Individual variability shapes interaction rewiring andfosters ecosystem restoration by reintroduced giant tortoises in the Seychelles

13 p.-5 fig.

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Ferreiro-Arias, Iago, García Peña, Sergio, Kaiser-Bunbury, Christopher N., Vargas, Pablo
Tipo de documento: artigo
Estado:Versão publicada
Data de publicação:2026
País:España
Recursos:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositório:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:digitalcsic_::537cf24da91574e859f2209540477a8d
Acesso em linha:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/427298
Access Level:Acceso aberto
Palavra-chave:Aldabrachelys gigantea
DNA metabarcoding
Refaunation
Seychelles
Trophic rewiring
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spelling Individual variability shapes interaction rewiring andfosters ecosystem restoration by reintroduced giant tortoises in the SeychellesFerreiro-Arias, IagoGarcía Peña, SergioKaiser-Bunbury, Christopher N.Vargas, PabloAldabrachelys giganteaDNA metabarcodingRefaunationSeychellesTrophic rewiring13 p.-5 fig.Introduction: Giant tortoises are critical for restoring lost ecological interactions on islands. Following their extinction in Seychelles centuries ago, key ecosystem processes like seed dispersal, browsing, and nutrient cycling were disrupted. While their role as keystone species is clear, we lack understanding of how differences between individual tortoises influence the rewiring of these distinct ecological processes.Methods: We sampled ecological interactions of reintroduced Aldabra giant tortoises on Aride Island using a multi-method approach: focal observations, fecal examination, and DNA metabarcoding to quantify their roles in detritivory, browsing-grazing, and seed dispersal. We measured individual performance by the number of interactions with plant species and the proportion of native versus exotic plants consumed. We assessed differences in individual ecological roles using their topological and structural positions in individual-based networks as a proxy for their contribution to each ecological process.Results: Tortoises dispersed more than 10,000 native seeds in 2 months, with only three individuals accounting for more than 80% seeds dispersed. Individuals exhibited significant differences in their performance as seed dispersers of native flora, browsers–grazers of exotic flora, and detritivores. Individuals did not show congruence in their topological roles across individual-based networks.Conclusions: Our study shows the rapid establishment of ecological interactions post-reintroduction, while highlighting the importance of studying individual-scale variability in restoration programs aimed at rewiring ecological interactions. We argue that critical ecosystem functions in small islands such as Aride may depend substantially on a small number of individuals with diverse and contrasting ecological roles.This study was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (PGC2018-101650-B-I00). I.F.A. was supported by a predoctoral grant from the Andalusian Government (PREDOC_01122).Peer reviewedJohn Wiley & SonsMinisterio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España)Junta de AndalucíaFerreiro-Arias, Iago [0000-0003-4178-5783]García Peña, Sergio [0000-0003-0414-9980]Kaiser-Bunbury, Christopher N. [0000-0001-7254-3491]Vargas, Pablo [0000-0003-4502-0382]Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]202620262026info:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501Publisher's versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://hdl.handle.net/10261/427298reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSICinstname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)Inglés#PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE#info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/AEI/Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2017-2020/PGC2018-101650-B-I00https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.70342Síinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:dnet:digitalcsic_::537cf24da91574e859f2209540477a8d2026-05-22T06:33:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Individual variability shapes interaction rewiring andfosters ecosystem restoration by reintroduced giant tortoises in the Seychelles
title Individual variability shapes interaction rewiring andfosters ecosystem restoration by reintroduced giant tortoises in the Seychelles
spellingShingle Individual variability shapes interaction rewiring andfosters ecosystem restoration by reintroduced giant tortoises in the Seychelles
Ferreiro-Arias, Iago
Aldabrachelys gigantea
DNA metabarcoding
Refaunation
Seychelles
Trophic rewiring
title_short Individual variability shapes interaction rewiring andfosters ecosystem restoration by reintroduced giant tortoises in the Seychelles
title_full Individual variability shapes interaction rewiring andfosters ecosystem restoration by reintroduced giant tortoises in the Seychelles
title_fullStr Individual variability shapes interaction rewiring andfosters ecosystem restoration by reintroduced giant tortoises in the Seychelles
title_full_unstemmed Individual variability shapes interaction rewiring andfosters ecosystem restoration by reintroduced giant tortoises in the Seychelles
title_sort Individual variability shapes interaction rewiring andfosters ecosystem restoration by reintroduced giant tortoises in the Seychelles
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Ferreiro-Arias, Iago
García Peña, Sergio
Kaiser-Bunbury, Christopher N.
Vargas, Pablo
author Ferreiro-Arias, Iago
author_facet Ferreiro-Arias, Iago
García Peña, Sergio
Kaiser-Bunbury, Christopher N.
Vargas, Pablo
author_role author
author2 García Peña, Sergio
Kaiser-Bunbury, Christopher N.
Vargas, Pablo
author2_role author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España)
Junta de Andalucía
Ferreiro-Arias, Iago [0000-0003-4178-5783]
García Peña, Sergio [0000-0003-0414-9980]
Kaiser-Bunbury, Christopher N. [0000-0001-7254-3491]
Vargas, Pablo [0000-0003-4502-0382]
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Aldabrachelys gigantea
DNA metabarcoding
Refaunation
Seychelles
Trophic rewiring
topic Aldabrachelys gigantea
DNA metabarcoding
Refaunation
Seychelles
Trophic rewiring
description 13 p.-5 fig.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026
2026
2026
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
Publisher's version
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10261/427298
url http://hdl.handle.net/10261/427298
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv #PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE#
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/AEI/Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2017-2020/PGC2018-101650-B-I00
https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.70342
Sí
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv John Wiley & Sons
publisher.none.fl_str_mv John Wiley & Sons
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
instname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
instname_str Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
reponame_str DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
collection DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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