Data from: Seasonality and morphological variation shape intraspecific seed dispersal networks in gopher tortoises

Intraspecific variation within animal seed disperser populations can
influence the structure and function of plant-animal networks, with
important consequences for vegetation dynamics and consumer behavior.
However, such variation remains poorly studied. We used an
individual-based bipartite network approach to examine how morphological
traits (e.g., carapace size) and seasonality (wet vs. dry season) shape
seed dispersal interactions of gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus)
inhabiting South Florida’s hyper-diverse pine rockland ecosystem. Over 1.5
years, we dissected fecal samples from 14 radio-tracked tortoises and
identified seeds from 55 plant species. The annual tortoise–plant network
was significantly modular and specialized but not nested, indicating that
distinct subsets of tortoises and plants interacted more frequently with
each other than expected by chance. Larger individuals were more
generalized and dispersed a greater diversity of seeds than smaller
tortoises. Seasonal subnetworks also displayed high modularity but
differed markedly in structure, with 61% interaction dissimilarity driven
primarily by interaction rewiring (89%) rather than species turnover.
During the wet season, both tortoises and fleshy-fruited plant species
exhibited reduced specialization and increased partner diversity,
reflecting the influence of fruiting phenology on network structure.
Together, our findings demonstrate that morphological variation and
seasonal resource availability jointly shape seed dispersal networks.
These results underscore the importance of preserving intraspecific
variation in disperser populations and highlight the value of
individual-based network analyses for understanding the ecological and
evolutionary dynamics of seed dispersal under environmental change.