Hi Ecologgers: We are interested in the role of mutualism disruption in species conservation. Under what circumstances do mutualisms become disrupted, and what is the impact of such disruption on the former mutualist partners? For example, the decline of nectarivorous birds on the North Island of New Zealand, caused by invasive mammalian predators, led to reduced pollination, seed set, and abundance of the shrub Rhabdothamnus solandri (Anderson et al 2011, Science).
As part of a multi-pronged research approach, we are currently gathering case study examples of systems in which mutualism disruption has been observed. However, we realize that the literature is not always complete or fully up to date, and that there may be examples we are not able to access via traditional literature search methods. To help us compile the broadest possible database of mutualism disruption case studies, we'd like to invite Ecologgers to email us with any examples of systems and species that have experienced mutualism disruption. If you know of any examples, please consider sending us a quick note detailing the geographic area, type of mutualism, species involved, cause of disruption (if known), and citation (if applicable and known). Please send responses by direct email, off-list, and thanks in advance for your help and interest! Sincerely, Clare Aslan, University of California-Santa Cruz, [email protected] Haldre Rogers, Rice University -- Clare E. Aslan, Ph.D. David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellow Environmental Studies Department University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA 95064 Phone: 530.219.6244 Email: [email protected]
