Mutualistic tree-frugivore interactions in Afrotropical forests : from local ecological knowledge to the identification of network interaction patterns

Frugivory in tropical forests is a major ecological process, as most tree species rely on frugivores for their dispersion, and numerous animal species used fruits as their principal sources of food. However, frugivory networks between plants and animals in Afrotropical forests are poorly described, and the mechanisms shaping them remain largely unexplored. This PhD thesis addresses a structural approach of the frugivory network, a plant-community approach and a methodological approach using local ecological knowledge and cameras.The first chapter describes the frugivory network of Afrotropical forests, based on a compilation of frugivory interactions from the literature that comprised >10,0…