Data from: The role of nocturnal omnivorous lemurs as seed dispersers in Malagasy rain forests

Fruit-eating animals play important roles as seed dispersal agents in
terrestrial systems. Yet, the extent to which seed dispersal by nocturnal
omnivores may facilitate germination and the recruitment of plant
communities has rarely been investigated. Characterizing their roles in
seed dispersal is necessary to provide a more complete picture of how seed
dispersal processes affect ecosystem functioning. We investigated the
roles and impacts of two species of nocturnal omnivorous lemur species,
Microcebus jollyae and M. rufus, on seed dispersal in Madagascar’s rain
forests, through analysis of fecal samples and germination experiments.
Data show that these lemur species, which are among the world’s smallest
primates, dispersed 22 plant species from various forest strata and that
the defecated seeds germinated faster and at higher rates than control
seeds for the eight plant species we tested. Even though mouse lemurs
dispersed both native and non-native plant species, non-native plant
species represented a relatively small proportion (17%). These results
demonstrate that overlooked nocturnal omnivores can act as important seed
dispersers, which may have critical implications for forest regeneration
and the maintenance of plant diversity in fragmented/degraded forests.
Finally, we provide critical insights into the previously unobserved
behavior and diet of endangered nocturnal lemurs for their effective
conservation.