Efectos del cambio antropogenico global de la fragmentacion de habitat sobre la polinizacion y la decuacion masculina y femenina de las Angiospermas

QUESADA M.; AGUILAR R.; JACOB CRISTOBAL-PEREZ; MARQUEZ, V.; CARBONE L.; PAGLIA, ISIS; FREITAS, LEANDRO; ASHWORTH L.; MARTEN-RODRIGUEZ S.; WILSON FERNANDES, GERALDO; LOBO, J.; FUCHS, ERIC J.

Simposio; IX Congreso mexicano de Ecologia; 2024

Most of the Earth’s land area is currently occupied by humans. Understanding how terrestrial plants reproduce in these heavily modified environments is crucial to assessing their long-term viability and capacity to adapt to changing conditions. To address this, we conducted hierarchical and phylogenetically independent meta-analyses to evaluate the overall effects of anthropogenic land-use changes on pollination as well as on the male and female fitness of terrestrial plants. Our analysis revealed significant negative global impacts of land-use changes—primarily habitat loss and fragmentation—on pollination and on both female and male fitness in terrestrial flowering plants. These negative effects were particularly pronounced in plants with self-incompatibility systems and those pollinated by invertebrates, regardless of their life form or sexual expression. Both pollination-generalist and pollination-specialist plants exhibited similar declines in pollination and female fitness due to land-use changes, whereas male fitness in specialist plants remained unaffected. These findings suggest that angiosperm populations persisting in fragmented habitats experience reduced pollination and fitness, which is likely to decrease recruitment, survival, and overall long-term viability. We highlight critical gaps in current knowledge and emphasize the urgent need not only to reduce the current rates of land-use change globally but also to prioritize active restoration efforts. Expanding and reconnecting remaining natural habitats will be essential to mitigate these negative impacts and support the resilience of plant populations.