The integrity of ecological interactions, such as pollination and seed dispersal, has been
recognized as important for long-term conservation of biodiversity (Asquith et al. 1999,
Buchmann & Nabhan 1997, Howe 1984, Pizo 1997). This is illustrated by the fact that the
loss of large-bodied animals like birds and mammals after habitat fragmentation can result in
population changes or even extinction of many plant species (Silva & Tabarelli 2000). In the
absence of primary seed dispersers (vertebrates), the importance of invertebrates such as …

The study investigates the interaction between seeds of camboatá (Cupania vernalis) and
ground-foraging ants in a semi-deciduous forest fragment in Sãu Paulo, Brazil. Specifically,
the study aims to:(i) record the ant species that interact with C. vernalis seeds at the edge
and inside the forest;(ii) understand how seed cleaning of C. vernalis by ants might influence
survivorship of seeds on the ground; and (iii) see how edge effects influence these
interactions. Two experiments were carried out simultaneously using the same experimental …