An international team of scientists from Portugal, Denmark and the UK has found that around a third of Europe's plant species are at risk of decline due to a decline in seed dispersers such as animals, birds, reptiles and insects. The study was published in the scientific journal Science.
Many plants rely on animals to carry their seeds to distant locations to reduce competition and expand their range.
The experts' conclusions are based on an analysis of the pan-European seed distribution network of 592 plant varieties. The data were then compared to the population scales of the major dispersers, which included 398 faunal species.
The team found that about a third of seed dispersers are classified as threatened or declining.
Scientists concluded that due to this trend, about a third of plants in Europe will also begin to shrink and disappear. The researchers noted that the next step would be to study changes in European ecosystems.
