Data from: Global plant-frugivore trait matching is shaped by climate and biogeographic history

Species interactions are influenced by the trait structure of local
multi-trophic communities. However, it remains unclear whether mutualistic
interactions, in particular, can drive trait patterns at the global scale,
where climatic constraints and biogeographic processes gain importance.
Here we evaluate global relationships between traits of frugivorous birds
and palms (Arecaceae), and how these relationships are affected, directly
or indirectly, by assemblage richness, climate and biogeographic history.
We leverage a new and expanded gape size dataset for nearly all avian
frugivores, and find a positive relationship between gape size and fruit
size, that is, trait matching, which is influenced indirectly by palm
richness and climate. We also uncover a latitudinal gradient in trait
matching strength, which increases towards the tropics and varies among
zoogeographic realms. Taken together, our results suggest trophic
interactions have consistent influences on trait structure, but that
abiotic, biogeographic and richness effects also play important, though
sometimes indirect, roles in shaping the functional biogeography of
mutualisms.