Ficus-frugivore interactions, especially in areas of land-use change, in Africa: A systematic review

Abstract

Land-use change is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. It is predicted that conversion of land and habitats will increase rapidly over the next few decades in Africa. Over the years, these changes potentially reduced the capacity of ecosystems to sustain food production for vertebrates. Ficus species (Moraceae), commonly known as figs, occupy diverse habitats and typically produce large numbers of nutritional fleshy fruits that are important to frugivores. However, a decline in Ficus spp. distribution because of land-use changes may negatively affect frugivores and their ecosystems (e.g. via seed dispersal). We systematically searched for studies on the distribution of Ficus spp. in Africa and their frugivore interactions together with the effects of land-use changes up until 2021. Our search resulted in 70 eligible papers. A total of 124 Ficus spp. were recorded across 30 African countries representing approximately 56% of the African countries. Cameroon had the highest record of 63 species, while Benin, Burundi, Ghana, and Rwanda had two, the least number of Ficus spp. recorded. East Africa had the highest Ficus spp. richness recorded (96 species), followed by southern Africa (74 species), Central and Northern Africa (72 species), and West Africa with the least (31 species) recorded. Information about the effect exerted by anthropogenic land-use changes on Ficus-frugivore interaction in Africa was limited. However, research has been conducted on the impact of anthropogenic land-use changes on plant-frugivore and frugivore feeding ecology. Ficus spp. fruit were identified as significant in the diets of various frugivores across Africa, as it is found globally. However, it is essential to understand the impacts of anthropogenic land-use changes on the mutual interaction between frugivores and Ficus spp. and the attendant consequences for ecosystem service provision.