Central American Agouti (Dasyprocta punctata). Credit: Robert Cooke

In the tropics, for example, the environment is teeming with life and many species exist which are very similar to each other. There may be numerous types of rodent, which perform similar functions in the environment, such as eating insects or helping to disperse seeds. The loss of one or two of these rodent species may not have too much impact though, as other types will simply compensate.



However, taking Africa as an example, mammals which perform very specific functions may be more important, such as elephants – eating hundreds of kilograms of vegetation a day, as well as churning the earth with their feet and tusks. The loss of elephants would likely have a much bigger impact because other animals aren’t performing these kinds of specialist roles to the same degree.



Interestingly, the study – the first to examine both birds and mammals together in this way – found many overlaps between these two groups, even when taking into account flight and daytime and nocturnal behaviour.



Lead author Robert Cooke, from the University of Southampton, comments: “This is a new way of looking at how we can maximise effective conservation efforts and we hope that it will provide governments and relevant charities worldwide with the big picture on which areas are most at risk from losing the functionality of birds and mammals in the environment – thus helping them to concentrate their efforts in the most effective directions.”



Professor of Applied Spatial Ecology Felix Eigenbrod, also of the University of Southampton, says: “This is an important study as it shows us how crucial it is to look at the diversity of life in different ways to really understand where to best focus precious conservation funding.”



The researchers hope more detailed work can be carried out in the future to look more closely at how species interact and effect each other. Findings for this latest study are published in the journal Global Ecology and Biogeography.