DOI: 10.5061/dryad.8gtht76vr
title: Effects of large mammal exclusion on seedling communities depend on plant species traits and landscape protection in human-modified Costa Rican forests

description: Large terrestrial herbivorous mammals (LTH-mammals) influence plant
 community structure by affecting seedling establishment in mature tropical
 forests. Many of these LTH-mammals frequent secondary forests, but their
 effects on seedling establishment in them are understudied, hindering our
 understanding of how LTH-mammals influence forest regeneration in
 human-modified landscapes. We tested the hypothesis that the strength of
 LTH-mammals’ effects on seedling establishment depends on landscape
 protection, forest successional stage, and plant species’ traits using a
 manipulative field experiment in six 1-ha sites with varying successional
 age and landscape protection. In each site, we established forty seedling
 plot-pairs, with one plot excluding LTH-mammals and one not, and monitored
 seedlings of 116 woody species for 26 months. We found significant effects
 of LTH-mammal exclusion on seedling survival contingent upon the
 protection of forests at the landscape level and forest stage. After 26
 months, survival differences between LTH-mammal exclusion and
 non-exclusion treatments were greater in protected than unprotected
 landscapes. Additionally, plant species’ traits were related to the
 LTH-mammals’ differential effects, as LTH-mammals reduced the survival of
 seedlings of larger-seeded species the most. Overall, LTH-mammals’ effects
 translated into significant shifts in community composition as seedling
 communities inside and outside the exclosures diverged. Moreover, lower
 density and higher species diversity were found as early as 12 and 18
 months outside than inside exclosures. Synthesis and applications. Insight
 into the interactions between LTH-mammals and seedling communities in
 forest regeneration can be instrumental in planning effective restoration
 efforts. We highlight the importance of landscape protection in seedling
 survival and the role of LTH-mammals in promoting seedling diversity in
 mature forests but also in secondary successional forests. The findings
 suggest that conservation efforts and possibly trophic rewilding can be
 important approaches for preserving diversity and influencing the
 trajectory of secondary tropical forest succession. However, we also
 caution that an overabundance of LTH-mammals may adversely impact the pace
 of forest succession due to their preference for large-seeded species.
 Therefore, a comprehensive wildlife management plan is indispensable.
 Additionally, longer-term studies on LTH-mammals are necessary to
 understand the effects of temporal fluctuations that are undetected in
 short-term studies.
description: # Effects of large mammal exclusion on seedling communities depend on
 plant species traits and landscape protection in human-modified Costa
 Rican forests. Contains material related to the paper:  Effects of large
 mammal exclusion on seedling communities depend on plant species traits
 and landscape protection in human-modified Costa Rican forests.   
 Authors: Nohemi Huanca-Nuñez, Robin L. Chazdon, Sabrina E. Russo ###
 Description: Secondary\_E.csv: This data file contains information on the
 status of seedlings (whether they survived or died) for the Exclosure
 treatment. The data reflects the status after the implementation of the
 exclosure. It includes observations for all observed seedling species in
 secondary forests.   Secondary\_N.csv: This data file contains information
 on the status of seedlings (whether they survived or died) for the
 Non-Exclosure treatment. The data reflects the status after the
 implementation of the exclosure. It includes observations for all observed
 seedling species in secondary forests. In these data files
 (Secondary\_E.csv, and Secondary\_N.csv) : * Site: Location * Code:
 Species Code * Family: The species' family * Date: Date of
 observation * SP: Location plot * Treatment: Exposure treatment * Tag:
 Unique identifier for each seedling * First Observed: The first time the
 seedling was observed * Last Observed: The last time the seedling was
 observed * Census: Current census where status is reported * Status at
 Census: Status of the seedling at the time of census * Month at Census:
 Month of observation at the census * Previous Height: Seedling height
 reported in the previous observation in mm
 Effect\_Size\_Species\_Specific.csv: This data file provides the effect
 size specific to species under the Exclosure treatment in comparison to
 the Non-Exclosure treatment. The column code refers to the first three
 letters of the genus and species. Pictures of a small and adult collared
 peccary: One of the most abundant large mammals in La Selva Biological
 Station and its surrounding areas. <br>