Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 75 (1): 117-126, 2002
Consequences of the disruption of plant-animal mutualisms for the distribution of plant species
in the Balearic Islands
The alteration of a habitat such as that caused by the introduction of exotic animal
species that displace the native ones, reducing their populations or leading them to extinction, can result in the disruption of species
interactions which may have evolved during millions of years. The insular ecosystems are especially vulnerable to such disturbances,
as they are usually less complex and have a lower number of species than the continental ones. In the present work I document the
consequences of the disruption of plant-disperser interactions, caused by the introduction of carnivorous mammals in the Balearic
Islands, for the populations of two shrub species: Cneorum tricoccon L., with a distribution restricted to the
western Mediterranean, and Daphne rodriguezii Texidor, endemic from Menorca island. Whereas carnivores have
“replaced” the native dispersers (lizards) of the former, notably modifying its distribution -especially in Mallorca-, the plant-lizard
mutualism disruption seems to have been dramatic for the second species, drastically reducing its populations except in an islet where
lizards still persist.
Key words:
seed dispersal ,
Cneorum tricoccon, Daphne rodriguezii, saurocory, insular extinctions
