Upcoming Events
PhD Dissertation Defense - Environmental Science & Policy
Apr 8, 2024, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Exploratory Hall 3301 &
Virtually on Zoom - email espgrad@gmu.edu for Zoom meeting info
PhD Dissertation
Department of Environmental Science and Policy
College of Science
George Mason University
Candidate: Cecilia Beatriz Barriga Bahamonde
Defense Date and Time: April 8, 2024, at 10:00am
Defense Location: Hybrid - Exploratory Hall 3301 & Virtual
Title: Relationship between community structure of frugivorous mammals and the provision of ecosystem services in the Peruvian Amazon
Dissertation Director: Dr.Rebecca Forkner
Committee: Dr. David Luther, Dr. Chris Kennedy, Dr. Travis Gallo, and Dr. Trond Larsen
ABSTRACT
In the megadiverse Peruvian Amazon, frugivorous mammals contribute to the survival of many utilitarian plants through seed dispersal. Indigenous communities rely on the ecosystem services (ES) these animals and plants provide. Through an analysis of field surveys and questionnaires conducted in protected areas and Indigenous lands in Madre de Dios, Peru, this dissertation highlights the importance of frugivorous mammal diversity relative to ES. Protected areas registered more arboreal mammals, wild fruit, and raw material provision than Indigenous lands. Plant saplings and the potential productivity of wild meat, wild fruit, and raw material increased with frugivorous mammal species and functional diversity.
