Seed dispersal by spider monkeys in logged and unlogged sites in the Calakmul tropical humid forest, Mexico / Dispersión de semillas por monos araña en sitios talados y no talados en el bosque húmedo tropical de Calakmul, México

Selective logging does not limit seed dispersal by spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi yucatanensis), potentially aiding the recovery of managed forests. Researchers found that while unlogged sites had 2.2 times more seeds deposited under sleeping trees, logged areas saw 2.3 times more scattered seed dispersal, with most seeds remaining undamaged in both conditions. The study, conducted over five months in Calakmul's tropical humid forest, Mexico, analyzed 15,853 seeds from 20 species found in monkey feces and latrines. Despite similar use of sleeping trees (4.5 ± 4.3 weeks), the findings suggest that primate-mediated seed dispersal persists even in logged forests, offering insights into the resilience of tropical ecosystems under selective logging.

Velázquez-Vázquez, G., González-Zamora, A., Arroyo-Rodríguez, V., & Taylor, J. (2022). Seed dispersal by spider monkeys in logged and unlogged sites in the Calakmul tropical humid forest, Mexico / Dispersión de semillas por monos araña en sitios talados y no talados en el bosque húmedo tropical de Calakmul, México. Brazilian Journal of Animal and Environmental Research, 5(1), 247–255. https://doi.org/10.34188/bjaerv5n1-022