Madrid. Hunting, illegal trade and deforestation of forests is leading to extinction of thousands of species of large animals around the world but we know what happens when these copies disappear ?.
A study published in the journal Science warns Advances for the first time defaunation or extinction of large animals has serious implications for ecological interactions, depleted forests and climate change accelerates.
Work , conducted by Spanish researchers, Colombian and Brazilian Paulista State University (UNESP), together with scientists from England and Finland, it shows that large animals maintain diversity and ecosystem services and, therefore, their disappearance has effects “incidentals and devastating for the environment. “
The first study examines what happens when large -the frugívoros that feed mainly fruit- disappear,” that are crucial for reforestation and regeneration natural forests, “he told Efe the research professor at the Biological Station of Doñana and study co-author Pedro Jordano.
” And it is because of their diet, these animals such as toucans, tapirs, or large primates eat lots of fruits of plants, large seeds after defecate or regurgitate back into the forest and in suitable conditions for germination. Ie, are responsible for planting the forest, “says the researcher.
This does not only favor these animals but also to forests,” is what we call an ecological mutual interaction, ie that favors both parties. “
The study, conducted in forests of southeastern Brazil (some well preserved and others with little wildlife due to deforestation and hunting) has shown that” forest areas without frugívoros have a storage capacity much lower than that of the well-preserved forests which are carbon, and therefore its potential to counteract the effects of climate change is much smaller, “says Jordan.
“The trees that have large seeds are large trees with dense wood, which store more carbon,” says Mauro Galetti Professor Department of Ecology UNESP.
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