Mapping Animal-mediated Ecosystem Functions across Africa: an Ecosystem Energetics Approach

A key challenge for ecological science is to understand how biodiversity loss is changing ecosystem structure and function at scales relevant for policy. But almost all biodiversity metrics are challenging to disaggregate into animal-mediated ecosystem functions such as pollination, seed and nutrient dispersal, and predation. An ecosystem energetics approach can help resolve this puzzle, by serving as a physically meaningful method of translating animal species composition into a suite of ecosystem functions. Here, I’ll present the results of a first effort to map how land use has altered energy flows through key bird and mammal-mediated ecosystem function across Africa. I’ll break down changes to ecosystem functions by biome and by land use. Finally, I’ll present a case study showing how woody plant encroachment—a major feature of global change in savannas—is changing bird-mediated functions in a fire-suppressed Zimbabwean savanna.