Artificial Perches for Birds in Deforested Areas Favour a Seed Rain Similar to Woodland Remnants

Abstract The lack of seeds represents one of the highest difficulties to overcome for the ecological restoration of areas that have been deforested. This study evaluates the effectiveness of artificial perches in increasing the abundance and species richness of bird-dispersed seeds and the similitude of seed rain composition (origin and habit of plant seeds), of deforested areas with and without artificial perches in relation to woodland remnants that serve as seeds source. The experiment took place in two sites of the Espinal ecoregion, Argentina. We found that in deforested areas, perches increased seed abundance and species richness in the seed rain in comparison with deforested areas without artificial perches. The species composition under artificial perches was similar to the seed rain dispersed in the woodland. However, a decrease in the richness of native species was significant in the deforested area, probably due to behavioral differences between opportunistic and obligate frugivorous. Seed of trees and shrubs species were well represented in the seed rain under artificial perches. Results from this study contribute to the understanding of nucleation and recovery mechanisms used by nature that reflect ecosystem resilience. We recommend using artificial perches in deforested areas with potential for recovery because it is an efficient technique to promote the entry of birds and increase seed rain, preserving features of the original environment. However, using artificial perches should be avoided in sites with potentially invasive non-native species.