Figure 1.
Hierarchically nested sampling design.
The figure shows the spatial scales used to assess differences in species diversity of seeds defecated by spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) in latrines located in continuous and fragmented forest in the Lacandona region, Mexico. Seed species diversity was partitioned into α- and β-components considering three spatial scales, from larger to smaller: (i) the diversity of the landscape (γland) was partitioned into mean alpha (αforest) and beta (βforest) diversities in the two forest conditions; (ii) the diversity within each forest condition (γforest) was partitioned into mean alpha (αsite) and beta (βsite) diversities in the sites; and (iii) the diversity within each site (γsite) was partitioned into mean alpha (αlatrine) and beta (βlatrine) diversities in the 12 sampling latrines.
Figure 2.
Abundance of seeds deposited by spider monkeys in latrines located in continuous and fragmented forests in the Lacandona region, Mexico.
We show differences between forest conditions considering medians per site (a), and among sites based on medians per latrine (b). FF = forest fragments ordered from the largest to the smallest; CF = continuous forest sites.
Figure 3.
Seed species diversity in spider monkeys' latrines located in continuous and fragmented forests in the Lacandona region, Mexico.
From left to right, the panels show γ-, β-, and α-components of diversity at three spatial scales. The diversity of the landscape (γland; panel a) was partitioned into mean β- (b) and α- (c) diversities within the two forest conditions. The diversity within each forest condition (γforest; panel d) was partitioned into mean β- (e) and α- (f) diversities in the sites. Finally, the diversity within each site (γsite; panel g) was partitioned into mean β- (h) and α- (i) diversities in latrines. Mean (± SE) α-diversities per forest condition, per site and per latrine is indicated in panels c, f and i, respectively (in panels f and i, significant differences are indicated with asterisks; * P<0.05; ** P<0.01; n.s. P>0.05). In all cases, we evaluated true diversities of order 0 (species richness), 1 (exponential of Shannon's entropy), and 2 (inverse Simpson concentration); however, in panel e we compared the relative compositional dissimilarity between forest conditions using the transformation of beta proposed by Jost (2007) for communities with different numbers of samples (CF: n = 2; FF: n = 3) (see Materials and Methods).
Figure 4.
Species evenness in seeds deposited by spider monkeys in latrines located in continuous and fragmented forests in the Lacandona region, Mexico.
Differences across spatial scales are indicated; from the landscape scale (i.e., including both forest conditions) to the latrine scale. Means (± SE) per site and per latrine are indicated for the site and latrine spatial scales. Significant differences among sites are indicated with different letters (P = 0.01). The evenness factor did not differ between forest conditions (n.s., P>0.05).
Figure 5.
Relative abundance of seeds deposited by spider monkeys in latrines located in each study site.
The identity of dominant species within each site is indicated: 1. Sabal mexicana; 2. Dialium guianense; 3. Castilla elastica; 4. Spondias radlkoferi; 5. Trophis mexicana; 6. Rourea glabra; 7. Paullinia costata; 8. Bactris mexicana; 9. Trichostigma octandrum; 10. Ampelocera hottlei; 11. Mendoncia retusa.