DOI: 10.5061/dryad.c565c
title: Data from: Rewilded mammal assemblages reveal the missing ecological functions of granivores

description: 1. Rewilding is a strategy for ecological restoration that uses
 reintroductions of animals to re-establish the ecological functions of
 keystone species. Globally, rewilding efforts have focused primarily on
 reinstating the ecological functions of charismatic megafauna. In
 Australia, rewilding efforts have focused on restoring the ecological
 functions of herbivorous and omnivorous rodents and marsupials weighing
 between 30-5000g inside of predator-proof exclosures. 2. In many arid
 ecosystems, mammals are considered the dominant seed predators. In
 Australian deserts, ants are considered to be the primary removers and
 predators of seeds and mammals unimportant removers and predators of
 seeds. However, most research on granivory in Australian deserts has
 occurred in areas where native mammals were functionally extinct. 3. Here,
 we compare rates of seed removal by mammals and ants on shrub seeds and
 abundance of shrub seedlings in two rewilded desert ecosystems (Arid
 Recovery Reserve and Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary) with adjacent areas
 possessing depauperate mammal faunas. We used foraging trays containing
 seeds of common native shrubs (Acacia ligulata and Dodonaea viscosa) to
 examine rates of seed removal by ants and mammals. We quantified the
 abundance of A. ligulata and D. viscosa seedlings inside and outside of
 rewilded areas along belt transects. 4. By excluding ants and mammals from
 foraging trays, we show that ants removed more seeds than mammals where
 mammal assemblages were depauperate, but mammals removed far more seeds
 than ants in rewilded areas. Shrub seedlings were more abundant in areas
 with depauperate mammal faunas than in rewilded areas. 5. Our study
 provides evidence that rewilding of desert mammal assemblages has restored
 the hitherto unappreciated ecological function of omnivorous rodents and
 bettongs as seed predators. We hypothesize that the loss of omnivorous
 mammals may be a factor that has facilitated shrub encroachment in arid
 Australia. 6. We contend that rewilding programs aimed at restoring
 ecological processes should not ignore consumers with relatively lower per
 capita consumptive effects. This is because consumers with low per capita
 consumptive effects often occur at high population densities or perform
 critical ecological functions and thus may have significant population
 level impacts that can be harnessed for ecological restoration.
description: SeedlingsARSeedling (&lt;30cm) counts collected at Arid Recovery reserve by Chris Gordon in February 2013. "AR" is Arid Recovery. DV is Dodonaea viscosa, AL is Acacia ligulata. abbreviations in first column refer to exclosure/property on which transect conducted: fe = first expansion, me = main expansion, ne = northern expansion, a = andamooka station, d = dingo pen.Seedlings ScotiaField data on seedling (&lt;30cm height) abundance inside and outside rewilded areas. SC = Scotia, DV = Dodonaea viscosa, AL = Acacia ligulata. Abbreviations in column "transect" refer to specific exclosure/treatment area: S1 = Stage 1, S2 = Stage 3, S4 = Stage 4, NA = NanyaSeedlingsSC.csvSeed Removal and Culprits Arid RecoveryField seed removal experiment inside and outside rewilded areas at Arid Recovery in August 2015 (Winter) and Summer 2016 (Summer). AR = Arid Recovery, DV = Dodonaea viscosa, AL = Acacia ligulata. Inside = Rewilded area, Outside = Depauperate area. Total Seeds Removed has maximum of 50. Treatments: bicarb = ant exclusion procedural control, control = control, coopex = ant exclusion, exclusion = mammal exclusion, procedural control = mammal exclusion procedural control. Hopper = Notomys alexis, Bettong = Bettongia lesueur. Hopper/Ants/Bettong/Bird refer to presence of spoor: 1 = present, 0 = not present.seedsAR.csvSeed Removal and Culprits ScotiaField seed removal experiment inside and outside rewilded areas at Scotia Wildlife Reserve in August 2015 (Winter) and Summer 2016 (Summer). SC = Scotia, DV = Dodonaea viscosa, AL = Acacia ligulata. Inside = Rewilded area, Outside = Depauperate area. Total Seeds Removed has maximum of 50. Treatments: bicarb = ant exclusion procedural control, control = control, coopex = ant exclusion, exclusion = mammal exclusion, procedural control = mammal exclusion procedural control. Bettong = Bettongia lesueur. Ants/Bettong/Bird refer to presence of spoor: 1 = present, 0 = not present.seedsSC.csvSpotlighting_TransectsField spotlighting surveys at Scotia and Arid Recovery (AR) inside and outside of rewilded areas.