Rainforest fragmentation decreases the robustness of plant-frugivore interaction networks

Tropical rainforests are biodiversity hotspots that provide a variety of ecosystem functions and services. Seed dispersal by fruit-eating birds is an important ecosystem process in the regeneration of tropical rainforests, which is increasingly threatened by widespread deforestation. In particular, the expansion of agricultural land often leads to forest fragmentation, which can have a negative impact on the interactions between plants and frugivores and thus on seed dispersal. However, little is known about how forest fragmentation affects the structure and robustness of plant-frugivore interaction networks. Here, we examined the effects of forest fragmentation on species richness of frugivorous birds interacting with focal tree species, and the structure and robustness of plant-frugivore interaction networks in the tropical lowland forests of northern Costa Rica. Species richness of frugivorous birds at the forest edges increased with fragment size and forest cover in the surrounding ..., , # Data from: Rainforest fragmentation decreases the robustness of plant-frugivore interaction networks

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.fttdz0957](10.5061/dryad.fttdz0957)

## Description of the data and file structure

Between 5 October and 3 December 2023, we carried out 252 hours of active bird–fruit interaction observations (05:30–09:30 AM) along fixed 300 m forest-edge transects in six old-growth rainforest fragments in northern Costa Rica. On three randomized days per fragment, three observers recorded the following data fields for every interaction (TABLE_S5.csv): Fragment ID; Date; Round; TreeID; Time; Tree species; Bird species; Bird Individuals Interacting; Tree Surrounding; Fruit amount. The Metadata_TABLE_S5.xlsx data file includes the description of all the variables.

 To ensure consistency, all observations of bird-fruit interactions were conducted along a fixed 300 m transect at the forest edge of each fragment, based on accessibility and availability of fruit-bearing trees....,