The aim of animal reintroductions has mainly been species recovery; only few reintroduction initiatives focus on ecosystem restoration. Therefore, reintroduction consequences on ecological interactions are seldom assessed. We used the interaction between a reintroduced population of agoutis (Dasyprocta leporina) and a vulnerable tropical endemic tree (Joannesia princeps) to examine reintroduction effects on seed dispersal and seedling establishment. To test the outcomes of this interaction, we tracked seeds of J. princeps in two adjacent forest areas with and without reintroduced agoutis. We also assessed if dispersal distances affected seedling survival. To determine seed fate and dispersal distance, we used spool‐and‐line tracking, together with camera traps to identify dispersers. Agoutis were the only species removing J. princeps seeds, thus dispersal only occurred where agoutis had been reintroduced; in the area without agoutis, all seeds remained intact on the soil, even one year after the experiment's beginning. At the reintroduction area, most seeds were preyed upon by agoutis but 7% remained dispersed and 2% germinated after ten months. Only seeds buried by agoutis were able to germinate. Most dispersed seeds were dispersed 15 m or farther and longer dispersal distances benefited J. princeps, since seedlings farther from a conspecific adult tree had greater survival probability. Agoutis were also seen burying seeds of two other plant species; these mammals have the potential to benefit dozens of large‐seeded species in our study system. Agouti reintroduction thus exemplifies the value of trophic rewilding programs to re‐establish ecological interactions and restore ecosystem functioning.

中文翻译：

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重新引入刺槐可恢复大种子热带树的种子传播

重新引入动物的目的主要是物种恢复。只有很少的重新引进计划集中在生态系统的恢复上。因此，很少评估重新引入对生态相互作用的影响。我们使用了重新引入的刺鼠种群（Dasyprocta leporina）和易受攻击的热带特有树种（Joannesia princeps）之间的相互作用，以研究对种子传播和幼苗建立的再引入效应。为了测试这种互动的结果，我们跟踪了J. princeps的种子在有和没有重新引入刺鼠的两个相邻森林地区。我们还评估了分散距离是否影响幼苗的存活。为了确定种子的命运和散播距离，我们使用线轴和线跟踪以及相机陷阱来识别散布器。刺槐是唯一去除J. princeps种子的物种，因此仅在重新引入了刺豚鼠的地方才发生散播。在无刺豚鼠的地区，即使在实验开始一年后，所有种子仍保持完整。在再引入区，十个月后大多数种子被食蚁兽捕食，但仍有7％散布，而2％发芽。只有被尖齿埋葬的种子才能发芽。大多数散布的种子散布在15 m或更远的地方，更长的散布距离使J. princeps受益。，因为距离同种成年树较远的幼苗具有更大的存活概率。人们还发现刺槐埋葬了另外两种植物的种子。在我们的研究系统中，这些哺乳动物有可能使数十个大种子物种受益。因此，刺槐的重新引入证明了营养性野化计划在重建生态相互作用和恢复生态系统功能方面的价值。