FRUGIVORY CAMTRAP: A dataset of plant-animal interactions recorded with camera traps

Abstract

The goal of this repository is to contain and facilitate access to the data associated to the datapaper FRUGIVORY CAMTRAPS: A dataset of plant-animal interactions recorded with camera traps

Ecological interactions are a key component of biodiversity, essential for understanding ecosystem services and functioning. Recording and quantifying ecological interactions is challenging, frequently requiring complex logistics and substantial effort in the field. Camera traps are routinely used in ecology for various applications and have proven to be an excellent method for passive and non-invasive sampling of plant-animal interactions. We implemented a standardized camera trap protocol to monitor frugivory interactions between fleshy-fruited plant species and vertebrate frugivores in Doñana National Park, SW Spain. The central objective was to inventory the diversity of plant-animal ecological interactions providing seed dispersal services. We recorded pairwise interactions between plant individuals and vertebrate frugivore species from 2018 to 2023, reporting both qualitative information (presence-absence of the interaction) and quantitative data (frequency of visits). Each record in the dataset contains information of a visit by an individual animal to an individual plant, resulting in any form of fleshy-fruit use and provides information on visitation phenology, visit length and feeding behavior. The dataset presented here includes 10,659 frugivory interactions for 59 vertebrate species (46 birds, 13 mammals) recorded on 339 plant individuals from 13 different plant species which dominate the fleshy-fruited plant assemblage in the Doñana National Park. The most recorded animal species consuming fruits and playing a legitimate seed dispersal role was Curruca melanocephala (1678 records) among birds and Vulpes vulpes among mammals (751 records). On the other hand, Cervus elaphus was the most recorded mammal species (1508 records), but it is a fruit consumer with a marginal role as legitimate seed disperser. Avian frugivores, particularly those from the Sylviidae and Turdidae families, are widespread in the region, and play a crucial role in maintaining the dispersal service for the fleshy-fruited plant populations in the area. The dataset offers highly versatile quantitative information that can be used to investigate frugivory from the highest resolution scale, the interaction event between pairs of individuals. In addition, information can be extracted about the timing of interactions of animals and plants (their phenological couplings), activity periods of the animals, behavior during the events and preferences for individual plants within populations.