Moreover, negatively although relationship weaker. also evaluated accumulation curves pairwise with increasing effort, both bands. number increased 21% when 36%. Our findings provide strong evidence how inefficient biased traditional mist‐netting can community‐wide seed–dispersal interactions. thus urge use future studies increase avoid biases, which will ultimately improve function.