Fleshy-fruited plants and frugivores in desert ecosystems.

Abstract

This chapter provides a global perspective on fleshy-fruited plants, their consumers (e.g. birds, mammals and lizards) and their dispersal biology in desert environments. The current state of knowledge on desert fruit-frugivore interactions from both the plant and animal perspectives are reviewed, and the reasons why frugivory might be rare in deserts are discussed. It explores the extent to which frugivory can influence spatial patterning of vegetation in desert systems and reviews evidence from both observational and experimental studies in an array of habitats. It argues that the relative simplicity of desert ecosystems provides unique opportunities to gain insight into major unanswered questions about seed dispersal ecology.